NEWS The Lockyer legacy Milford wants to emulate

[Super Freak]

The Lockyer legacy Milford wants to emulate

March 20, 2019

It is the cool, calm and collected legacy of Darren Lockyer that Anthony Milford wants to replicate as the Brisbane five-eighth targets delivering the club a long-awaited seventh premiership.

When the 24-year-old spoke on Wednesday in the lead-up to the Queensland derby clash with the Cowboys on Friday night it was with a determination to emulate the coolness under pressure of the four-time premiership winner and his childhood idol.

"All the boys here talk about how calm he was. Whether he was up by six [points] or down by six he was just calm and talked 'process'," Milford said.

"That's the big thing I have learned and am trying to put in my game at the moment, to be calm in every situation whether it goes bad or good. If I stay in that good mindset I know it will pay off in the end, whether it be in the first 10 minutes or in the 80th."

Milford was Brisbane’s player of the year in 2018 where he showed he was putting into practice what he has learned from Lockyer. Last year in round 16 the Broncos trailed 14-0 in a dire first half, but Milford bounced back to lead the side to a 26-22 win before enjoying a stellar finish to the season.

Lockyer is a Broncos director and doesn’t live in the players' pockets, but when he does speak Milford listens.

"When I do speak to him it is all the same talk about making sure I do everything I can on the training paddock to ensure my preparation is good and have confidence going into the game," Milford said.

As a chief playmaker, Milford is following in the footsteps of Allan Langer, Wally Lewis, Kevin Walters and Lockyer. The expectations on Milford are huge and he is learning to deal with them.

"I have got better at it now. Being here at a big club, a couple of years ago I would have handled things a lot different to what I do now,” he said.

"I enjoy everything that comes with playing at the Broncos. It is the dream club that I’ve always wanted to play for. I didn’t know the expectations were this big, but that is what comes with playing at a successful club like the Broncos. It is part and parcel."

Part and parcel is also realising his own potential, which is why sessions with Newcastle premiership winner Matthew Johns in the pre-season struck a chord.

"I got a lot out of it. It is more about getting our hands on the footy and making sure we are taking on the line which is a key to what we do," Milford said.

"It is all about staying one step of the game. If a tackle gets made, it is knowing what is going on in the next play … and the next play. That is what he has tried to break down with us which is pretty cool.

"We are trying to do it in our game plans at the moment. It might take a couple of weeks, or it might click this Friday.”

Milford spoke to NRL.com last year about the pain of the 2015 grand final loss to the Cowboys in golden point when the Broncos were on the cusp of a seventh title with seconds to go in regular time.

That loss still drives him and cuts to the bone each time the Cowboys loom as opponents

"The only way to get rid of the 2015 memory is to win a comp. It keeps replaying in my head. We got so close … but not good enough. That is what makes me want to be better every week.

"It is a big [premiership] drought here at the club. We haven’t won one in a while but we have the team to do it. I just think we need to get the little things right to win more games, and that will set us up."

Source: NRL.com

 

[jd87]

I swear it feels like an article comes out like this about milf once a month for the last 4 years or so.

I would just rather see action instead of talk and so far that's all we ever get.

I hate to say this or even think it but its starting to feel like milf will never reach the potential so many hoped for.

good player yes. but an elite 1 million+ player that can guide a team to a premiership?

I hope i'm wrong i really do cause i do love the kid. But so far in his career while showing glimpes of brilliance he just doesn't seem to show the composure or drive to control a game like all the great players do.

even 2015 was a up and down season for him and even then people were saying give him time he will be great. but here we are 4 years later and he hasn't seemed to improved that much, some even argue he has gone backwards.

 

[pagey]

I swear it feels like an article comes out like this about milf once a month for the last 4 years or so.

I would just rather see action instead of talk and so far that's all we ever get.

I hate to say this or even think it but its starting to feel like milf will never reach the potential so many hoped for.

good player yes. but an elite 1 million+ player that can guide a team to a premiership?

I hope i'm wrong i really do cause i do love the kid. But so far in his career while showing glimpes of brilliance he just doesn't seem to show the composure or drive to control a game like all the great players do.

even 2015 was a up and down season for him and even then people were saying give him time he will be great. but here we are 4 years later and he hasn't seemed to improved that much, some even argue he has gone backwards.

What makes things worse is we should have had Munster and Taylor, instead we got barba and Milford. I'm still holding out for Milford to come good but it's getting tiring, especially seeing Munster shine. Actually ponga may have been kept if milf and co. didn't come.

 

[winslow_wong]

Milford has been pretty much MIA since mid 2016. It’s only these articles that remind us he’s still around.

 

[LGH]

I swear it feels like an article comes out like this about milf once a month for the last 4 years or so.

I would just rather see action instead of talk and so far that's all we ever get.

I hate to say this or even think it but its starting to feel like milf will never reach the potential so many hoped for.

good player yes. but an elite 1 million+ player that can guide a team to a premiership?

I hope i'm wrong i really do cause i do love the kid. But so far in his career while showing glimpes of brilliance he just doesn't seem to show the composure or drive to control a game like all the great players do.

even 2015 was a up and down season for him and even then people were saying give him time he will be great. but here we are 4 years later and he hasn't seemed to improved that much, some even argue he has gone backwards.

Couldn’t agree more. Same with Kodi, feels like once a week there’s an article about one or both of them and how they’re going to play better and how much their training has improved, or their connection off-field and how that will help on-field but it never translates to actual results.

They need to show some actual improvement this year, or we need to make real changes, you can’t get different results by doing the same crap over and over.

 

[something]

Milford has been steadily improving since 2016. 2015 was a stand out year, but only the second half. The gap between his best game and his worst game is lessening, plus he is learning the art of game control

Y’all be pessimists

 

[ostin86]

I still have faith in Milf. I thought his second half of the year in 2018 was pretty good. His kicking in particular improved a lot.

Like most, I do believe that he needs a good organising halfback by his side. Let's hope we find that halfback very soon. Kodi ain't it.

 

[john1420]

What makes things worse is we should have had Munster and Taylor, instead we got barba and Milford. I'm still holding out for Milford to come good but it's getting tiring, especially seeing Munster shine. Actually ponga may have been kept if milf and co. didn't come.

Yeah but there's something about Munster that I just can't stand, I think he's a douche, but I guess I'd reluctantly take him

As for Taylor, still WAY overrated and no way would I want him for the money we would needed to have spent

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

I know the "in" thing to do is to give milf crap but I re-watched the game last night and milford was the starting point for most of our tries. He had a quiet game but not a bad one, particularly for only his 2nd game back.

Also, I'm not sure people saying isaako played poorly even watched the game at all. He was off with his goal kicking but he was great in attack. He knocked on 1 bomb but he nearly broke the line a 3 or 4 times, set up that 90 metre play off a kick return and got us out of a drop out once.

And pangais game was great, but on review it wasnt some once in a season level game by a prop. It was just a bit of intimidation and energy, which is what we needed though

 

[pagey]

Yeah but there's something about Munster that I just can't stand, I think he's a douche, but I guess I'd reluctantly take him

As for Taylor, still WAY overrated and no way would I want him for the money we would needed to have spent

Yeah Munster is a douche , and things would be different for Taylor in our system imo

 

[Donald Garner]

I’m glad there are some people on here that agree with me when it comes to Milford’s decline in form. I got absolutely murdered on the other thread after saying what most of the people in this thread have said.

Hope he does come really good but 1 million a year is a lot of money and I just don’t see that type of value in his play week in week out.

 

[broncsgoat]

I’m glad there are some people on here that agree with me when it comes to Milford’s decline in form. I got absolutely murdered on the other thread after saying what most of the people in this thread have said.

Hope he does come really good but 1 million a year is a lot of money and I just don’t see that type of value in his play week in week out.

Player of the year last year mate.

 

[Huge]

I know the "in" thing to do is to give milf crap but I re-watched the game last night and milford was the starting point for most of our tries. He had a quiet game but not a bad one, particularly for only his 2nd game back.

Also, I'm not sure people saying isaako played poorly even watched the game at all. He was off with his goal kicking but he was great in attack. He knocked on 1 bomb but he nearly broke the line a 3 or 4 times, set up that 90 metre play off a kick return and got us out of a drop out once.

And pangais game was great, but on review it wasnt some once in a season level game by a prop. It was just a bit of intimidation and energy, which is what we needed though

Totally agree with all of this. It's like some posters simply see a game being played and only notice players according to the commentators description which can be cursory at times.

 

[Donald Garner]

Player of the year last year mate.

Yeah I just don’t see how though. I must be blind

 

[Foordy]

Player of the year last year mate.

and this guy won an Olympic gold medal ... but i doubt even he thinks he is the best in the world

 

[Huge]

and this guy won an Olympic gold medal ... but i doubt even he thinks he is the best in the world

View attachment 4635

He was however the fourth best at the time and to finish first, first you must finish. There can only be one best in the world but that doesn't bring shame on being a close runner up.

 

[Renegade]

He was however the fourth best at the time and to finish first, first you must finish. There can only be one best in the world but that doesn't bring shame on being a close runner up.

from memory a few dudes fell over in the semi's too that gave him a finals spot.

still tho, gotta be in it to win it!

 

[Dash]

He was however the fourth best at the time and to finish first, first you must finish. There can only be one best in the world but that doesn't bring shame on being a close runner up.

He was also in his 30s and making a comeback from a broken neck. In his younger days he was the best in the world, but ironically got taken out by other skaters in 2 consecutive Olympics.

The bloke thoroughly deserved his gold medal.