Super Freak
International Captain
Forum Staff
- Jan 25, 2014
- 43,579
- 32,477
PEOPLE often ask if Anthony Milford reminds me of a former great with his playing style. Every time, I come up blank ... because, to be honest, Milford is seriously one of a kind.
In all my time in the game as a player and now pundit, I don’t think I’ve seen any five-eighth possess both his footwork and ball-playing ability.
Wally Lewis. Laurie Daley. Cliff Lyons. Brad Fittler. Kevin Walters. Those guys were all wonderful five-eighths with great skill but none also featured the lightning-fast footwork that makes Milford such a dynamic package.
For a lot of people, Anthony came of age in the grand final last year. He stood up big time and was probably the man-of-the-match in a losing side. That performance defined him in a lot of ways. It took him up a level in a lot of people’s eyes and it reinforced for me Anthony’s ability because the elite players play best in the big games.
It was another class performance by Milford on Thursday night. The pass for Brisbane’s first try and his freakish put-down to put the Dragons to bed late ... it’s impressive to think he can be so good at the age of 21.
At the same stage of my career, I didn’t have the playmaking pressure that Milford shoulders. I was a fullback in a star-studded team and I did a long apprenticeship at the back before Wayne Bennett handed me the keys to the Broncos scrumbase.
In his first year at Canberra, Milford won the player of the year award. He was 18. As soon as I heard that, I thought he would be a special player.
I’m mindful not to put too much pressure on ‘Milf’, but as he evolves and gets more experience he can one day be the No. 1 player in the code.
As Thurston got more experience, his game management got better and that’s what has made him the dominant force he is now.
At the moment, Milford has just about everything except the kicking game of JT, but that will evolve as he develops experience in the No. 6 jumper.
Can he succeed Thurston in the Queensland jumper? Time will tell, and it will be at least 12 months before Milford is available for Queensland selection, but he is making all the right moves.
On the back of his grand final performance, it cemented in my mind that he is an Origin-type player.
Grand finals are not easy to play in and if you have a big game in a grand final, you are made for Origin. It’s comforting for Queensland to know that someone like Anthony has come along and performed on the big stage.
When it’s his turn to wear the Maroon jersey, he will be ready.
As for his Broncos team, there is something special about the class of 2016.
The Broncos have developed a formidable trait of shifting a gear when they need to. They have an aura about them again. It’s not arrogance, but a confidence to get the job done in clutch moments.
The moment someone challenges them, like the Cowboys and Titans recently, they say, ‘OK, this is what we’ve been waiting for, bring it on’.
There is plenty of character and that’s what you need to win a premiership. Like Anthony Milford, they just have to maintain their standards.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...l/news-story/b2c43d396cfc1215c4d3f5da0a338873
In all my time in the game as a player and now pundit, I don’t think I’ve seen any five-eighth possess both his footwork and ball-playing ability.
Wally Lewis. Laurie Daley. Cliff Lyons. Brad Fittler. Kevin Walters. Those guys were all wonderful five-eighths with great skill but none also featured the lightning-fast footwork that makes Milford such a dynamic package.
For a lot of people, Anthony came of age in the grand final last year. He stood up big time and was probably the man-of-the-match in a losing side. That performance defined him in a lot of ways. It took him up a level in a lot of people’s eyes and it reinforced for me Anthony’s ability because the elite players play best in the big games.
It was another class performance by Milford on Thursday night. The pass for Brisbane’s first try and his freakish put-down to put the Dragons to bed late ... it’s impressive to think he can be so good at the age of 21.
At the same stage of my career, I didn’t have the playmaking pressure that Milford shoulders. I was a fullback in a star-studded team and I did a long apprenticeship at the back before Wayne Bennett handed me the keys to the Broncos scrumbase.
In his first year at Canberra, Milford won the player of the year award. He was 18. As soon as I heard that, I thought he would be a special player.
I’m mindful not to put too much pressure on ‘Milf’, but as he evolves and gets more experience he can one day be the No. 1 player in the code.
As Thurston got more experience, his game management got better and that’s what has made him the dominant force he is now.
At the moment, Milford has just about everything except the kicking game of JT, but that will evolve as he develops experience in the No. 6 jumper.
Can he succeed Thurston in the Queensland jumper? Time will tell, and it will be at least 12 months before Milford is available for Queensland selection, but he is making all the right moves.
On the back of his grand final performance, it cemented in my mind that he is an Origin-type player.
Grand finals are not easy to play in and if you have a big game in a grand final, you are made for Origin. It’s comforting for Queensland to know that someone like Anthony has come along and performed on the big stage.
When it’s his turn to wear the Maroon jersey, he will be ready.
As for his Broncos team, there is something special about the class of 2016.
The Broncos have developed a formidable trait of shifting a gear when they need to. They have an aura about them again. It’s not arrogance, but a confidence to get the job done in clutch moments.
The moment someone challenges them, like the Cowboys and Titans recently, they say, ‘OK, this is what we’ve been waiting for, bring it on’.
There is plenty of character and that’s what you need to win a premiership. Like Anthony Milford, they just have to maintain their standards.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...l/news-story/b2c43d396cfc1215c4d3f5da0a338873
