Wayne Bennett has lashed the NRL over the treatment of Anthony Milford as the former Broncos $1 million man prepares to arrive in Sydney for contract talks in a desperate bid to resurrect his career.
News Corp can reveal the true cost of Milford’s NRL exile, with the former Queensland Origin star having lost $175,000 in the wake of his legal saga and the Souths contract bungle that left him without pay for six months.
Milford will fly to Sydney over the next 48 hours to ramp-up negotiations with the Knights, who are keen to have the former Bronco in Newcastle colours as soon as possible to bolster their playmaking stocks.
But whether Milford has any fresh contract formally registered remains to be seen, with the NRL integrity unit to begin their own investigation which could extend the 27-year-old’s time on the sidelines.
Milford had three assault charges dropped in a Brisbane court on Monday. Magistrate Robbie Davies said a glowing character reference from NRL super coach Bennett was critical in convincing him Milford’s alcohol-fuelled incident last September was a one-off indiscretion.
As the NRL plays hardball with Milford, Bennett came out swinging, appealing for the veteran of 193 NRL games to be given the green light immediately by ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo.
“I cannot believe it if Anthony isn’t allowed back,” Bennett said.
“Of all the things I have seen in the game and the moments we’ve seen from other players who have offended, I cannot comprehend it if Anthony is not allowed to play NRL in the very near future.
“The courts have cleared Anthony of assault. The criminal justice system has dealt with him. Anthony is a 200-gamer and first-time offender in the NRL. He pleaded guilty to the minor charges (public nuisance and wilful damage) but the courts agreed he was not guilty of assaulting anyone.
“Based on that, I hope he is back in the NRL very soon. I know Anthony won’t offend again.”
With Milford’s Souths deal having collapsed, Newcastle are ready to pounce. Knights hierarchy will have a face-to-face meeting with Milford and his management in the lead-up to their clash against the Dragons on Sunday.
Bennett, who coached Milford between 2015-18 at the Broncos, explained why he provided a character reference for the troubled playmaker.
“I did it because I have known Anthony for a long time and I have faith in him as a person,” Bennett said.
“I didn’t know Anthony to be someone who was a drinker. He now has two children. He is not a guy to be out on the town on the drink all the time.
“I coached him for four years at the Broncos and I also had Anthony in Queensland Emerging Origin squads. I never had a single issue with Anthony. I never had to worry about his off-field behaviour. He is not a problem child. He is not a thug. He does not have a problem with alcohol.
“He is a quietly-spoken, well-mannered young man and I wanted the court to know I was proud of the way he conducts himself.
“That was the Anthony Milford I knew and coached and I saw him in all situations for years, from having drinks off the field, to playing in grand finals and mixing with the fans and his teammates.
“I’ve had a lot of experiences with Anthony and not once did I have to lecture him or pull him into line with his behaviour.
“In all my time in the game, I have never been embarrassed by Anthony’s behaviour.”
