Super League target Anthony Milford’s transfer saga takes new twist as NRL outline problem

Anthony Milford’s transfer saga has been doing the rounds recently, with confused news reports about his immediate future.

With the halfback expected to join Newcastle Knights until the end of 2022, now the Sydney Morning Herald’s Danny Weidler has had his own say on proceedings.

Weidler claimed that the NRL was yet to be contacted by the Knights in regards to establishing a contract for Milford and that the governing body is annoyed by his actions in the alleged matter before the courts.

Although the ex-Brisbane Broncos halfback will plead not guilty to the three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and one count of wilful damage involving a vehicle, all charges are still yet to be resolved which would halt proceedings.

Milford is widely expected to join the Dolphins at the end of 2022, but a short-term deal at Newcastle was expected.

It’s been an incredibly messy incident with the NRL stopping the South Sydney Rabbitohs from registering his contract whilst criminal action is still being taken against the former Brisbane star for an alleged assault in December.

That has meant that Souths are refusing to pay him, sparking speculation of an earlier exit from the competition than expected.

His contract won’t be registered by the NRL because he faces assault charges and the NRL has a strict no-fault stand down policy.

But that is a moot point because Milford cannot be subject to the NRL’s no-fault stand down policy as he does not have a registered contract.

The Broncos decided not to keep Milford at the club at the end of 2021, with Souths handing him a one-year contract.

However, the 27-year-old has been blocked from taking up the contract after being arrested in late September following an incident in Fortitude Valley in Brisbane.

Milford has been accused of three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm after allegedly assaulting three bystanders – a man and two women – who intervened in an argument between Milford and his wife Miri.

The incident didn’t end there though, as the halfback also allegedly threw a garbage bin at a car, leading to a charge of wilful damage involving a vehicle.

Milford was linked with a Super League move earlier in the year before he signed the deal with Souths.

Milford’s next court date could be as early as March 30 and a favourable outcome would clear him for NRL registration immediately – opening the door for a deal to be made with Newcastle.