Switch is pressed to spark Milf
ANTHONY Seibold’s plan to shift underperforming playmaker Anthony Milford to fullback is set to become a permanent move in a bid to reignite the club’s embattled million-dollar man.
Milford has been dropped from the halves this week in favour of teenage sensation Tom Dearden, who will wear Brisbane’s famous No.7 jersey for Friday’s clash with Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium.
The mid-year positional switch is nothing new to Milford (pictured), who was thrown into the No.1 jersey from Round 14 last year and remained there for the season.
Seibold said the shake-up this week was an attempt to release the shackles on Milford and hand over the attacking reins to Dearden.
Fox Sports Lab statistics reveal Milford is better suited to the fullback role. He had double the amount of running metres in the 11 games at fullback last year (101 per game) compared with his 10 games in the halves this season (48m). He also broke more tackles (47 compared with 25), scored more tries (three/one) and created more try assists.
It was hoped an alliance with Brodie Croft in the halves would spark Milford back to form this season, but an increasingly desperate Seibold has decided instead to shake up his spine.
“Milly (Milford) has got quite a fantastic running game so hopefully we can free him up a bit,” Seibold said.
“I thought he did a pretty fair job when we moved him to fullback last year.
“Hopefully we see an injury-free run for those guys (Milford, Dearden, Croft) because I’d like to see them in those positions for an extended run and give them an opportunity to build some cohesion and connection.”
Seibold also hit back at suggestions Darius Boyd should have been moved to fullback, arguing the 33-year-old’s experience on the edge was beneficial to the club’s young wingers.
“Darius’ best position at the moment is in the centres to help out our young outside backs, particularly Herbie (Farnsworth) in defence.
“I wanted to get Tom Dearden into the team so that preempted that change (Milford to fullback). It was also to help Croft in the halves. (Dearden) takes a little bit of that organisation off Crofty and allows Crofty to be freed up a little bit which I think is important.
“Off the back of a really consistent block of training, he deserves to wear the No.7 and bring some organisation and ability on both sides of the footy. He has a really smart kicking game.”
The club is staring down the barrel of suffering its worst season to date, which has forced Seibold to make wholesale changes to his side.
Strike centre Kotoni Staggs returns from injury while Thomas Flegler moves to the front row with Tevita Pangai Jr and Joe Ofahengaue named in the back row.