Anthony Milford is reportedly on the cusp of a shock move to the Knights next month if his assault charges are dropped.
The Knights are ready to hand Milford a $150,000 lifeline after his move to the Rabbitohs this year collapsed, according to The Courier Mail.
Souths signed the playmaker for 2022 but the NRL refused to formally register the deal following his arrest last September for allegedly assaulting three people, including two women, during an alcohol-fuelled incident in Brisbane.
However, two of three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm levelled against the former Maroons player could reportedly be dropped.
Milford - who was on $1 million per season before being released by the Broncos last year -will plead not guilty to the third charge. He is also facing one count of wilful damage.
Rugby league great Laurie Daley believes Milford can offer plenty for Newcastle after they lost veteran halfback Mitchell Pearce to the Super League - but only if he gets fit.
“He gives them cover then he could play that 14 role off the bench,” Daley said on Big Sports Breakfast radio.
“But Anthony Milford, I mean, he’s got to get fit and have that want and desire. I think he hasn’t been his best since the grand final and what was that 2015 when he nearly got the Clive Churchill Medal in that game.”
Daley was then asked if he believes Milford, whose career spans 193 games at the Raiders and Broncos, has wasted his talent.
“If you look at this career so far you could say yes,” he said.
“He was a gun (at Canberra) and then he had that great year with the Broncos but ever since then his career has been in decline.
“So he’s got all the talent in the world but for me, he’s never looked fit. I never look at Milford and go ‘Gee he looks fit’.
“A player like Cameron Munster, you see the difference in his body transformation from last year to this year and you go ‘Gee he looks fit’.
“Milford always seemed to be carrying a little bit of weight and he always to me, didn’t have that fitness level for effort on effort and I think in today’s game you’ve got to have that ability to play, reload, play, reload, otherwise you miss the jump.”
Milford is expected to join Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins for their inaugural season next year.
Source: foxsports.com.au