The tug-of-war over Canberra enforcer Josh Papalii may have spread ripples of uncertainty throughout the NRL club last year, but Brett White says he won’t be disappointed if the same scenario unfolds with Anthony Milford.
While home-sick star fullback Milford has signed a deal to play with the Broncos in 2015 to return to Brisbane, speculation is mounting that the Raiders are secretly launching a last-ditch bid to retain his services before the round 13 deadline.
It’s the exact same situation that occurred with Milford’s close friend and teammate Papalii – the Maroons’ forward reneging on a deal with Parramatta early last season to stay in Canberra.
“Don’t worry, I won’t be too disappointed if something like that happened. We’ll just wait and see,” senior Raiders player White said with a wry smile.
Milford, 19, was sensational in his debut 2013 NRL season, winning the Raiders’ Mal Meninga Medal as well as starring for Samoa at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.
Yet the Raiders will want to ensure any doubts surrounding his future doesn’t adversely affect him, or the rest of the playing group.
The distraction leading up to Papalii’s round three signature might have come at a slight cost, as the Raiders’ were pumped in their first two games of the 2013 NRL season where Papalii averaged just nine runs for 76 metres.
White said he didn’t think it would be a distraction for the playing group to have another contract saga unfold at the club, especially when it concerned a player of Milford’s calibre.
“What happens down the track, that’s between Tony and whoever,” White said.
“But I don’t think it will be worry the team too much.
“Tony has worked really hard while he’s been here and I’ve got no doubt he’s going to put his best effort in.”