Anthony Milford might have had nothing but good experiences working under coach Wayne Bennett previously, but it appears his time at the Dolphins is off to a rocky start.
Despite being the experienced five-eighth of the squad and the man backed to take the number six jumper in next Sunday's clash against the Sydney Roosters to open the season, it is now being reported that young gun Isaiya Katoa will instead start the season.
Katoa, who impressed for Tonga at last year's Rugby League World Cup, was one of the key performers for the Dolphins during the pre-season challenge.
The new franchise scored his signature from the Penrith Panthers, who were frustrated to lose the emerging talent, rated by most judges as the best young half in the game, with the ability to play at either the six or seven.
It will be the six he wears in the Dolphins' system, with Sean O'Sullivan, who also left the Penrith system at the end of 2022, to wear the number seven throughout the Dolphins' inaugural campaign.
The first signs that Katoa's debut was arriving sooner than expected came during training on Friday.
👀 Very interesting sight at @dolphinsnrl this morning!
Isaiya Katoa spent entire opposed session at five-eighth on right side of the field with the main squad. Anthony Milford ran with the reserves before leaving midway through session for ‘conditioning’.#NRL @wwos @NRLonNine pic.twitter.com/cXI78D990E
— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) February 23, 2023
News Corp are now reporting that Milford's poor performance in last week's trial loss to the Gold Coast Titans will indeed cost him his spot in the side for Round 1 against the Roosters.
The Samoan representative was in a two-way tug-of-war towards the end of last season between the Newcastle Knights and Dolphins. He had bee starting at the Knights, but ultimately elected to link up with Bennett on a two-year deal that will see him remain with the club until at least the end of 2024.
Milford, on signing with the Dolphins, said he was keen to resume working with Bennett, where he made the grand final in 2015 in a halves pairing alongside Ben Hunt, who now plies his trade at the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Starting the year in reserve grade hardly would have been part of the plan for the Samoan representative though, who was part of the side making the nation's first Rugby League World Cup final at the end of last year.
Wayne has nothing to lose by trying out the kid.
He knows what Anthony Milford can do, and what are his limitations.
Apart from which, if he plays AM in round 1 and the Fins lose, then the mob will be screaming for AM’s head. The kid is likely to get some leeway.