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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National

Contract saga not a factor for Milford ahead of Souths clash: O'Brien

IMPROVING: Anthony Milford will play his sixth game for the Knights on Friday night. Picture: Jonathan Carroll

Resurgent Newcastle playmaker Anthony Milford gets a chance to show South Sydney what they missed out on when the Knights host the Rabbitohs on Friday night.

Milford will play his sixth game in a red and blue jersey at McDonald Jones Stadium after joining the Knights on a season-long deal in April.

The ex-Brisbane star had been in limbo up until court proceedings he was involved in for an off-field incident concluded that same month.

It was that incident and Milford's subsequent arrest late last year which prompted the NRL to hold off registering his contract with South Sydney, whom he had agreed to join this year on a cut-price deal after his exit from Brisbane last season.

The Rabbitohs ultimately went cold on the deal while the court process played out, allowing Newcastle to sign the Samoan international.

However, Knights coach Adam O'Brien believes the contract saga with Souths will play no real part in Milford's approach to the game.

"I think his motivation is just building his game, which he has done weekly," the coach said. "He has just gotten better and better each week that he has been with us. I expect that to continue."

Milford may resume the goal-kicking duties tonight after taking over mid-game from Tex Hoy last week.

"He took over and he struck them quite well actually," O'Brien said of Milford.

"He hit the post from the sideline.

"Him and Tex will have a bit of a shootout and we'll go from there."

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