'Can't comprehend': Wayne Bennett fires up over Anthony Milford revelation

Dolphins coach and NRL mainstay Wayne Bennett has slammed the league over it's decision to launch an investigation of its own into Anthony Milford, days after assault charges against the 27-year-old were dropped.

The charges related to an incident outside a Brisbane nightclub late last year, which were dropped by prosecutors earlier this week after footage showed a conviction would not be achieved on the evidence.

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Milford did plead guilty to public nuisance and wilful damage, and was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond with no conviction recorded.

Despite the assault charges being dropped, the NRL Integrity Unit has since launched an investigation of its own into Milford's actions that night.

Their investigation will likely lead to Milford spending more time on the sidelines under the NRL's 'no fault' stand down policy.

This has drawn the ire of Milford's former coach at the Broncos, with Bennett saying it didn't make sense that Milford could be cleared of assault by the courts, but not the NRL.

Bennett provided a character reference in court for the 27-year-old, as Milford looks to rejoin the NRL via a deal with the Newcastle Knights.

The league is unlikely to permit Milford to sign with a club while an investigation is underway.

"Of all the things I have seen in the game and the moments we’ve seen from other players who have offended, I cannot comprehend it if Anthony is not allowed to play NRL in the very near future," Bennett told the Courier Mail.

"The courts have cleared Anthony of assault. The criminal justice system has dealt with him. Anthony is a 200-gamer and first-time offender in the NRL.

"He pleaded guilty to the minor charges but the courts agreed he was not guilty of assaulting anyone.

“Based on that, I hope he is back in the NRL very soon. I know Anthony won’t offend again.”

Newcastle Knights hoping to secure Anthony Milford

The Knights will be hoping the NRL investigation is completed quickly, with a potential Milford signing central to their hopes of turning their thus-far disastrous season around.

The Australian's Brent Read reported the Knights were the leading contenders to sign the fullback.

“He will be at Newcastle. They basically have a deal done with him and then next year he will be at the Dolphins, that deal is just about done as well," he told Triple M.

“His future is pretty much set in stone. It’s just a matter of when he can get back playing football, that’s his issue at the moment.”

A likely reunion between Bennett and Milford at the Dolphins in 2023 could cause a slight headache for the Knights, who are already fending off speculation that the expansion side is chasing the signature of susperstar Kalyn Ponga.

The Knights skipper has an option in his favour for 2023 and 2024 in his current deal.

The possibility of exercising that option grew last weekend when it was revealed Bennett and Ponga had lunch the day after Newcastle's 18-0 loss to the Sharks.

Ponga, the Queensland fullback, would be the big fish Bennett is trying to land in his roster for 2023.

But after his side's 30-6 home loss to Manly last week - the club's third loss in a row - Ponga said he was not about to divulge his future in a media conference.

He added that he was able to put his off-field life to one side when it came to training and playing with Newcastle.

"I don't know if you notice, but every time you ask me I don't give you an answer. So stay patient, I've got people working on it. My focus is always here," said the 24 year-old, who is into his fifth year with the Knights after joining them in 2018 from the Cowboys.

"It (the Bennett lunch) obviously happened but once it happened, I moved on and worried about the game.

"It was disappointing the effort we put in at the end because we'd almost got ourselves back in a position to win," added Ponga, who had scored a try early in the second half only for a 10-6 scoreline to balloon with Manly pouring on three late tries.

"So my focus now is reviewing the game, recovering and then moving to next week."

With AAP

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