It has been billed as Sam Thaiday’s final NRL home game for Brisbane.
But Anthony Milford says the Broncos are determined to ensure Sunday’s clash in Brisbane with Manly won’t be the last time local fans see the retirement-bound forward at Suncorp Stadium.
Playmaker Milford said the seventh-placed Broncos were pumped to defeat the besieged Sea Eagles and lock up a home final, gifting ex-Test prop Thaiday one last hurrah in his beloved Brisbane.
The Broncos’ last NRL regular season clash on Sunday has been promoted as “the end of an era” with Thaiday’s smiling face plastered all over posters around Brisbane.
Milford believed the “ball is in our court” to ensure Thaiday gets one more Suncorp Stadium visit by securing a top six finish and a guaranteed home final next week.
Brisbane can finish as high as fifth if they beat Manly but as low as eighth with a loss.
“It is special,” Milford said of Thaiday’s potentially last home game on Sunday.
“The ball is in our court whether it is his last (home) game or not.”
Ex-Queensland forward Thaiday, 33, is preparing to draw the curtain on his 16th and final season with Brisbane after not having his contract renewed.
He sits on 302 games for Brisbane and will finish third on the club’s all-time games list behind only Darren Lockyer (355) and Corey Parker (347).
Milford said Thaiday was still an inspiration for Brisbane as they look to end the club’s longest premiership drought – 12 years.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Sammy. We still have a long way to go but we want to try and send him out the right way.”
It will also be a special occasion for Milford, who will become only the 46th Bronco to play 100 games for the club.
Milford admitted defeating second-last Manly would be easier said than done despite the Sea Eagles’ off-field dramas.
It looms as the last game for Trent Barrett as Manly coach after falling out with the club’s management and owners over club resources.
But Brisbane have struggled against sides outside the top eight all season.
They have just a 54.5 winning percentage against the current bottom eight, the worst of the current top eight teams.