Newcastle Knights coach Adam O'Brien would "love" to have Anthony Milford stick around beyond this season and says the club is doing all it can to re-sign the resurgent playmaker.
Ahead of Milford's 200th NRL game against Manly on Saturday, O'Brien revealed he had personally expressed to the five-eighth how keen he is to retain his services.
Signed in April on only a season-long deal, Milford's future beyond this year remains up in the air amid ongoing speculation he will join the Dolphins in 2023.
"I'm not in charge of the whole recruitment part of it ... the actual details of offers and contracts, but I've expressed a desire to Anthony himself that I classify him as a real valuable part of our team," O'Brien said.
""I'd like to see it in the future. We've got a good relationship ... I'd like that to continue."
O'Brien said he was "sure" the club's recruitment team would be going in hard to re-sign Milford, who he said had improved in each of his six games for the Knights.
The third-year coach finds the thought of what 28-year-old Milford could do with a full preseason under his belt a tantalising prospect.
"I'm really impressed with what he has been able to do each week. Every game he has got better," O'Brien said.
"I do sit and think having him for a whole summer, and having him with Brailz and KP together, that fills me with excitement.
"I'm really hopeful that he wants to hang around. I know our supporters and our town would love to have him.
"He has actually mentioned that he feels like there is a lot of support for him here. So I'd love for him to stay.
"What we could do with him over the summer would be unreal."
Milford, who played 42 games with Canberra before returning to his hometown and playing 151 games for Brisbane, helping them to the 2015 grand final, said recently he had made no decision on his future and was not looking past this season.
"I haven't worked any of that out yet," he said. "I've left it all to my manager."
Having joined the Knights following the conclusion of court proceedings he was involved in stemming from an off-field incident last year, Milford has been steadily reestablishing himself in the NRL since making his club debut in round 11.
O'Brien said the half was a quiet fellow but he got the impression the father of two was enjoying his time in Newcastle.
"He is very humble, very shy. But the thing I love about him, on the field he is very good with his directive talk," O'Brien said. "He has been great since he got here."
Milford, who celebrated his 28th birthday this week, has reached his 200th game in his 10th NRL season.
"He has done it fairly quickly," O'Brien said.
"We want to make it a memorable occasion. We've all got an obligation in that."
Meanwhile, Lachlan Fitzgibbon has replaced Kurt Mann and will start in the second row. Mitch Barnett moves to lock. Leo Thompson has also joined the bench in place of Pasami Saulo.
Bradman Best has had surgery on his right thumb and is expected to miss two to three games, O'Brien said.
