Brisbane Broncos' Anthony Milford out for six weeks with shoulder injury

Brisbane playmaker Anthony Milford has avoided NRL season-ending shoulder surgery but will spend the next six weeks on the sidelines.

The five-eighth dislocated his left shoulder in Friday's win over South Sydney but scans indicated he does not require an operation at this stage.

"At this moment it is not a season-ending injury and he will be re-assessed when that (six-week) rehabilitation period is over," said Broncos high performance boss Jeremy Hickmans on Monday.

Milford's injury will rule him out for the remainder of the State of Origin series after he made his Queensland debut in the game one loss to NSW last month.

He was already expected to be replaced for next week's Origin II clash in Sydney clash, with Maroons great Johnathan Thurston set to return after recovering from a shoulder injury to star in North Queensland's NRL win over Parramatta on Saturday.

Milford's absence in the halves could allow St George Illawarra-bound halfback Ben Hunt to return to first-grade for Brisbane after being dropped for the 24-18 win over the Rabbitohs in Brisbane.