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Pick 63, 2017 Ben Miller - Welcome to Tigerland.
- Thread starter an_oxford_man
- Start date
I thought he was good last year and is a much improved player.
If it is Ben Miller or someone else the more athletic and flexible relief ruck is what we need to go with imo. It’s interesting that Biggie was also playing that role late in the year in the vfl and of course Noah Balta has played it before.
That sort of player also gives us flexible options if a tall gets injured during a game, more so than a true 2nd ruck like Ivan.
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I don't see it, if he is best 22 then I think we're outside the 8, which is why I don't think he is anywhere near it at this stage.
He's the sort of guy who could step up and play in a flag to cover an injury but if you are exposing him week in and week out as a key member of the side then I think it's trouble.
What you are saying holds merit and will be the case if Ben stops improving.
I am looking at it from a different angle and can see Ben improving further. People look at his 5 years in the system and compare that to similar age development but Ben's AFL line is vastly different. Very little elite development in his mid teens given the 6 and half hour drive from Kalgoorlie to Perth. So his elite training only started from when he arrived at Richmond.
From there he has made steady progress and in the 12 games he has played he has hardly put a foot wrong. He has shown he can play key back plus back up ruck. Also looks like he could make a go as a forward. Also keen on how quick he is for a tall.
The new sub rule is perfect for him. So may not be top 22 but could easily be top 23.
Big year for Ben. Will he prove me right to be believing in him? Or will he make TBR right .... God forbid
The step up from the end of 2021 to 2022 for Ben was massive
if he does not continue to get better then TBR’s concerns are valid
if he improves the same amount again then is a very valuable player
for us supporters it is all conjecture
for Ben it is life changing
‘the ball is in his court
if he does not continue to get better then TBR’s concerns are valid
if he improves the same amount again then is a very valuable player
for us supporters it is all conjecture
for Ben it is life changing
‘the ball is in his court
He was best 22 at the end of the year and played in a final. We didn’t bring in any talls.
With a bit of natural improvement he should hold his spot. Or be a handy pinch hitter for any injuries.
With a bit of natural improvement he should hold his spot. Or be a handy pinch hitter for any injuries.
Ben Miller is no star and will most likely never will be but he could be an extremely important player in our next premiership aspirations
Foward-Ruck-Defence = Perfect 23rd man
Foward-Ruck-Defence = Perfect 23rd man
Will be interested to see if Ben Rutten can improve his game. Our KPP’s gave Rutten so much praise last time he was at our club.
If Miller can take a few contested grabs like he did up forward against the Hawks he will make us a better team. It will also help Jack at times get a smaller defender.
Like others just looking for the slight improvement, as per the last few years.
If Miller can take a few contested grabs like he did up forward against the Hawks he will make us a better team. It will also help Jack at times get a smaller defender.
Like others just looking for the slight improvement, as per the last few years.
Good point MB, im rapt we managed to bring Truck back, all the boys improved individually and as a defensive unit under his care, we have some young guys like Gibby, Miller, Biggie etc that will massively benefit from Truck.
We lost a lot of great assistance during our reign and imo development was hampered (along with COVID), we need to get this right again and be the bench mark, this imo was what enabled so many role players to seamlessly fit in with our stars and deliver us flags..
A few months ago having beers with a mad Don and WCE supporter they didnt beleive we had some 8-10 players play in either or both 2019 /2020 flag that werent drafted, phenomenal performance by recruiters but equally our development team of Fly and others...
The key to Miller improving is his contested grabs.
Gets his hands to plenty but doesn’t always hold them.
If that improves, he automatically goes to another level.
Ben came with his athleticism and has grown his game since his arrival.
Think the most important trigger to this development has been his confidence.
Between truck, family and Emma Murray he has it covered.
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If TBR is concerned about Ben, I'm locking him in for the brownlow this year.
The only flaw with that argument is that he finished the year in our best 22 in 2022 and we were inside the 8.
I didn't want to go there, as it was glaring loop hole, but glad someone did for the comedic value.
There's a position in the 22 for a few plods, particularly if they do a role exactly as asked.
yes. I understand where TBR is coming from but there is an element of hyperbole in his statement that weakens the argument imo!!
One weakness that we have is that we need a 2nd ruck but our best 2nd ruck is Ivan Soldo who is somewhat limited in what he offers apart from rucking. The choice is between him and a more flexible "follower" type who can slot in as a KPP if one goes down. That's the role Miller played and it is also the role Biggie Nyuon was playing on and off in the vfl. Potentially it is also somewhere Samson Ryan can fit in although he is more of a forward/ruck
Having someone like Miller provides us with options if a key forward or key back goes down in game and also allows rotations of those players on the bench.
I am a firm believer that a big fullback type player is a key to defensive structure and ultimately a solid backline. I know we don't tend to see the big full forward types in the AFL as much these days, but a big fullback still seems to have a key role to play even if they aren't overly mobile.
I remember when we put Jarrod Silvester into our backline. He wasn't the long term answer, but I was amazed at how much better our backline looked structurally when he played. I know it was only 5 games, but we just looked so much more confident down there with a big full back on the park.
Rance and Grimes came on to the list around that time, but it wasn't until Dave Astbury finally started stringing some games together that those two really blossomed.
Robbie Tarrant was recruited specifically for that role. Hardwick and his assistants see the need for that type of player.
So my point in all this is that I see no heir apparent for Tarrant other than Miller. And while his football development might still have a little way to go, I thought we saw enough last year to suggest that even if he doesn't get any better from here, Ben Miller will fill a role in our backline into our future.
I can see a future backline of ours in a couple of years that has Gibcus playing the Grimes type role, Balta playing that Rance interceptor, and Miller being DTLD.
We have a few that are in contention for that role and with another year of Tarrant hopefully 1 of them takes over that mantle
Miller , Gibcus , Biggy , Young (hopefully he becomes a gem)
Or worst case scenario just get Tarrant to have a chat to Ben McKay as the #23 is available at the Richmond Football Club and he is a free agent
I see Biggy as more of a forward, and Gibcus as more of a moving interceptor though he looks talented enough to do anything.
Forgot about Young.
Afraid not.
He played round 2 in place of Riewoldt, rounds 4 and 5 with Grimes and Gibcus out, Balta and Gibcus out in round 17, Lynch out 18 and 19, then Grimes out 21 onwards.
Is he in your best 22 ahead of any of them?
The only time you could argue he was picked in the best 22 was round 20 when he replaced Soldo, however he only played 71% of game time despite Grimes going down early and we didn't return to that selection model again for the rest of the year.
So no, not best 22 and never has been.
Except he moved into the 2nd ruck role at half-time in Rd 20, (so he wasn't picked to replace Soldo) when we were 6 goals down. We ended up winning, and he stayed in that role for the rest of the , so he wasn't filling in for Grimes.
We couldn't quite nail the 2nd ruck role all year, but for the last month it was Miller's on merit, not by injury.
