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Pick 63, 2017 Ben Miller - Welcome to Tigerland.
- Thread starter an_oxford_man
- Start date
Dave was an unsung hero in our premiership years
I remember watching the video of the coach's boxes in the 2020 grand final and Salty Scott talking about the Astbury match up with Hawkins being the one to exploit. Hawkins kicked one for the game and none in the 2nd half.
Very underrated key back
His history does indicate he badly wants a career in AFL and since he has had good coaching at Richmond he has developed slowly but surely. 2022 showed glimpses of what Ben could be. I am in the court of expecting Ben to further improve in 2023 and become a valuable member of our best 22 especially when Tarrant retires
The possibility is there for Ben to be the modern day “utility”. Pinch hit as first ruck for a game (if Toby and Ivan are injured), go for it. Play 2nd ruck for a stretch of games, go for it. Play as a key back, go for it. Play as the third tall forward , go for it. Sort of like Leigh Brown from a decade and 2 ago.
TBR but we will always have injuries and the amount of game time he plays is irrelevant. He is either in the team or he isn’t.
He played at the back end of the season as the follower and relief ruck because he was considered best for that position. There was no one injured and out of the team who would have replaced him in that role
He played a lot of games, he played when we were fighting for a spot in the finals, we finished in the 8.
You seem to be prone to hyperbole lately. ( lose to Carlton in round 1 we can’t win the flag, Miller in best team we can’t make the 8).
Imagine if we lose to Carlton, and Miller is in our best 22!! We will be competing with North and Horth for the wooden spoon.
Not sure what the knock on Miller's game time in the last few games is based on. He was playing second ruck so expect that sort of game time %. Soldo played 50 to 60% in 2022 when second ruck. Ben's % average was above this when playing 2nd ruck
When he was playing as pure defender he averaged 91%
When he was playing as pure defender he averaged 91%
The thing is if Grimes was in the team we wouldn't have carried the extra tall so he wouldn't be there to do it. The pinch hitting would be Balta or Pickett or anyone really.
It's the reason he plays that is important. Right now he gets a game if someone else isn't playing and my view is if we have a full list available and he is being selected in the team then I think we are in trouble. You need back-up and depth obviously, but if he is considered to be a week in, week out, front line AFL player then I'd worry about our list.
I think he showed real improvement with exposure week by week. His early goes as a defender were underwhelming to say the least but he showed glimpses as relief ruck and I think he got a bit of confidence from that. I think more exposure at the top level is exasctly what he needs. I'd rather use him as relief ruck than play Nank/Soldo.
Pickett?? have a guess how many HOs Pickett won in 2022?
We played a "proper" (or at least tall) 2nd ruck every game last year- Miller, Balta, Soldo, even Gibcus once. You could argue if Grimes was fit Miller would not have been playing in the rd 20 game when he was moved into the 2nd ruck position, but for the last 4 games I reckon he played because he was our best option there. Balta v Miller as a forward/2nd ruck is probably slightly in Balta's favour, but we are a much better team with Balta down back, regardless of the fitness or otherwise of our other defenders.
He may not be a star, but he could be capable of holding down that position well enough to play each week. and there is a fair argument to say we will win (or not) based on our now dominant midfield, our miserly backline and the best key forward in the game. and Dusty and Shai. if they all fire Luke McGuane could make a comeback in the 3rd tall forward role and we would still win.
I’m with TBR on this. Right now, Miller only gets a game when others are injured and after 5 years (going on 6!) in our elite system as a full time professional, it’s just not good enough. Yet, for some reason known only to those within the club, he got another two years to prove himself. Even if he played every single game in the next two years he’d barely scrape to 50 career games. Considering the average AFL career is around 3.5 years, Miller is a one lucky, lucky man.
Like the NBA saying goes “If you’re small, you get 60 seconds to prove you can play. If you’re tall, you get 6 years to prove you can’t”.
Like the NBA saying goes “If you’re small, you get 60 seconds to prove you can play. If you’re tall, you get 6 years to prove you can’t”.
You see, I don’t get the best 22 discussion on Millar.
To get a squad through 23 games, you need a squad of at least 30 players who can hold their own in the 22 when their time comes - Millar is one such peg and he is crucial to our attack of the top 4 in 2023.
To get a squad through 23 games, you need a squad of at least 30 players who can hold their own in the 22 when their time comes - Millar is one such peg and he is crucial to our attack of the top 4 in 2023.
Miller’s improvement came from him rucking in the VFL. Soldo, and or Ryan weren’t playing which meant Big Ben spent some time in the ruck, he did ok too. From then on he started going for his marks when he was down back.
It’s confidence thing with Ben, he will have gained a lot of self confidence from from his performances in the backend of last season.
It’s confidence thing with Ben, he will have gained a lot of self confidence from from his performances in the backend of last season.
Balta has to play as a key back imo and Pickett on a wing.
We need a 2nd ruck and to me he is a good option and has proved it so far. He provides a versatily that is important imo.
My best team has Miller on the Bench & Soldo emerg
But when has there been an afl list without injuries
But when has there been an afl list without injuries
Miller rucked much better than Nank in 2022.
Is there 2cm between them?
Not sure we have a locked in ruck.
Is there 2cm between them?
Not sure we have a locked in ruck.
Late draft pick on a speculative tall from Kalgoorlie. Minimal junior development as he struggled to get to Perth for elite junior training sessions, was always going to be a long term developer. Then not long after we drafted him the covid *smile* hit the fan n completely cocked up the development n growth of many young players.
Got no idea where his ceiling is, but he's just starting to hit the age bracket where the taller players start to come on and establish themselves physically. Funky's not a premium elite pick at the top of the draft like the Kings or McKay's yet he's managed to get some senior games n fill holes for us. Another step up this year n I'm thinking he'll be showing enough to be a regular long term senior contributor. There's holes coming up in the side for a bloke his size n I'm thinking he can step up to filling one.
Got no idea where his ceiling is, but he's just starting to hit the age bracket where the taller players start to come on and establish themselves physically. Funky's not a premium elite pick at the top of the draft like the Kings or McKay's yet he's managed to get some senior games n fill holes for us. Another step up this year n I'm thinking he'll be showing enough to be a regular long term senior contributor. There's holes coming up in the side for a bloke his size n I'm thinking he can step up to filling one.
