Pick 63, 2017 Ben Miller - Welcome to Tigerland. | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Pick 63, 2017 Ben Miller - Welcome to Tigerland.

Ben Miller is no shrinking Violet said nobody ever.

No player more diligently hides his light under a bushel than Violet Miller. Did a dozen very good things and was so classy when he wasn't hiding from the ball, opting for the latter most of the time.

We persevere.
 
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Told ya’ so. :cool:

Seriously though, Miller himself is only a symptom. The real issue is the list management strategy that has kept him around for 6 years and contracted him for at least one more. We have been far too generous on some very mediocre talent for far too long.
 
CarnTheTiges said:
Still prefer him to Ryan.
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I don’t CCT , yep Millers rig is much more AFL ready , however imho he’s just a battler , Ryan actually has some AFL talent , it’s just the Rig is suited more to rhythmatic gymnastics atm then AFL , I’d keep playing Ryan over Miller , however I think both will be playing senior footy for a while with our big man department the way it is atm
 
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Mr Brightside said:
I don’t CCT , yep Millers rig is much more AFL ready , however imho he’s just a battler , Ryan actually has some AFL talent , it’s just the Rig is suited more to rhythmatic gymnastics atm then AFL , I’d keep playing Ryan over Miller , however I think both will be playing senior footy for a while with our big man department the way it is atm
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Yeah, they’re both bog average and probably always will be, but we have no other option as you say. I think I’ll just close my eyes any time the ball goes near Ryan.
 
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TigerFurious said:
Told ya’ so. :cool:

Seriously though, Miller himself is only a symptom. The real issue is the list management strategy that has kept him around for 6 years and contracted him for at least one more. We have been far too generous on some very mediocre talent for far too long.
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In that case, forget EVER drafting anyone who hasn't come through elite pathways. He was taken very late, and with a background that he barely trained in comparison to his peers. It was always a long slow burn. He needs AFL time to continue his development. He's on our list, I don't think he's peaked in terms of talent. The question is whether the club can build his confidence. In my opinion, lack of belief is the limiting factor here.
The entire club is playing like *smile* right now. From one week to the next, our best players are inconsistent.
 
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Mr Brightside said:
Be easy to write an essay on Millers positives and negatives, however any half decent footballer can get plenty of footy when playing as a roaming ruck .

Simply not good enough
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Trent Knobel, Orren Stephenson say hello.
Miller shouldn't be our no. 1 ruck. He's a relief ruck at best. Forward or back is his go.
 
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The_General said:
In that case, forget EVER drafting anyone who hasn't come through elite pathways. He was taken very late, and with a background that he barely trained in comparison to his peers. It was always a long slow burn. He needs AFL time to continue his development. He's on our list, I don't think he's peaked in terms of talent. The question is whether the club can build his confidence. In my opinion, lack of belief is the limiting factor here.
The entire club is playing like *smile* right now. From one week to the next, our best players are inconsistent.
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If he was so far back, why even draft him at all? Let him develop in the WAFL for two years and then see where he’s at.

Good players, regardless of background, size or anything else will generally develop quickly, play early and play often when put into an elite, professional environment. There are exceptions but they are just that, exceptions and list management strategy should not be built around catering to those exceptions.
 
TigerFurious said:
If he was so far back, why even draft him at all? Let him develop in the WAFL for two years and then see where he’s at.

Good players, regardless of background, size or anything else will generally develop quickly, play early and play often when put into an elite, professional environment. There are exceptions but they are just that, exceptions and list management strategy should not be built around catering to those exceptions.
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Because he had elite physical characteristics. You don't want to be trying to draft someone and losing out to other clubs, if you thought they had AFL potential.
We were drafting towards the back end of each round, given our on field success. To try stay competitive, you have to find some diamonds in the rough, because you don't have access to elite juniors.
His development was slowed by covid. He's the exact type of player that needed games to consolidate his off field coaching, given the low base to begin with.
This is exactly the type of player we should be taking, rather than keep plods around. Miller showed potential at the back end of last year. He played with growing confidence, the graph was going up. If he tapers this year, or regresses, his career is over. But this forum is looking for heads because we've started the year in such crap form. It's amazing how players like Castagna looked sub VFL standard when the team was playing awful. But then a few years later, we couldn’t function without him.
Calm heads are required now. This is still largely the same club that got cheated out of an elimination final last year. All these players couldn’t have just turned to be "Duds" in 6 months.
 
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Needs to find a bit of white line fever about him and a bit of mongrel if he wants a permanent spot in the AFL. Has the tools, just not the intensity to apply them with good effect. However relative to his salary level and pecking order on our list, he’s not the problem, or the answer.
 
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TigerFurious said:
Told ya’ so. :cool:

Seriously though, Miller himself is only a symptom. The real issue is the list management strategy that has kept him around for 6 years and contracted him for at least one more. We have been far too generous on some very mediocre talent for far too long.
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He's got nothing on Todd Elton, who is only 29. Could we look at him in the MSD?

en.wikipedia.org

Todd Elton - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
Been a shame that he hasn't kicked on after it looked like he might have enough ability to make it. Just doesn't have any gears, no aggression, drops marks he shouldn't and appears a bust.
 
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thegdog said:
Been a shame that he hasn't kicked on after it looked like he might have enough ability to make it. Just doesn't have any gears, no aggression, drops marks he shouldn't and appears a bust.
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The lack of aggression is the biggest part for me. Just dosent compete enough and needs a bit of mongrel in him. It's something u can't develop, u either have it or u don't.

I said it in another thread, but plays the game with the intensity of Ben Simmons. That was always the knock on him when drafted, and look at his career now.
 
He's stumbled and bumbled along, hanging on the list by a thread, showing enough at times to tantalize, but the jury is in. Not only are they in, they have delivered their verdict and moved on to the Chinese restaurant down the road for the banquet and a few beers, and the waiter has just delivered the fried ice cream balls and banana fritters.
 
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tigersnake said:
He's stumbled and bumbled along, hanging on the list by a thread, showing enough at times to tantalize, but the jury is in. Not only are they in, they have delivered their verdict and moved on to the Chinese restaurant down the road for the banquet and a few beers, and the waiter has just delivered the fried ice cream balls and banana fritters.
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We would have won if he'd stayed on the ground
 
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