Author Topic: Ben Miller - upgraded to our senior list [updated]  (Read 39331 times)

Offline Diocletian

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #30 on: November 26, 2017, 04:34:27 PM »
Everyone raved about McBean's agilty for his size too when we first drafted him...... :shh

Maybe bc he was about 65kg. Not sure McBean was that quick anyhow.

Wasn't slow either and was actually around 85kg when we drafted him.....
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Offline one-eyed

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Tigers draft ‘elite’ Miller (West Australian)
« Reply #31 on: November 27, 2017, 07:36:52 PM »
Tigers draft ‘elite’ Miller

The West Australian
Neil Watkinson
27 November 2017


Ben Miller starts pre-season football training this morning with AFL premiers Richmond at the club’s Punt Road base in central Melbourne.

There was no time to waste after the Tigers selected the Kalgoorlie-Boulder 18-year-old with pick No.63 of the AFL National Draft on Friday last week.

Club officials were immediately on the phone to Miller, and they told the Railways Football Club and Subiaco ruckman-forward he was booked on a flight to Melbourne yesterday.

Miller watched the draft at his Lamington home with several other family members and his girlfriend, Finlay McMillan.


Railways’ Ben Miller in action against Boulder last season.Picture: Louise White / Kalgoorlie Miner

When the Kalgoorlie Miner visited them on Friday night, there was still a feeling among everyone of “is this really happening?”.

The man of the moment said: “Words can’t really describe how I feel right now.”

He said he was delighted Richmond had picked him.

“They are a great club,” he said.

“I can’t wait.”

Miller paid tribute to the support his mother, Leanne, and father, David, had given him.

“Dad taught me how to kick the football,” he said.

Mr Miller said his son’s AFL selection had left him “over the moon”.

Mrs Miller simply said she was “thrilled to bits”.

Miller’s brother Jacob, who plays for WAFL club Subiaco, said the family had realised the AFL dream could become a reality when Miller was selected to play for the WA team at this year’s under-18 National Championships.

Jacob said this put his brother among the top young players in the State, and in a position to catch the eye of recruiters.

Jacob said his brother was a “raw talent”.

“He can burst through the ceiling, but he will need to put the hard work in,” he said.

Richmond said in its website article on Miller that the 196cm, 93kg tall utility was an “elite athlete”.

“We feel Ben is still in the early stages of his football development and that he has huge scope for improvement in an AFL environment, considering what he has been able to achieve to this point, while being based in a remote location,” the club said.

“He’s a big, powerful kid, who has the speed, athleticism and skill to develop as a key-position player at either end of the ground.”

Miller played football in Kalgoorlie-Boulder for Railways, and said they had made a huge contribution to his success. He played in this year’s Railways Football Club premiership team in Goldfields Football League, and made some appearances for Subiaco’s colts team this year. He was one of two Goldfields-Esperance players to be drafted, with West Coast selecting Esperance midfielder Brayden Ainsworth with pick No.32.

Ainsworth, a product of Ports Football Club, played alongside Jacob Miller in Subiaco’s premiership-winning reserves team this year. Subiaco said on its website that Miller and Ainsworth were beneficiaries of the club’s commitment to its regional zone.

“Miller from Kalgoorlie and Ainsworth from Esperance each developed strongly across the past two seasons,” the club said.

“Miller and Ainsworth had been highly regarded at their respective towns, having played senior football as teenagers and each collecting a number of local awards.”

https://thewest.com.au/news/kalgoorlie-miner/tigers-draft-elite-miller-ng-b88671755z

Offline one-eyed

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #32 on: December 02, 2017, 05:58:44 AM »
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/2017-12-01/meet-our-new-kalgoorlie-recruit

His playing attributes

“My strengths would probably be to create a contest down back because I’ve got a good, running vertical leap on me . . . And then just pace off the backline . . . be able to break through the lines, open up the game a bit more, and propel from the backline.”

Pressure associated with the pre-draft testing

“Doing it a few times in-a-row, you got used to the nerves . . . I set a few goals for myself and tried to reach them or even better them. And I did.”

How he fared during season 2017


“I played a fair few games in Kalgoorlie, where I’m from. And I played a fair few games at Subiaco (in the WAFL) as well. So there was a lot of travel each way trying to play games every weekend . . . By car it’s a seven-hour trip to Perth. So we’d come down on a Friday, then we’d play Saturday, and get back on a Sunday.”

Playing role model


“I like to think I play a little bit like Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn’s captain) . . . just the way how he’s so versatile around the ground and can go forward, maybe pinch-hit in the ruck every now and then, and could also play down back.”

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2017-12-01/ben-miller-in-focus

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Subiaco colts coach Beau Wardman provided a good insight into Miller’s growth as a player and his potential.

“Ben’s development throughout 2017 has been huge,” Wardman said.

“He’s extremely dedicated, managing travel commitments with living in Kalgoorlie and often training in isolation. 

“Ben has great athleticism for a big man, and he gave great service to his teammates through his improved ruckwork.

“He also showed he has the ability to turn a game, with his goal sense and overhead marking.

“Ben is a really impressive kid. He’s a confident, young man with great character and care for his peers.

“His willingness to learn, and then implement, is why he has been so successful this year, and only better things are on the horizon for him.”

Subiaco talent manager Michael Farmer was similarly positive about Miller’s football prospects.

“Ben showed great commitment this year with his commute from Kalgoorlie to Perth for training and games,” Farmer said.

“For his age and size, we think Ben is an elite prospect for the next level, who can really grow into a premier big man.

“Great skills and great athleticism for his size, he has the tools to make an impact at the next level.

“He is a tough, strong presence in the ruck, and presents well when forward. And his second, third and fourth efforts are outstanding for a big man.”

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2017-12-01/miller-a-gold-prospect

Offline YellowandBlackBlood

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #33 on: December 02, 2017, 06:08:10 AM »
Just like the sound of this guy. Sounds like he could be a player in the right environment. Might pass a few already at the club....
OER. Calling it as it is since 2004.

Offline one-eyed

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #34 on: December 08, 2017, 01:25:49 PM »

Offline Andyy

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #35 on: December 09, 2017, 11:26:06 PM »
Get him on the peptides asap lol

Offline Rampsation

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #36 on: January 08, 2018, 06:12:12 PM »
Anyone know how Ben is travelling Training wise? It would be good to get an update on how all our draftees are handling training.

Offline Chuck17

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #37 on: January 08, 2018, 08:59:27 PM »
Anyone know how Ben is travelling Training wise? It would be good to get an update on how all our draftees are handling training.

Wouldn't be surprised if they are all training the house down

Offline Slipper

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #38 on: February 27, 2018, 11:13:14 PM »
Anyone know how Ben is travelling Training wise? It would be good to get an update on how all our draftees are handling training.

Bump.

Just wondering if anyone knows if he played on the weekend and if so, how he went.

Offline Diocletian

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #39 on: February 28, 2018, 02:15:43 PM »
Heard he "showed good signs" but not much detail beyond that.

"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." 

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FJ is the only one that makes sense.

Offline Slipper

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #40 on: February 28, 2018, 10:02:31 PM »
Heard he "showed good signs" but not much detail beyond that.

Thanks for that. I hadn't heard anything, so wasn't even sure if he had played.

Offline Owl

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #41 on: March 01, 2018, 09:37:48 PM »
Anyone know how Ben is travelling Training wise? It would be good to get an update on how all our draftees are handling training.

Wouldn't be surprised if they are all training the house down
I heard a rumor to such effect, much house was trained down
Lots of people name their swords......

Offline one-eyed

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Re: Pick 63: Ben Miller
« Reply #42 on: September 01, 2018, 05:15:24 AM »
Miller playing for VFL flag

West Australian
1 Sept 2018


Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s Ben Miller has a strong chance of becoming a VFL premiership player in his first season with Richmond.

Miller’s Tigers finished the 21-round VFL qualifying series as minor premiers, with last Saturday’s eight-goal victory against Frankston Dolphins taking them past the Casey Demons to the top of the ladder on percentage.

Miller, who played in a back pocket during the Frankston match, is likely to feature in the Tigers’ finals campaign, which will take place at the same time the club goes in search of back-to-back AFL premierships.

The VFL flag quest starts this Saturday night with a qualifying final against Williamstown. The Tigers will face stiff competition from Williamstown, who finished fourth but defeated them by seven goals in round 19. Third-placed Geelong also triumphed against Richmond in round 18.

Miller, a 2017 Railways Football Club premiership player in the Goldfields Football League, is being developed into a defender, and Richmond’s VFL website reports have lauded his steady improvement as the season has progressed.

In his assessment of players during the previous match against Williamstown, Richmond’s VFL back line and development coach Ryan Ferguson said of Miller: “(He) stood firm down back, competed well in the air and neutralised a lot of aerial contests.”

A separate report on the match said Miller was “nigh impassable down back”. “Miller’s confidence has risen steadily as the weeks have ticked on and has spiked in the last two weeks,” the report said. “The budding defender was one of the Tigers’ best on a tough day down at Geelong last week, and bettered that performance against a barrage of Williamstown attacking forays.”

Richmond selected Miller with pick No.63 in last year’s AFL National Draft.

https://thewest.com.au/news/kalgoorlie-miner/miller-playing-for-vfl-flag-ng-b88943891z

Offline one-eyed

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Offline Rampsation

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Re: Ben Miller [merged]
« Reply #44 on: May 30, 2021, 02:41:31 AM »
Deserves an opportunity imho. Looking back a couple of us were pretty happy on draft night when we got him.