Serenitylater
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- Mar 20, 2021
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Play him in the guts
Player Watch #46: Ben Miller
- Thread starter Bojangles17
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Id like to see this as well. Maybe just at centre bounces. let him run through the contest, if he gets the footy he kicks deep into our 50 even if he doesnt his size will mean the opposition will be looking at him. I want to see this. Just give it a try.
Ben Miller (18 disposals, seven marks, three tackles)
"Outstanding game. Aerially, he was fantastic with 12 possession gains which was huge, and he's a good user of the footy out of our backline.”
Miller played on the Jones first up after injury, and he may have been a bit rusty. But from what I saw of the game our man played very nicely. What caught my eye here was Morris saying he had an "outstanding game.” He doesn’t say things like that too often.
I presume the 12 possession gains aerially means he either marked or ended up with possession 12 times when it was being delivered into the bomber forward line. Having played a bit at full back in my younger days that seems a lot.
Reckon BM is getting some confidence now, we just need to see this translate into decent performances v stronger opponents.
Encouraging stuff though.
"Outstanding game. Aerially, he was fantastic with 12 possession gains which was huge, and he's a good user of the footy out of our backline.”
Miller played on the Jones first up after injury, and he may have been a bit rusty. But from what I saw of the game our man played very nicely. What caught my eye here was Morris saying he had an "outstanding game.” He doesn’t say things like that too often.
I presume the 12 possession gains aerially means he either marked or ended up with possession 12 times when it was being delivered into the bomber forward line. Having played a bit at full back in my younger days that seems a lot.
Reckon BM is getting some confidence now, we just need to see this translate into decent performances v stronger opponents.
Encouraging stuff though.
His last two weeks have been as good as you will get from a full back. Obviously a confidence player, has all the tools to translate to AFL, just needs it between the ears, which it seems is developing.
Morro
Brownlow Medallist
As mentioned he has the tools, but much like several young KPP's we have drafted over the years, he just seems like a nice guy.
I reckon to be a genuine KPB at AFL level, you need to have some level of campaigner in you.
Does he have any?
I reckon to be a genuine KPB at AFL level, you need to have some level of campaigner in you.
Does he have any?
When he got dropped and went back to the VFL he lost that hunger to compete in the air and I was starting to get quite worried about him. The last two weeks he's had that back and played two of his best games in the VFL.
I'm starting to think that he may be best suited to being that looser third tall down back where he can take advantage of his speed and kicking to be an offensive weapon, rather than having to lock down an opponent. The big hurdle with that is that Biggy and Gibcus are probably both in the same boat, though Gibcus is a bit more complete as a key defender than the other two.
Grimes, Broad, Gibcus, Balta and Miller can all do it, so leet them. Balta is probably best v the gorilla's but in todays defence systems they all revolve around, If he can be part of that well and good.
Still think he could be the answer playing forward. His kicking is like a laser, 6 kicks I reckon he'd have four goals, a bit like Townsend who never missed. And du to his speed his ground pressure would be no different to most of our smalls.
Whatever role he plays back there, he still needs to read the incoming ball well and needs to be able to assert himself in contests. He just needs to keep improving these areas of his game. It will be tremendous for the club if we could get 6-7 good seasons out of Miller in the AFL outfit.
Ages as at 2025:
Balta 25yo Miller 25yo/Biggy 24yo Gibcus 22yo
Vlastuin 31yo/Brown 21yo Rioli 28yo Baker 27yo Ralphsmith 23yo
It would be nice to think that might be our 2025 backline set once Tarrant, Grimes and Broad have moved on. And you can see there where once Vlastuin retires who he can be replaced by as well.
We seem to have the high half forwards covered, in Graham and Clarke, possibly Sonsie, and rucks in Nank/Soldo. Small forwards in Rioli and hopefully Mansell. Mid/forward in Bolton. Wings Banks and Ross perhaps.
If it worked out that way it would leave us able to train all resources for the next 3 off seasons on getting in a couple of quality mids and key forwards.
can't remember off the top of my head any exact moments but i believe 100% he has a good level of campaigner in him from the years i've watched
also i did miss the 2nd half of the vfl where the hawks steam rolled us, but in the first half ben miller was immense, and very offensive with his running and ball use, much better than tarrant was in the same game (who had 5 turnovers in his first 7 disposals that i can remember), but tarrant got the call up. and as much of a good bloke i think tarrant is, ben miller showed again vs essendon in the vfl how damaging offsenively he is as a defender. of course on top of that he can defend well but thats a non negotiable.
if we end up losing miller because we instead play tarrant and don't wanna waste our investment that'll be such a waste, or if we're playing tarrant because he is more experienced/has more leadership, well wtf do we have grimes, broad & vlastuin for? also miller was our stand in vfl captain during last year when morris wasn't playing (or whoever the captain was).
we literally have our future key position backline sorted for the next 8-10 years ready in balta, miller & gibcus (i also rate nyuon but it's clear gibcus is taking his role)
I am not sure you have all of that right with Miller, but I do agree with most of what you say about him. In the second half with Tarrant off v Box Hill the backline functioned noticeably worse and Miller was beaten in some key contests when he failed to read the ball as quickly as his opponent, Callow, on at least one occasion, maybe 2 I think.
V Casey Miller was absolutely schooled by Tom McDonald, and it was the same issue, poor positioning, lack of assertion in the contest and not reading the ball in the air as early as his opponent. Hopefully there comes a time soon enough where Miller is a better key back than Tarrant, but I don’t think that is true right now. Tarrant was excellent last week v Peter Wright, and Hardwick sounds quite bullish about him playing a good role as the season progresses. I think what we are realistically hoping for from Miller is just that he keeps progressing his game and especially those areas of weakness that could be shockingly exposed at AFL level v the best key forwards. And then we want him genuinely overtaking Tarrant at some point.
One positive out of the Suns game was this bloke. Was switched onto Chol as Grimes was struggling with his leap and did a pretty good job. Super calm too. Went at 100% DE.
I can see him forming a nice little trio with Balta and Gibcus back there in the years to come. Just need him to stick around.
I can see him forming a nice little trio with Balta and Gibcus back there in the years to come. Just need him to stick around.
Agree, thought he was good. A poster mentioned deer in th headlights, but I thought he looked very much at home.
However in the short term I think he is needed up front. Don't care that he hasn't played there much. Without Lynch we have Jack who is no longer a key forward who you can bomb it long too. Against GC we had Aarts, Cumberland, Castagna, MRJ, Soldo/Nank and Jack up forward. Probably the worst forward line I can remember at Richmond. Thank God Cumbo showed a bit of spark. If we go into the North game with that we could get rolled by a side that will be buoyed by their game against the Woods.
The only option left is Bauer, and that is not an option. Balta will be back as will Gibcus. Throw Miller to CHF and tell him to move and have a bit of fun.
It could be Balta but after 2 hamstrings in a row I think he needs to play a good negating backman's game to get some confidence back.
But of course this won't happen. Hardwick doesn't like a punt.
Muddiemoose
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Gibcus wasn’t in the books at the time, and Tarrant has been killing
He has been doing well, but again - I am not sure if him being there has changed anything in regards to Wins & Losses. Still think i would have rathered his spot been filled by a young prospect - either via the draft or a snazzy trade for a younger prospect with some longterm benefit.
Muddiemoose
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Definitely think he has been instrumental in terms of helping us win games or at the very least kept us in them and given us a better chance and keep us in them
Casboult was a non factor on the weekend, you think that would of been the case without him?
Likewise Hawkins in the cats game held scoreless by him
Yes we lost both those games but also games we lost by under a goal but I doubt the margin would of been as tight without him keeping forwards who are in fantastic form goalless
Tarrant is definitely holding up his end of the bargain
Miller had 6 intercepts on the weekend… Tarrant had the most on ground with 10
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He didn't give away one stupid goal from an errant kick or spoil. He plays ahead of Gibcus for mine
He wouldn't get a kick up forward. Gibcus will play forward, as will Balta if he's back. Much better options. Let Ben find his feet in defence.
- Aug 15, 2015
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I thought definite delisting earlier in the season, his competitive stuff in the 2s was average. But his last 6 or 7 weeks has been decent enough, I think we’ve come this far why cut him now just when he’s showing something.
I think other clubs will be interested (Bumbers for starters) if he’s not re-signed
One has been in the system for 5 years, is 198cm and 95kg's, the other a first year skinny kid who has been struggling for touch for the last few weeks. I know which one I would lay the responsibility on.
Miller will only find his feet until Vlastuin and Gibcus come back, and then he will be dropped, that is the pattern. So why not give him the chance of playing forward with a bit of second ruck work. It sounds like Balta is not going to play so somebody has to have a spell in the ruck and it isn't Gibcus.
I've seen Miller play forward once and he looked a natural and it has frustrated me ever since that they haven't done if again. We have zero key forward depth.
You made my point - despite his performance which was good, not exceptional - we still lost. Would the difference between these performances & Miller actually have changed our fortunes 1 single result ? at this point, i doubt it. I think we still win the games we win, and still lose the games we lose. Yes, maybe we lose 1 or 2 by a bit more - but the result is basically the same.
Its the definition of if his signing was a "game changer". I'd argue it hasn't been so far. It will always be the 2nd year of this deal where we find out how good or bad it is. If he can perform like this next year, then the deal could break even. But he is already slow as a donkey trying to run with a half cast footlong meatball sub - if he gets any slower he will be a total liability. His one on one work was great, but he looks very ordinary on the move at times.
wouldn;t say i am sold on keeping him tbh. I'd only offer him a 1year deal, at best - to keep being Tarrant's back up & allow Gibcus to take the 3rd, 4th tall - or play forward. He played alright, but still had some moments where he didn't. I just can't see his ceiling being much higher than where he already is. Not sure if that is enough to have a 100+ game career in the AFL
Wrong Again
- Aug 15, 2015
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Only issue is (1 year) he walks if a better offer is on the table.
Probably got to workout if there’s a ready to go upgrade out there ,that we can snare during trade/ draft.
KPP seem to be at a premium right now, even average ones like McStay are receiving offers I would consider overs
