Gavin Miller
Encyclopedia
Gavin John Miller is an Australian former rugby league
footballer who at his peak was regarded as the most dangerous attacking force in the NSWRL
owing to his great ball skills. He won two successive Dally M Player of the Year awards in 1988 and 1989 and his skill made Cronulla-Sutherland a formidable side after many years in the doldrums.
Australian selectors during his brief but brilliant heyday were often criticised for ignoring Miller, but it is true he had failed to show his skills in a badly beaten New South Wales side during the 1989 State of Origin series.
in 1977. That year, he obtained a regular place in the team at the age of seventeen but was signed by Eastern Suburbs Roosters
the following year. Miller did poorly for Easts in the following two years but Cronulla thought he had potential and signed him for 1980.
Still playing as a centre three-quarter, Miller obtained a regular place in the Cronulla side and gradually showed he had exceptional ball skills as well as the ability to run which he had shown with Wests. Over his first four years at Cronulla he was moved into the forwards and did so well that by 1983 he was chosen to play for New South Wales. He did not fulfill expectations and at the end of the year returned to Easts but played so poorly that he failed to retain a first grade berth despite the Roosters winning only five games out of 24.
. In this role he developed his hitherto-dormant ball skills and was rewarded with many awards, including the Man of Steel award for the 1985–86 Rugby Football League season.
He returned to Cronulla in 1986 as a much more mature player and after a slow start in his second stint with the Sharks, suddenly leapt to the top of the tree in 1988. His ability to consistently offload and send players into gaps (despite being small for a forward at around 87 kilograms) created so many tries that Cronulla won fifteen of their last seventeen home-and-away matches and claimed the club's first minor premiership. Despite not playing for New South Wales against Queenland or against Great Britain, Miller's club form was so good that selectors could not ignore him for the Test against Papua New Guinea. In a crushing 70–8 win, Miller "launched countless raid on the Kumuls' line" with both Miller and team mate K Bergagnin sharing 7 tries between them. He also played in the World Cup final against New Zealand, remarkably scoring a try in both these games, and in between was named as Man of the Match versus a "Rest of the World" team.
1989 was Miller's greatest year, and he monopolised the player-of-the-year awards like no other player except perhaps Peter Sterling
and latterly Andrew Johns
. His brilliant ball-playing skills were by now backed up with a superb kicking game, a high workrate in defence and the ability to take the knocks that came from being a focal playmaker. He won not only the Dally M Player of the Year, but also the Rugby League Week
Player of the Year and the Rothmans Medal. His form against Brisbane
in the play-off for fifth was described as "mesmerising" and saw the Sharks win 38–14.
1990, with injuries contributing, saw Miller decline somewhat, though in two games against Balmain
and South Sydney
he showed he could still be as skilful as ever. At thirty, though, he was out of contention for the Kangaroo tour, and the following year, with the responsibility of captaincy, saw Miller decline further. In 1992, with the changing of the guard at Cronulla, he was surprisingly relegated to reserve grade, but still showed his old skill in patches when brought on for the first team, notably against North Sydney. It was inevitable, though, that Miller would soon retire, and he returned to Gouburn as captain-coach at the end of the year.
After his retirement from first grade rugby league, Miller was named as one of the five "immortals" of the Cronulla club.http://nrl.rleague.com/news/index.php?id=13065
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer who at his peak was regarded as the most dangerous attacking force in the NSWRL
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
owing to his great ball skills. He won two successive Dally M Player of the Year awards in 1988 and 1989 and his skill made Cronulla-Sutherland a formidable side after many years in the doldrums.
Australian selectors during his brief but brilliant heyday were often criticised for ignoring Miller, but it is true he had failed to show his skills in a badly beaten New South Wales side during the 1989 State of Origin series.
Early Days
Before his late-1980s fame, Gavin Miller had already a long career in rugby league. He began playing for Goulburn as a centre three-quarter and was recommended to the Western Suburbs MagpiesWestern Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
in 1977. That year, he obtained a regular place in the team at the age of seventeen but was signed by Eastern Suburbs Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
the following year. Miller did poorly for Easts in the following two years but Cronulla thought he had potential and signed him for 1980.
Still playing as a centre three-quarter, Miller obtained a regular place in the Cronulla side and gradually showed he had exceptional ball skills as well as the ability to run which he had shown with Wests. Over his first four years at Cronulla he was moved into the forwards and did so well that by 1983 he was chosen to play for New South Wales. He did not fulfill expectations and at the end of the year returned to Easts but played so poorly that he failed to retain a first grade berth despite the Roosters winning only five games out of 24.
Latter Days
After leaving Easts, Miller went to England and joined Hull Kingston RoversHull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
. In this role he developed his hitherto-dormant ball skills and was rewarded with many awards, including the Man of Steel award for the 1985–86 Rugby Football League season.
He returned to Cronulla in 1986 as a much more mature player and after a slow start in his second stint with the Sharks, suddenly leapt to the top of the tree in 1988. His ability to consistently offload and send players into gaps (despite being small for a forward at around 87 kilograms) created so many tries that Cronulla won fifteen of their last seventeen home-and-away matches and claimed the club's first minor premiership. Despite not playing for New South Wales against Queenland or against Great Britain, Miller's club form was so good that selectors could not ignore him for the Test against Papua New Guinea. In a crushing 70–8 win, Miller "launched countless raid on the Kumuls' line" with both Miller and team mate K Bergagnin sharing 7 tries between them. He also played in the World Cup final against New Zealand, remarkably scoring a try in both these games, and in between was named as Man of the Match versus a "Rest of the World" team.
1989 was Miller's greatest year, and he monopolised the player-of-the-year awards like no other player except perhaps Peter Sterling
Peter Sterling
Peter Maxwell John "Sterlo" Sterling OAM is an Australian rugby league commentator and former player. He was one of the all-time great halfbacks and a major contributor to Parramatta Eels' dominance of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership in the 1980s. Sterling played nineteen Tests for...
and latterly Andrew Johns
Andrew Johns
Andrew Gary "Joey" Johns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He was heralded as the world's best halfback for a number of years...
. His brilliant ball-playing skills were by now backed up with a superb kicking game, a high workrate in defence and the ability to take the knocks that came from being a focal playmaker. He won not only the Dally M Player of the Year, but also the Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week is the second highest selling Australian rugby league magazine, behind major competitor Big League...
Player of the Year and the Rothmans Medal. His form against Brisbane
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
in the play-off for fifth was described as "mesmerising" and saw the Sharks win 38–14.
1990, with injuries contributing, saw Miller decline somewhat, though in two games against Balmain
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
and South Sydney
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
he showed he could still be as skilful as ever. At thirty, though, he was out of contention for the Kangaroo tour, and the following year, with the responsibility of captaincy, saw Miller decline further. In 1992, with the changing of the guard at Cronulla, he was surprisingly relegated to reserve grade, but still showed his old skill in patches when brought on for the first team, notably against North Sydney. It was inevitable, though, that Miller would soon retire, and he returned to Gouburn as captain-coach at the end of the year.
After his retirement from first grade rugby league, Miller was named as one of the five "immortals" of the Cronulla club.http://nrl.rleague.com/news/index.php?id=13065
Matches and point scoring summary
| Team | Years | Matches | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wests | 1977 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Easts | 1978–1979, 1984 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cronulla | 1980–1983, 1986–1992 | 178 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 43 |
| New South Wales | 1983, 1989 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Australia | 1988 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Total | 1977–1992 | 222 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 59 |