Gavin Miller

Gavin John Miller(born 4 January 1960) is an Australian formerrugby leaguefootballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. AnAustralian internationalandNew South WalesState of Originrepresentative forward, he played the majority of his club football for theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks,and is an Immortal of the club. He earned two successiveDally M Player of the Year awardsin 1988 and 1989.

Gavin Miller

Personal information
Full name	Gavin John Miller
Born	(1960-01-04)4 January 1960 Inverell, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Weight	87 kg (13 st 10 lb)
Position	centre,second-row,loose forward
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1977–77 Western Suburbs 17 2 1 0 8 1978–79 Eastern Suburbs 13 0 0 0 0 1980–83 Cronulla-Sutherland 56 6 0 1 19 1984–84 Eastern Suburbs 11 0 0 0 0 1984–87 Hull Kingston Rovers 79 24 0 0 96 1986–92 Cronulla-Sutherland 124 6 0 0 24 1988–89 Hull Kingston Rovers 22 3 0 0 12 Total 322 41 1 1 159 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1983–89 New South Wales 5 0 0 0 0 1989–89 NSW Country 1 0 0 0 0 1988–1988 Australia 2 2 0 0 8
Source:

At his peak, Miller was regarded by many pundits as the most dangerous attacking forward in theNSWRL,largely due to his ball playing and kicking skills. Miller's influence was at the helm of theCronulla-Sutherlandbecoming Premiership contenders after having spent some years at the lower end of the ladder. During Miller's heyday, Australian selectors were often criticised for ignoring him, notwithstanding that Miller did not show the best of his skills in a badly beaten New South Wales side during the1989 State of Origin series.

Biography

Early days

Gavin Miller was born inInverell, New South Wales.Before his late-1980s fame, Miller had already a long career in rugby league. He began playing for Goulburn as acentreand was recommended toWestern Suburbsin 1977. That year, he obtained a regular place in the team at the age of seventeen but was signed byEastern Suburbsthe 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 acentre,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 forNew South Wales.Miller did not fulfil expectations there and during the season was involved in a dispute with the Sharks' committee – he had said he would leave the financially crippled club if it did not win the KB Cup.The Sharks failed to do this, and Miller was sacked at the beginning of October.That November Miller was signed by his former club Eastern Suburbsbut played so poorly that he was relegated so low as third grade,while the Roosters won only five first-grade games out of 24.

Hull Kingston Rovers career

After leaving Easts, Miller signed to English clubHull Kingston Rovers.During his three year stint with Hull KR, Miller received many awards.

Miller playedloose forwardinHull Kingston Rovers’ 12–0 victory overHull F.C.in the1984–85 John Player Special Trophyfinal duringthe 1984–85 seasonatBoothferry Park,Kingston upon Hullon 26 January 1985.

Miller won the First Division Championship atHull Kingston Roversduring the1984–85 season.

Miller playedloose forward,scored two tries, and wasman of the matchwinning theWhite Rose TrophyinHull Kingston Rovers’ 22–18 victory overCastlefordin the1985 Yorkshire Cupfinal duringthe 1985–86 seasonatHeadingley,Leedson 27 October 1985.

Miller playedloose forwardin the 8–11 loss toWiganin the1985–86 John Player Special Trophyfinal during the1985–86 seasonatElland Road,Leedson 11 January 1986.

Miller playedloose forwardinHull Kingston Rovers’ 14–15 loss toCastlefordin the1986 Challenge Cupfinal during the1985–86 seasonatWembley Stadium,London,on 3 May 1986, in front of a crowd of 82,134.

Miller won theMan of Steel awardfor the1985–86 Rugby Football League season.

List of Hull Kingston Rovers playersHeritage No 834.

Return to Australia

Miller returned to Cronulla in 1986 a more mature player, and after a slow start to his second stint with the club, by 1988 Miller had become one of the most dominant players in the ARL. He had the ability to consistently offload and send players into gaps (despite being small for a forward at around 87 kilograms or 13 stone 10 pounds), and was at the helm of Cronulla winning fifteen of their last seventeen home-and-away matches, and claiming the club’s first minor premiership. Despite not playing for New South Wales against either Queensland or Great Britain, Miller's club form was enough that selectors did not ignore him for the Test againstPapua New Guinea.In a world international rugby league record 70–8 win, Miller "launched countless raid on the Kumuls' line"and scored atry.He also played in the World Cup final against New Zealand, remarkably scoring a try once again,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 perhapsPeter Sterlingand latterlyAndrew Johns.His brilliant ball-playing skills were by now backed up with a superb kicking game, a high work-rate 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 theRugby League WeekPlayer of the Year and the Rothmans Medal. His form againstBrisbanein 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 againstBalmainandSouth Sydneyhe 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 againstNorth Sydney.It was inevitable, though, that Miller would soon retire, and he returned to Goulburn 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.

Honours

Rugby League World Cup Winner 1988

Rugby League Championship Winner 1984/85

Challenge Cup R/Up 1985/86

John Player Trophy Winner 1984/85 (R/Up 1985/86)

Rugby League Premiership Trophy R/Up - 1984/85

Yorkshire Cup Winner - 1984/85

Rugby League 'Man of Steel' - 1986

Hull KR Player of The Year - 1986

White Rose Trophy - 1985

'Dally M Medal' Winner - 1988, 1989

Rothmans Medal Winner - 1989

Unique Achievement

Miller remains unique in having won the Man of the Match award in the1985–1988 Rugby League World CupFinal against New Zealand in 1988, theMan of Steel award,theDally M AwardsPlayer of the Year, theRugby League WeekPlayer of the Year and theRothmans Medal.

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
Hull KR	1984-1989	102	27	0	0	108
Total	1977-1992	324	43	1	1	159

External links

• Gavin Miller at sharks.leagueunlimited.com
• Gavin Miller at eraofthebiff.com