Calder Cannons midfielder Touk Miller has been selected by the Gold Coast SUNS with selection No. 29 in Thursday night’s national draft.
The tenacious ball winner lands on the Gold Coast on the back of a stellar 2014 campaign that saw him captain both Vic Metro and the Calder Cannons. In thirteen TAC Cup games in 2014, Miller averaged 22 possessions and five clearances per game.
Miller is renowned for his hard-nosed approach to the game and isn’t afraid to put his head over the ball and cop a big hit. Regarded as a fearless leader, Miller has drawn comparisons with Melbourne co-captain Nathan Jones due to his ability to extract the ball from stoppages and find a teammate in heavy traffic.
SUNS List & Strategy Manager, Scott Clayton, was delighted to secure Miller’s services and says that the midfielder has the characteristics to excel at the elite level.
“He was captain of Vic Metro, he’s a competitive beast, he tackles maniacally, trains really hard. They’re characteristics that make you play a lot of AFL footy,” Clayton told SUNS TV.
The 18-year-old can’t wait to join his good friend and Calder Cannons teammate Peter Wright on the Gold Coast.
“I couldn’t be happier, nice place, nice weather,” Miller told the Moreland Leader.
“(Peter and I) work pretty good hand-in-hand, so I think it’s going to be a pretty good little duo.
“I was on edge from the moment the draft started until my name was read out.
“I was very stoked when my name got read out.”
The St Kevin’s College product has been earmarked for a future in the AFL for a long time. At just 15, Miller debuted for Maribyrnong Park in the Essendon District Football League – an impressive feat given the brutal nature of that competition.
Miller was also a talented cricketer growing up and was forced to make a decision between football and cricket. He became the second youngest person to represent Premier Cricket outfit North Melbourne at First XI level when he debuted at 15.
At the AFL draft combine in October, Miller highlighted his elite endurance by recording a 10.19 3km time trial.
Pick 29: Touk Miller(Calder Cannons)
Height: 177cm
Weight: 80kg
Position: Midfielder
