Brad Miller boots 6 for Sandringham!

[deanox 9,985]

Good effort by Millsy to put his hand up for selection, but in my personal opinion, i think it SHOULD take more than one good game at Sandy for him to force himself back into the side.

Would like to see him dominate at the lower lever for a few weeks, on a consistent basis to really show he is capable and worthy of a spot in our 22 at AFL level...

agree entirely, he needs to do it more than once for me...

Miller really was outstanding today....he gave Jay Schultz a real bath...Schultz ended up in the forward line and kicked 3 in the last 1/4 when it was all over....at one stage he had around 12-13 marks...and a lot of those were contested marks...

for those who saw him play on monday, what position did he play? did he play the same role he plays for mfc, leading out from CHF and marking 60 out? did he handball much or choose to kick it? or did he play closer to goal where he could use his strengthto mark and when he led he was close enough to kick goals.

we all know miller cant kick long. i think he is a much better player when deep inside 50 as he can use his skills to kick goals instead of give off handballs...

[Little Goffy 14,635]

The thing with Miller is I just don't see what value he offers us. I like mobile, flexible players. The modern game requires good decision-making and execution. Turnovers are critical. Miller just does not have natural footy smarts and in his time at the club has not developed his kicking to a sufficient AFL standard.

I don't see what he offers us on top of Bate and Sylvia. He only takes marks on the lead, which Bate and Sylvia can both do. They are better kicks and smarter footballers. If Miller could pull down pack marks and kick multiple goals, he would offer something. But what he gives is adequately compensated by Bate and Sylvia, plus they provide added flexibility in their ability to pinch hit through the midfield if needed.

I don't think Miller should get back into the side unless he can develop different strings to his bow. He needs to be able to take contested marks, kick goals and use the ball better. If he can't develop these attributes, then there isn't much point playing him IMO.

Hey, it's a post I agree with, literally word for word.

Has this sort of thing ever happened on here before?

Freaky.

[CHAMP 347]

agree entirely, he needs to do it more than once for me...

for those who saw him play on monday, what position did he play? did he play the same role he plays for mfc, leading out from CHF and marking 60 out? did he handball much or choose to kick it? or did he play closer to goal where he could use his strengthto mark and when he led he was close enough to kick goals.

we all know miller cant kick long. i think he is a much better player when deep inside 50 as he can use his skills to kick goals instead of give off handballs...

He played Full Forward and it seemed that players were instructed to look for him. He proved that he can take contested marks at VFL level and actually looked good. His kicking of course was scratchy and he missed 2-3 easier shots. He got three or so of his goals though in the last quarter when the game was well won. He got a couple from the 45m range.

[Dee*ceiving 1,690]

Tough for Millsy to get back at the minute. Bate is doing a tremendous job at CHF, running hard all day to present, and the boy has great hands over his head even when running full tilt.

However I still think Miller has a future as a key defender but they need to use him in this fashion at Sandy now if they hope to mold him is such a way.

The other problem we have is that if he doesn't play 6 or 8 games in the second half of the season his trade value will be little even if he is tearing it apart at Sandy. 6 or 8 even average games for the MFC will probably elevate his trade value at year end which is probably where he provides us with the most use.

[kallangurdemon 551]

6 goals? isnt that juices average over the last 4 weeks?

It is more than coincidence that the 2 games Miller has missed are the only 2 games we have won.Sadly he is just not good enough.

[Kit Walker 225]

His biggest problem has been decision making when he gets the ball 60-90 metres from goal.

If Sandy played him at full forward, he doesn't have to make too many decisions from there. Run forward, mark, go back and kick. He knows how to lead and mark so just keep it simple. He would be a pretty hard match-up in the forward 50 if he can learn how to kick properly with his size and speed.

Bate has clearly gone a long way past him at CHF though.

[Jonesy is the next captain 0]

Well done miller and YZE_Magic don't be a tool

Im with this guy, if Miller shouldnt be allowed to wear the red and blue again u sure as hell shouldnt be allowed to comment on here without improvement

[MO FINE 171]

Im with this guy, if Miller shouldnt be allowed to wear the red and blue again u sure as hell shouldnt be allowed to comment on here without improvement

Perhaps he could reinvent himself again in defence - especially if Jared Rivers' injury persists.

[Axis of Bob 11,839]

Scoop, I'm not disagreeing with you but I'll throw something different at you.

Would your issues be as big as they are if he was playing deep forward, rather than CHF? Is it worth giving him a crack at playing deep forward, ie full forward? At the moment we don't have a Neitz replacement and, while he may not be a long term option, I'm not sure he would be a bad option.

When he first started out he was good on the lead out of the goalsquare, but has since been moved away from goal to make use of his work rate.

[deanox 9,985]

Would your issues be as big as they are if he was playing deep forward, rather than CHF?

fwiw that is why i asked if he played his usual role or not. i would be astounded if he ever kicked 6 goals playing how he and where he does for mfc.

i have said the same things a number of times regarding playing at FF. i think he looks better when he is played closer to goal. evidence of this: when neitz and robbo were out who looked more comfortable and played some of his best footy for the club? add these two back into the side and you force miller further away from goals. this exposes his weaknesses, he cant kick long and he tries to handball off too much.

i thought bate played the role miller usually plays this week but he didnt handball as much. i think millers poor kicking has killed his confidence. when he is closer to goal he will actually play not unlike neita and i reckon he is a chance there in the long term. from all reports newton is more a CHF and bate can easily be played in the midfield so we will need a FF replacement.

[Guest redandbluethruandthru]

i love neita as much as the next true dee fan. his own weakness is he is slow once the ball hits the ground, same as miller. if miller was to replace neita (injury of course) he would play the same role. He is capable of kicking a bag IF the midfielders feeds to him are as good as they were to robbo. kicking to neitz were 50/50 at best on monday. miller is a great UNCONTESTED MARK player who CAN kick LONG and STRAIGHT. robbo did get lucky with some frees but alot of it was natural briilance too. Im rambling GO THE DEES

[kieranbj 111]

Scoop, I'm not disagreeing with you but I'll throw something different at you.

Would your issues be as big as they are if he was playing deep forward, rather than CHF? Is it worth giving him a crack at playing deep forward, ie full forward? At the moment we don't have a Neitz replacement and, while he may not be a long term option, I'm not sure he would be a bad option.

When he first started out he was good on the lead out of the goal square, but has since been moved away from goal to make use of his work rate.

I agree Miller is the perfect build to play FF. God hands, quick on the lead and playing at FF would solve the issue regarding his a times dreadfull decision making and up and under kicking. Rather then having to handball off or deliver into the forward 50 he would be mainly turning and having a shot on goal.

At the moment our post Neitz plan is either for Robbo to do it on his own or for the uncapped Newton to fill the void.

Bate/Sylvia/Dunn all look like they could be developed into roaming CHF. Miller should be playing much closer to home.

[beelzebub 23,382]

this is not rocket surgery is it..

Miller...good at VFL

pretty average at AFL

simply we dont need him...in fact as I have said before ..incorporating him into our plaing regime actually makes us go backward......literally...he doent play to the goals..he constantly plays away from them. This allows a defence to regroup and reload ; it put our defence half a kick or a kick futher away. He ought to play rugby this guy !! this is at AFL level..what he does at VFL level I personally couldnt give a rats about.

As they say..he just doesnt cut the mustard !!

[sylvinator 96]

i think it is widely agreed that the miller experiment at CHF is over. he is simply not up to scratch. he should be commended for filling the void while we had no-one else to do the job, however the development of Master Bate and Sylvia have seem an end to this.

i think as a CHF he did mark strongly on the lead and offer us a constant option through hard running, however his decision making was rediuclously bad, he simpmly does not have a great footy brain, and this led to his downfall as a player.

HOWEVER, if he is able to kick bags of goals at vfl, then maybe he could recreate his afl career in a different position. it is well documented that we are fuked after neitz retires, as atm our replacement FF are newton (an untried 20yrold) and robbo (a midsized forward). Playing out of the goalsquare would mean he could utilize his strong body and strong mark on the lead. because he will be inside 50, he will not have to make any decisions and will not be tempted to do those crappy handpasses he does outside the 50m arc. If he could develop into this position it will be only to the benefit on the MFC, and it will save us from wasting high draft picks and trades for a replacement FF. so i dont know why people are so quick to not give him a chance to make it again as a FF at afl level. it would be awesome for the dees if he did.

I personally think another potential weakness in 2 years time will be after Holland retires we will have noone to play of the guerillas. Once again, seeing as he has failed to really cut it as an afl CHF, maybe he could recreate himself as a defender who will play 10 games a year, coming in for the Roccas, Richos, Halls and Lucases of the afl (like Holland does so very effectively now). He in 194cm, extermely strong and quite quick so will have decent closing speed. Playing this position will require him to simply punch the ball, or mark it, in which case he can simply wait for a midfielder to run around his back and give it off. His decision making will not be relevent. Once again, if he can develop into this position, it will be to the great benefit of the MFC because it would mean that we dont have to go out and draft or trade for this kind of player!

With that in mind, i think it is VITAL that Daniher realizes that he cant make it as a CHF, and at least makes an attempt to develop him into one of the two positions (FF or guerilla defender). this would mean that miller should play a few games at sandy in either of these positions, and daniher should play him in the seniors to see if he could make the cut. I can see Miller becoming a good player as a FF or guerilla defender, because they positions play to his strengths, and hide his weakness (the face that he's not a smart footballer)

The truth is, if Miller can't reinvent himself into another position, he will either be delisted or traded (we could prob get a 3rd rounder for him). It would be a shame to see him just get delisted like that, because as a 22yrold, 194cm strong muscley player, surely he can offer something. lets atleast give him the chance to do this!

[BrownlowBruce 1]

lol... to be honest its 11 45 i cant be stuffed even readin that

but from the first sentince....

miller is a forward.... CHF or FF

he stays there not back line rubbish

[beelzebub 23,382]

how many chances ?

7

77

177??

[BrownlowBruce 1]

how many chances ?

7

77

177??

how many games has he played.... 77 is a good number tho..

[sylvinator 96]

ok so maybe he wont make it as a defender. he's actually been tried there and didnt do very well...

but theres a big difference between playing as a FF out of the goalsquare and playing as CHF 80m out from goal, which is the position he has failed at bc of his decision making. lead and marking and taking the occasional strong contested grab is what he can do...maybe he could be the answer to our post-neitz era problems.

if he can keep kicking bags at sandy playing as a deep FF, maybe he can do that at AFL level. its worth a try!

[BrownlowBruce 1]

its not a question if he can.... its a question will he.... we know his capable.... but he just needs to lift on game day... and really put his game to a new level...

[beelzebub 23,382]

well 75 as it happens...it was more flippant than anything else..

my point was how many games do we 'Trial' him..??

he hasnt jelled..simple as that

[BrownlowBruce 1]

well 75 as it happens...it was more flippant than anything else..

my point was how many games do we 'Trial' him..??

he hasnt jelled..simple as that

hes played some good footy... at best but i get ur point... give him 100...

if he not gettin better by then... welll i dont know...

u just get the feel hes a late bloomer or somthin has to happen for him to go the next step...

new club maybe, who knows...

id like him to say personally.... could be wasted talent... time will tell

[QueenC 74]

Wow, it's so unbelievably sad that it doesn't surprise me that there are people in here that cannot just be happy that he played well.......

He played well at the beginning of this season and then fell away. I don't think it should be looked on as criminal that he is trying to find that form again.

And honestly why would we have to be critical? Please don't answer that, I know how popular beating him up is.

And I agree with BB that maybe he is a late bloomer. It is not unheard of, just not tolerated by us who always expect immediate results.

Someone on another thread said that this result was the worst thing to happen to Melbourne, but god almighty, if a player, even the ever criticised and abused and insanely, irrationally disliked Brad Miller, finding some form is a bad thing then what a pathetic state of affairs we have.

The two wins have been great, and I don't think that on one performance (no matter how good) he should be re-instated into the side (baring an injury) but at the very least it should keep the forwards who are in similar positions on their toes and that should never be regarded as a bad thing.

So maybe we can just be happy that one of our players to find some form, form that could be beneficial to the side at some point in the future.

And maybe we can please grow up, and try not to have the audacity to beat him up for it.

But I do realise how difficult that will be for some of the jokers around here.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I am at a loss how people can claim that Miller wont make as defender but should be persevered with in a KPF role. Scoop Junior summed him perfectly. If and if he is going to make it...it will be up back.

I cant work out why he would be better at FF when he cant get a contested touch inside F50.

[w00dy 146]

i think this is a positive thing, but we should keep him at sandy so he can learn to kick goals... he doesn't do it at AFL level, if he can learn to do it for sandy, then hopefully he can do it at AFL level too...

[Yze_Magic 3]

LOL, hilarious thread

What a waste of cyber ink, seriously

Should Miller play back? Forward? The answer is...

WHO CARES

He is finished as an AFL footballer. As far as I am concerend he is not on the MFC list

Cant believe the amount of people that have creamed their pants after he kicked 6 goals in the VFL. LOL.. So Sad

Dunn and Newton should both be selected well before him