Touk Miller Explained

Touk Miller
Fullname:Touk Miller
Nickname:Toik/Toyk
Birth Date:22 February 1996
Birth Place:Melbourne, Australia
Originalteam:Maribyrnong Park (EDFL)/St Kevin's College (APS)/ Calder Cannons (TAC Cup)
Draftpick:No. 29 2014 AFL Draft
Height:178cm
Weight:84kg
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Gold Coast
Guernsey:11
Years1:2015–
Games Goals1:173 (51)
Statsend:2023
Careerhighlights:

Touk Miller (rhymes with "Luke";[1] born 22 February 1996) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League (AFL). Miller plays as a midfielder and was drafted to the Suns as the 29th overall pick in the 2014 AFL draft.

Early life

Miller was born in Melbourne to an African-American father[2] and an Australian mother of Jamaican and English descent.[3] His father, Wylie, is an Ohio-born frontman-singer in the legendary soul band, Grand WaZoo, and a bass guitar soloist, and his mother, Ruth, is a veteran marathon runner and triathlete.[4] Touk started high school in the selective sports academy at Maribyrnong College. He then accepted a scholarship to St Kevin's College for both his football and cricket talents.[5] Miller was selected to represent the under 15 Victorian state cricket team at the national championships in March 2011 and made his first XI debut for the North Melbourne Cricket Club at the Junction Oval in December 2011[6] before electing to focus on football the following year.[7]

Junior career

Miller played all of his junior years with the Maribyrnong Park Lions in the Essendon District Football League and made his senior debut for the club in 2011 at the age of 15. He played junior football for both St Kevin's College in the APS football competition and the Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup. He also captained both the Cannons and the Vic Metro Under 18 team in the 2014 AFL Under 18 Championships.[8]

AFL career

Miller made his debut for the Suns in round 1 of the 2015 season.[9] Miller earned a rising star nomination in round 16 of that year where he had 27 disposals and two goals against the Greater Western Sydney Giants.[10] In May of 2015, Touk re-signed to the Suns, keeping him contracted to the club until 2017.[11]

Miller was promoted to the Gold Coast vice-captaincy at the beginning of 2019.[12] He played his 100th AFL game in Round 23 against Greater Western Sydney. Despite missing several matches through injury, Miller finished 6th in Gold Coast's 2019 best and fairest count.[13] In May 2021, Miller was handed a one-match ban for rough conduct against St Kilda player Nick Coffield.[14] At the end of the 2021 season, Miller was in the All-Australian team and won the Gold Coast Suns best and fairest

Miller was appointed Gold Coast co-captain for the 2022 season.[15]

Following the 2022 AFL season, Miller was named All Australian, Gold Coast's Club Champion and the AFLCA MVP.

Statistics

Updated to the end of 2023.[16]

|-| scope=row | 2015 || || 44| 22 || 7 || 8 || 184 || 190 || 374 || 51 || 111 || 0.3 || 0.4 || 8.4 || 8.6 || 17.0 || 2.3 || 5.1 || 0|-| scope=row | 2016 || || 11| 18 || 4 || 6 || 174 || 211 || 385 || 51 || 88 || 0.2 || 0.3 || 9.7 || 11.7 || 21.4 || 2.8 || 4.9 || 2|-| scope=row | 2017 || || 11| 20 || 7 || 6 || 135 || 282 || 417 || 67 || 90 || 0.4 || 0.3 || 6.8 || 14.1 || 20.9 || 3.4 || 4.5 || 0|-| scope=row | 2018 || || 11| 22 || 6 || 7 || 198 || 287 || 485 || 77 || 123 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 9.0 || 13.1 || 22.1 || 3.5 || 5.6 || 4|-| scope=row | 2019 || || 11| 18 || 4 || 3 || 183 || 219 || 402 || 81 || 103 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 10.2 || 12.2 || 22.3 || 4.5 || 5.7 || 5|-| scope=row | 2020 || || 11| 17 || 3 || 4 || 117 || 163 || 340 || 50 || 88 || 0.2|| 0.2 || 10.4 || 9.6 || 20.0 || 2.9 || 5.2 || 3|-| scope=row | 2021 || || 11| 21 || 8 || 8 || 334 || 334 || 668 || 95 || 149 || 0.4 || 0.4 || 15.9 || 15.9 || 31.8 || 4.4 || 7.1 || 17|-| scope=row | 2022 || || 11| 22 || 8 || 11 || 373 || 253 || 626 || 83 || 133 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 17.0 || 11.5 || 28.5 || 3.8 || 6.0 || 27|- | 2023 || || 11 | 13 || 4 || 1 || 191 || 133 || 324 || 50 || 68 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 14.7 || 10.2 || 24.9 || 3.8 || 5.2 || 3|- class=sortbottom! colspan=3 | Career! 173 !! 51 !! 54 !! 1950 !! 2072 !! 4022 !! 605 !! 953 !! 0.3 !! 0.3 !! 11.3 !! 12.0 !! 23.3 !! 3.5 !! 5.5 !! 61|}

Notes

Honours and achievements

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: How to say the AFL's trickiest names. Australian Football League. 30 March 2022. 30 September 2022.
  2. https://www.afl.com.au/video/629225/touk-explains-weird-made-up-name-his-maribyrnong-to-afl-journey?videoId=629225&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1623384542001 Touk explains 'weird', made-up name, his Maribyrnong to AFL journey
  3. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-draft-2014-touk-miller-draws-inspiration-from-marathon-mum/news-story/aee541cc28aec544c964e27fb70bb206 Touk Miller draws inspiration from marathon Mum
  4. https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/teams/gold-coast/afl-draft-2014-touk-miller-a-steal-for-gold-coast-suns/news-story/8b3071d2d98e0d3fc683d519ca41511e AFL Draft 2014: Touk Miller a steal for Gold Coast Suns
  5. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/losing-sleep-touk-miller-counts-down-the-days-to-the-afl-draft-20141123-11s7lj.html Losing sleep, Touk Miller counts down the days to the AFL draft
  6. http://www.greenvalekangaroos.com.au/pageitem.aspx?id=51888&print=1 15 year old debutant
  7. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/calder-cannons-star-touk-miller-earmarked-for-top-from-young-age/news-story/f3997975d5546b67dddd15371e029195 Calder Cannons star Touk Miller earmarked for top from young age
  8. News: Calder Cannons captain Touk Miller boasts a rare leadership double that gives him an AFL Draft point of difference. Tim. Michell. 23 November 2014. Moonee Valley Leader.
  9. http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/2015-01-03/touk-sets-sights-on-round-one Touk sets sights on round one
  10. Web site: 2015-07-21 . How Miller Touk ‘Rocket’ by surprise . 2022-09-18 . AFL Players' Association . en-AU.
  11. Web site: Touk Miller extends contract until end of 2017 . 2022-09-18 . goldcoastfc.com.au . en.
  12. Web site: 2019-03-21 . Every club’s leadership group in 2019 . 2022-09-18 . AFL Players' Association . en-AU.
  13. Web site: 16 September 2019. Season Review: Touk Miller. 29 September 2019.
  14. Web site: 2021-05-10 . Finlayson, Miller accept AFL suspensions . 2022-09-18 . The West Australian . en.
  15. Web site: 2022 Leadership Group unveiled.
  16. Web site: Touk Miller. AFL Tables. 21 March 2021.