By Marcus Uhe
A sensational year in the engine room from Narre Warren’s Tom Miller has seen him crowned the Shane Smith Medallist; the best and fairest player in the Outer East Premier Division.
Despite missing the final three games of the season to a syndesmosis injury sustained in round 15 against Olinda Ferny Creek, Miller’s exceptional consistency saw him poll 25 votes, well-clear of his nearest competitor in Wandin’s Cody Hirst on 18, and teammate Tom Toner on 15 votes.
On a statistical front, Miller averaged 36 disposals, 15 contested possessions, seven clearances, seven inside 50s and 12 score involvements per game, with only Magpies teammate Kurt Mutimer finding the footy more than him per game in 2023.
Notwithstanding the incredible numbers, the humble Miller said the award came as a shock.
“I was pretty confident it was going to be Kurt (Mutimer), so I was hassling him all night about what he should say or how he should carry on, and then it was me,” Miller said of the event.
“I missed three games at the back end of the year, so I thought I was no chance.
“I went there just carrying on with the other boys not really thinking about it, but when it came up I thought ‘shit, I’ve got to go and talk.’
“It was a real shock.”
Mutimer polled 13 votes to finish fifth in the count, making it three Magpies in the top five.
Mutimer, Toner and Miller shouldered much of the midfield load in 2023 thanks to the void left by the departures of Trent Cody, Josh Tonna, Matt Suckling and Hayden Stagg from the Magpies’ 2022 premiership side.
Miller said coach Shane Dwyer put the onus on the trio during the preseason, and the trust instilled in him from such a significant figure during his time at Kalora Park helped to reach the heights that he did.
“‘Grubbo’ (Dwyer) spoke to me about it, he gave me the vice-captaincy and then spoke about how he could see me having a good year with how I was building last year.
“It gave me confidence to go out there and have a crack.
“I had a good preseason and I’m just playing my own way, going after it and working with Kurt as the leading contested ball-winner in there.
“I think that’s helped a lot, I can just do my own thing in there and then we all work around each other.”
While the syndesmosis injury threatened to bring his season to a premature end, the prospect of winning another flag saw Miller leave no stone unturned.
An intense course of rehabilitation saw him engage multiple physiotherapists, including Collingwood’s Ben Shipperd, hit the pools for regular swimming sessions and tick every box, culminating in kicking the game-winning goal against Wandin in last week’s semi final to secure yet another grand final berth for the Magpies.
Such has been the success of the club in Miller’s time that he is yet to play a season of senior football that hasn’t resulted in a spot in the last day of the season.
The legacy of victory and premierships left behind by the likes of Dylan Quirk and Michael Collins, two icons of the mighty Magpies and role models during Miller’s younger days at the club, has him striving for more, making every swim and stretch to get back on the field worth every cent.
“I’d give up all of this (the Shane Smith medal) to win another flag,” he said.
“Flags are what you play for, and then there’s everything that comes with it.
“I hear about all the old boys who’ve won flags, they reckon the best part of it is the reunions, and then there’s the nights we’ve had after we’ve won two of the flags…they’ve been some of the best nights of my life.”
