He’s been runner-up twice and it would have been a travesty had he not saluted, but Touk Miller has franked a brilliant season by taking out Gold Coast’s highest individual honour.
Touk Miller has put the rubber stamp on a career best AFL season by being crowned the Gold Coast Suns club champion.
The man who has twice finished as the runner-up in the Suns biggest award (2018, 2020) could no longer be denied after producing one of the greatest seasons by any player in the club’s history.
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Miller was announced as the winner of the title at the club’s annual awards event at The Star Casino on Sunday night.
In a reflection of his dominance throughout the year, Miller polled a record 562 votes after playing 21 of 22 games in 2021.
Miller took the lead in the voting from Round 4 and never gave it up, finishing ahead of rising youngster Wil Powell (396) and captain David Swallow (352).
Swallow just edged out vice-captain Sam Collins (350) to claim third place while Charlie Ballard (299) rounded out the top five.
Miller was in rarefied air throughout the season, recording over 30 disposals for 16 consecutive games from Round 6.
The 25-year-old midfielder finished fifth in the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player award and earnt a place in the All-Australian team.
He drew praise from major figures in the game who labelled him one of the best two-way runners in the league.
Miller’s feats this year caught many by surprise but to those inside the club it was the natural step forward for the hardest worker in the squad.
Miller revealed to News Corp earlier this season his work on his acceleration, which began in the US in a recent off-season and his ability to improve his kicking accuracy were key drivers of his improvement.
He became more damaging in offence after years spent tagging while he ranked second in the league for total tackles and fifth for average disposals with 31.8 per game.
“I’m not just flash in the pan. I have tried to build over the course over a number of years to be the best player I can be and that will help me in the long run,” Miller told News Corp earlier this year.
It was Powell’s first time on the club champion podium after a breakout season in his fourth year which saw him named in the AFLPA 22Under22 team.
AFL Rising Star nominee Jeremy Sharp took out the Emerging Player award after playing nine games in his second season at the club and averaging 20 disposals and seven marks per game.
Brayden Fiorini was named the most professional, Will Brodie took out the VFL Player of the Year and Teagan Levi and Bodhi Uwland claimed the female and male Academy Player of the Year awards respectively.
Alex Sexton also became the fourth player to be inducted as a life member of the Gold Coast Football Club after playing his 150th game for the club in Round 19 this year.
Swans B&F: Star Swan becomes Sydney royalty
Sydney co-captain Luke Parker has joined some of the Swans’ greatest footballers in winning a third Bob Skilton Medal as club champion.
Parker’s latest best and fairest win follows his triumphs in 2014 and 2017, which also came in seasons where Sydney made the finals.
Ten Swans greats have won the medal at least three times, with Parker matching fellow skipper Josh Kennedy, Bill Williams and Brownlow medallists Adam Goodes, Gerard Healy and Ron Clegg.
The star midfielder averaged 28 disposals, 13 contested possessions, six clearances and five tackles this year, while appearing in all 23 games for Sydney.
Parker, who turns 29 in October, remains an unrestricted free agent as he seeks a lucrative new four-year deal to stay in the Harbour City.
He (543 votes) enjoyed a comfortable victory over last year’s medallist, Jake Lloyd (504), and Jordan Dawson (502), with All-Australian Tom Papley (481) and Callum Mills (475) rounding out the top five.
Parker also accepted the Paul Kelly players’ player award, not even a week after the Swans’ season ended in a heartbreaking one-point elimination final defeat to the Giants.
“It’s bittersweet, but I look back at the memories and highlights from this year and I couldn’t be more grateful for those (and) the moments the people at this club bring,” Parker said.
“It just makes football and life enjoyable. Some of the wins we’ve had have been incredible.
“Whether coming from behind or when, unfortunately, some of the boys got put into quarantine and the way the group handled that situation, it just puts a smile on your face.
“We have made some special relationships this year and we will continue to build on that and there’s no doubt we will continue to grow.”
Parker has spent the past three seasons as co-captain and relished watching the likes of James Rowbottom, Chad Warner, Errol Gulden and Braeden Campbell progress this season.
“I love seeing blokes grow. I look at ‘Rowy’, Chad, Errol and Braeden, knowing I was in that position,” he said.
“The growth and expertise that Adam Goodes, Jude Bolton and Jarrad McVeigh gave me when I was first at the club (was invaluable).”
Colin O’Riordan (best clubman), Justin McInerney (most improved), Errol Gulden (rising star), Lewis Taylor (VFL player of year) and Adam Gulden (VFL squad player of year) were also recognised.
BOB SKILTON MEDAL TOP 10
Luke Parker (543 points)
Jake Lloyd (504)
Jordan Dawson (502)
Tom Papley (481)
Callum Mills (475)
Tom Hickey (444)
Isaac Heeney (437)
Justin McInerney (383)
Oliver Florent (358)
Lance Franklin (351 points)
GRIMES KING OF THE AMBUSH
Dylan Grimes showed there is plenty of life left in the Tigers of old on Thursday night as the reliable defender was crowned Richmond’s best-and-fairest.
The 30-year-old was the only constant in Richmond’s back half this season and often carried an immature defence on his shoulders as the Tigers’ golden years came to an abrupt end.
The three-time premiership hero missed just one match this season and was the unofficial leader of a backline that was sabotaged by lengthy injuries to Nick Vlastuin, Nathan Broad, Bachar Houli and Noah Balta.
Grimes will be relied upon heavily again in 2022 when the Tigers look to bounce back up the ladder after the retirement of good mate and fellow key defender David Astbury.
Grimes led Richmond for intercepts and one-percenters and was ranked second for marks, third for contested marks and fifth for rebound 50s.
The 2019 All-Australian became the first key defender to win the Jack Dyer Medal since Alex Rance in 2015.
It was a popular result for a player who has bravely reported death threats he received to police in a widely-applauded stand against social media trolls.
Grimes is already contracted for another two seasons and is valued highly at Punt Rd for his leadership.
Coach Damien Hardwick gave dual premiership defender Liam Baker the freedom to play bursts in the midfield and attack this season and Baker’s push up the ground also pushed him up the Tigers’ leader board.
The boy from Pingaring in Western Australia played 41 per cent of game time this season as a defender, 17 per cent on the wing, 15 per cent as a midfielder and 27 per cent forward.
The remarkable split has Baker one of the AFL’s most versatile players and a wildcard that Hardwick can flip around during games.
Baker finished equal second with Jack Graham, who evolved into a damaging midfielder on the back of more minutes in the guts.
The 23-year-olds were followed by 22-year-old match-winner Shai Bolton (fourth) in a clear sign the Tiger kids are ready to take their club forward.
Dustin Martin placed equal-fifth with Jack Riewoldt despite missing six games with a kidney injury.
The three-time Norm Smith Medallist returned to Punt Rd week looking rather skinny as he recovers from the serious internal injury.
JACK DYER MEDAL
1st – Dylan Grimes, 51 votes
Eq. 2nd – Jack Graham, 46
Eq. 2nd – Liam Baker, 46
4th – Shai Bolton, 45
Eq. 5th – Jack Riewoldt, 40
Eq. 5th – Dustin Martin, 40
7th – Jayden Short, 39
8th – Tom Lynch, 38
9th – Kane Lambert, 35
Eq. 10th – Trent Cotchin, 33
Eq. 10th – Nathan Broad, 33
Originally published as AFL best and fairest awards: Don’t miss all the results from your club’s night of nights
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