Jacob Miller (rugby league)

Jacob Miller
Personal information
Born 22 August 1992
NSW, Australia.
Height 182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 84 kg (13 st 3 lb)
Playing information
Position Halfback, Five-eighth
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2011–13 Wests Tigers 9 2 1 1 11
2013–14 Hull 24 6 9 0 42
2015– Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 0 0 0 0 0
Total 33 8 10 1 53
As of 28 March 2014
Source: League Central RLP

Jacob Miller is an Australian professional rugby league player for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in the Super League competition. He can play at halfback or five-eighth. He has previously played for Wests Tigers and Hull.

Early years

Hailing from Ocean Shores,[1] Miller played junior football with The Mullumbimby Giants, winning a premiership with the Giants in the under 18's competition in 2007. He was a student at Mullumbimby High School before he moved to Sydney and was a student at Matraville Sports High School when he was chosen as halfback for the Australian Schoolboys in 2009.[2]

On a scholarship with the Sydney Roosters from age 14 onwards, Miller was released from the club as they had Todd Carney, Braith Anasta and Mitchell Pearce able to fill positions in the halves.[3]

Career

Miller made his debut with the Wests Tigers in round 4 of the 2011 NRL season, playing from the bench, and getting on the field with 20 minutes to go.[4] He was only 18 at the time, and coach Tim Sheens said, "If you're good enough, you're old enough. And I think he's good enough." [3] Two weeks later he made his first appearance in the run-on squad, playing as halfback in a match against the Gold Coast Titans,[5] standing in for injured Robert Lui.

Besides NRL appearances, Miller played in the Wests Tigers' Toyota Cup team. He scored 5 tries and 128 points for the season, and was named as halfback in the competition's Team of the Year.[6]

In round 4 of the 2012 season, Miller, after a late call up, scored his first NRL try. However, it was to be his only first grade appearance for the year. He finished the year by playing a "starring role" as Wests Tigers won the Under 20's grand final 46-6 against the Canberra Raiders.[7] He then kicked six goals as he played five-eighth in the Junior Kangaroos squad that beat New Zealand 48-16.[8]

Beginning the 2013 season as the Wests Tigers first choice of halfback, Miller started in the first 4 games of the season before being dropped to reserve grade for Braith Anasta.[9] Weeks later it was announced Miller has been released and signed for Hull FC on a two-and-a-half year deal.[10]

It was announced Miller would leave the club at the end of the 2014 season. He was subsequently signed by Wakefield Trinity Wildcats for the 2015 season.[11]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Mitchell Craig. "Wests Tigers sign Mullumbimby's Jacob Miller". www.rlcm.com.au. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  2. ↑ Daniel Briggs (22 July 2009). "Canowindra star makes Australian Schoolboys". Central Western Daily. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chris Barrett (1 April 2011). "Cooped-up Rooster gets a run with Tigers". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  4. ↑ Glenn Jackson (4 April 2011). "It's Miller's time at last as young cub earns stripes with late show". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  5. ↑ "Custom Match List". RLP. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  6. ↑ "Tiger cub wants key role". SportsNewsFirst. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  7. ↑ Jon Tuxworth (11 October 2012). "Wighton to start in the halves for juniors". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  8. ↑ Nathan Ross (15 October 2012). "Miller happy with his year". weststigers.com.au. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "Braith Anasta has mixed emotions over move to halves for Wests Tigers". Daily Telegraph. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  10. ↑ Holden, Matt. "HULL END SEVEN SEARCH WITH AUSSIE STARLET MILLER". hullfc.com. Hull FC. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  11. ↑ "Jacob Miller: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats sign ex-Hull FC half-back". BBC Sport. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.