Ben Miller produced another first-rate defensive display for Richmond against the Western Bulldogs in the Round 15 clash at Marvel Stadium.
The key backman restricted star Bulldogs spearhead Aaron Naughton to just one goal and eight disposals overall in the Tigers’ 79-point loss.
Miller, meanwhile, had 11 disposals, seven intercepts, 186 metres gained and a team-high six one-percenters.
It was the latest in an impressive recent list of negating performances by Miller this season.
In Richmond’s Round 9 victory over West Coast, he limited dangerous Eagle forward Jake Waterman to one goal, the following week against North Melbourne, he kept gun full-forward Nick Larkey to one goal, in the Dreamtime clash with Essendon, Peter Wright went goalless opposed to him, and then, in the Round 12 match against Greater Western Sydney, he kept red-hot spearhead Jesse Hogan goalless. It was the first time Hogan had failed to kick a goal in an AFL game for two years.
Miller’s nullification of Naughton drew praise post-game from Tigers coach Adem Yze.
“Ben Miller did a great job on Naughton. Aaron Naughton’s an A-grade forward,” Yze said.
In his 14 games so far this season, Miller is averaging 12.0 disposals, 5.7 marks, 5.1 intercepts, 3.5 rebound-50s, 6.0 one-percenters and 240.1 metres gained.
Those numbers indicate there is much more to his game than merely being a stopper.
