TEIA Miles spent the first few years of his footballing life proving the doubters wrong.
Miles, 25, who will run out for his 100th VFL match in Williamstown’s Johnson-Callahan Cup showdown against arch-rival Port Melbourne at ETU Stadium on Sunday, had a one-track mind to his career, but there were plenty who thought he couldn’t make it.
“I always wanted to be a footballer,” he said. “But I had always been told I was too small and not strong enough.”
Despite the strength and conditioning program at the Geelong Falcons, where Miles played in the elite Under-18 competition in 2013-14, the Barwon Heads junior struggled to add bulk.
“I was probably weighing in at 61 or 62kg in my top-age year at Geelong Falcons (and) I was only 178 or 179 centimetres tall as well,” he said.
It was only a strong final game for the Falcons that led to Miles being invited to the National Draft Combine in 2014.
Miles, whose name is Maori and pronounced “Ta-ya” thanks to a New Zealand link through his father Geoff, who played 122 VFL/AFL matches for Collingwood, West Coast and Geelong as a wingman/half-back from 1982-92, spent the first years of his footballing life proving doubters wrong.
A similar style of player, Miles Jr had an inkling he might get drafted after positive conversations with a few clubs, notably Brisbane Lions and Hawthorn, but he didn’t think it would come as early as No.49, where the Hawks called his name in the 2014 National Draft.
“I was very surprised to go at 49 – it was an unreal feeling, but I did not expect it at all,” he said.
Miles had no qualms going to a star-studded club on its way to a premiership threepeat, despite the limited immediate opportunities that would be available.
“I was stoked to get drafted to Hawthorn,” he said.
“To meet Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell and those big guns … some of the footy knowledge I learned from those players is unreal – I would much rather get to a club and learn a lot than a club that is rebuilding.”
Miles didn’t have to go far for advice on life as a footballer – as well as his dad, his brother-in-law is Geelong midfielder Mitch Duncan, who is approaching 250 AFL games.
“My family … have done everything for me,” he said.
“My mum and dad moved up to Melbourne in my first year of playing AFL footy so I could live with them, my sisters have been unreal, (as has) my brother-in-law Mitch … so thanks to them for all their support.”
Miles quickly established himself as a regular in the Box Hill Hawks team in 2015, playing 20 games including the Grand Final loss to Williamstown.
The Hawks slipped out of the eight in 2016 but it was no fault of Miles, who finished third in the best-and-fairest before extending his education by walking the Kokoda Track with Hawthorn coach Alistair Clarkson.
“Clarko took about 12 of us younger boys over there,” he said.
“Some of the things I learned about what Australians went through over there really pushed me to be a better football player and a better person.”
While it was great to develop a closer relationship with Clarkson, Miles made even more connections with his teammates.
“You’re walking for eight or nine hours a day together, so the connections you make with your friends around you lasts forever,” he said.
Miles made his AFL debut in Round 2, 2017, against Adelaide, playing two games, followed by two more in Rounds 20-21, kicking his first two goals against Richmond before helping Box Hill to the preliminary final.
“Getting drafted was definitely up there,” he said. “And then to find out you’re going to be playing your first game after two years of pretty consistent footy was a big thrill.”
After a strong start to the 2018 VFL season, he was again promoted by Hawthorn, playing the last eight home-and-away matches, but lost his spot for the finals and returned to Box Hill to play in the VFL premiership win over Casey Demons.
Another strong year in 2019 failed to result in any addition to his 12 AFL matches and he had a feeling what that meant, but even though he expected it, it was still a raw moment when he was told of his delisting.
“I had played some really good footy for Box Hill but I could not make my way into the side, (so) I think that’s when I knew my time was going to be up … (but) once you’re in the room with Clarko, there is nothing more crushing than hearing the news,” he said.
Miles returned to familiar surroundings and signed with the Geelong VFL team, with his junior club Barwon Heads as his local club, and before the season was abandoned he got to play a pre-season match with Duncan.
During the hiatus he started talking to Williamstown and instantly felt a connection, signing with the Seagulls in 2021, and he has grown to respect the challenges the standalone VFL clubs face compared to the AFL and AFL-affiliated clubs like the Cats and Hawks.
“I’ve never noticed it until now that the standalone players only see each other for two hours a night on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Miles said.
“Some of my best friends are people I have met there. It was a no-brainer at the end of 2021 to sign on – I am pretty sure I got it done halfway through the (2021) season.”
This season has not been easy for the Seagulls as they have fallen out of finals contention for the first time in more than a decade, and the club is now focusing on getting games into a young list that has lost more than 1800 matches of experience since the 2019 Grand Final – and Miles is an important factor in developing that maturity.
“To get more VFL footy into our young kids will be a big step and finish up the year with a couple more wins,” he said.
“We are a lot younger side this year than last year. I reckon there’s a few hundred games of VFL footy lost with Adam Marcon, Mitch Hibberd and those boys leaving Williamstown.”
While he has some regrets about whether he could have pushed for more feedback during his time at Hawthorn, Miles acknowledged his position in a rare group who have had the opportunity at the highest level.
“I’m really proud and privileged to have done what I have done – to be able to live out my childhood dream of playing AFL footy – (and) I never thought I would get to 100 games of VFL footy either.”
And he urged the Williamstown fans to stick fat.
“We’re doing our best work to make them cheer us on again … we are trying our best to better ourselves and better ourselves as a team, (so) keep sticking by us because we are not far off it,” he said.
