Young Touk is a captain in waiting, says Dew
TOUK Miller remains firmly on the Suns’ captaincy radar as the club looks to harness his leadership potential.
Just turned 23, the Melbourne-raised midfielder was tipped by many to take on the Gold Coast captaincy this year but will instead settle for a share of the deputy role with Pearce Hanley. With maturity beyond his years, Suns coach Stuart Dew said there was every possibility Miller could assume the top job – handed to David Swallow and Jarrod Witts yesterday – in the nottoo-distant future.
“It was very hard (to overlook him),” Dew said of Miller, a member of the Suns’ 2018 leadership group.
“Touk was certainly in the mix both as one of the cocaptains and we still discussed sole captaincy. But I think with the leadership with the way we were going, we were really after that shared responsibility.
“Certainly Touk’s going to play a really important role supporting (Swallow and Witts) but also to the next group in developing them.
“Touk’s a great leader, he’s just turned 23 a couple of days ago and you have to pinch yourself to remember that he is that age.
“He certainly is a fantastic leader and that is why he is vice-captain of the footy club.”
Dew said this season’s eight-man leadership group had the Suns primed for longterm success.
“We had the whole group over for dinner (Sunday) night and you could feel the energy. Overall I think the biggest feeling is the connection to the club and wanting to see the club be successful,” he said.
“To sit here and look at those eight (players) and know they’re fully committed, I think that’s the most powerful thing of all.”