Miller’s injury curse

TOUK Miller says he was left frustrated by a strange heel injury that had him teetering on the edge of playing multiple times as he finally prepares to make his return in Gold Coast’s clash with North Melbourne.

Miller has been sidelined since the club’s Round 8 loss to Melbourne due to a heel injury suffered in the lead-up to Gold Coast’s Round 6 game against Brisbane.

The Suns leader has opened up about the injury for the first time as he looks to help Gold Coast break a seven-game losing run when they face the Kangaroos at Metricon Stadium today.

“It was bruising of the fat pad under your heel,” Miller said. “That is as technical as I can put it. Before the Brissy contest, I went up for a marking contest and just came down really solid on it.

“I thought I tweaked an ankle, but it wasn’t that. I came off the track and that is how it started.

“For the last six weeks or so it’s been flaring up. I was trying to get up for a few games and I didn’t, so it was like a mini-setback.

“That was the most frustrating part about it. I had three weeks where I was getting up for the game and not training and then I had to take my medicine and have a bit of a break and it probably took a bit longer than expected.”

Miller is one of three inclusions to the Suns side for today’s game, along with Jarrod Harbrow and Will Brodie. The trio will replace George HorlinSmith (omitted) and injured duo Jack Bowes and Josh Schoenfeld.

It’s an important game for the Suns, who sit at 17th on the

ladder at 3-8. North Melbourne are coming off wins over Richmond and the Western Bulldogs following the exit of Brad Scott.

“Credit to them, they played really well,” Miller said. “I have been through that myself (with former coach Rodney Eade). It is hard; it’s difficult to get your head around, but it can also bring you together.

“They are still playing really well. We are expecting them to come here and offer the same thing and we will take it to them.”

Gold Coast will play St Kilda next week before having a bye in Round 14 and Miller has stressed the importance of getting some wins on the board to avoid the back-end drop-off the club has had in recent seasons.

“The win-loss record doesn’t look great in our favour so far, but I think the way we are playing, the brand of footy we are playing is a lot better than in the past.”