Gryan Miers
| Gryan Miers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Miers playing for Geelong in April 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth | 30 March 1999 | ||
| Original team(s) | Grovedale (GFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 57, 2017 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 2019, Geelong vs. Collingwood, at the MCG | ||
| Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Weight | 78 kg (172 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Small forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Geelong | ||
| Number | 32 | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2019– | Geelong | 29 (33) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of Round 4, 2020. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Gryan Miers (born 30 March 1999) is an Australian rules footballer playing for Geelong in the Australian Football League (AFL). A small forward, he played in the TAC Cup before he was recruited by Geelong with pick 57 in the 2017 national draft. Miers debuted in the opening round of the 2019 season and was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award in round 8.
Junior career
Miers played junior football for St Mary's[1] and Grovedale before representing the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup.[2] In their victorious 2017 season, he kicked a league-high 50 goals, including a haul of seven in the grand final against the Sandringham Dragons, when he was named best on ground. Miers was also named in the competition's team of the year, averaging 17 disposals and four tackles from his 17 matches. He represented Vic Country in four matches at the 2017 AFL Under 18 Championships as a midfielder, averaging 18 disposals and five marks.[3]
Miers' agility, pressure and crumbing ability were strengths in his junior career,[4] but his kicking was identified as a deficiency.[4][5] He was named as "one of AFL's next big cult heroes" by Fox Sports for his dreadlocks, unusual name, football ability and confidence in important matches.[1] Miers was predicted to be drafted in the second or third rounds of the 2017 AFL national draft by ESPN,[4] and in "second-round — possible first-round — calculations" by Fox Sports.[1]
AFL career
Miers was selected by Geelong with pick 57 in the 2017 national draft.[6] He spent his first season in the Victorian Football League (VFL), playing all 20 matches and averaging one goal per game. In 2019, Miers debuted in the opening round of the season against Collingwood. He was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award in round 8, after amassing 22 possessions and kicking one goal against North Melbourne; up to that point he had played every match.[7] An analysis by AFL.com.au reporter Callum Twomey identified him as a "key factor in the Cats' place atop the ladder", along with fellow recruit Luke Dahlhaus.[8] In June, Miers signed a contract extension with Geelong to the end of 2021.[9]
Personal life
During his childhood, Miers supported the Brisbane Lions. His father, David Miers, is a biomechanist who was listed with Collingwood in the 1980s and founded XBlades, a footwear company.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Waterworth, Ben (22 November 2017). "AFL draft 2017: Gryan Miers looms as one of AFL's next big cult heroes". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Masenhelder, Trent. "Patience pays off for Cats cult hero". SEN 1116. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ "AFL Draft Watch – Gryan Miers". nableague.com.au. AFL Victoria. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ a b c Doerre, Christopher (27 September 2017). "Knightmare's Draft Wrap: Gryan Miers' stock rises after TAC Cup GF". ESPN. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ Di Pietro, Kavisha (15 May 2019). "Geelong rising star's point of difference". AFLPlayers. AFL Players' Association. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ Balmer, Matt (28 April 2019). "AFL 2019: Geelong forward Gryan Miers praises Gary Ablett's influence in breakout season". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ Collins, Ben (13 May 2019). "Life of Gryan: Dreadlocked Cat the latest Rising Star". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ Twomey, Callum (6 May 2019). "The two new Cats taking Geelong to the top". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ Oates, Stacey (5 June 2019). "Two young stars sign on". geelongcats.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
External links
- Gryan Miers's profile on the official website of the Geelong Football Club
- Gryan Miers's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Gryan Miers at AustralianFootball.com