Doncaster RLFC: Jack Miller aiming to do his dad Tony proud

Doncaster RLFC half-back Jack Miller knows more than most he has a lot to live up to in his first season at the club.
Jack Miller is following in his fathers footsteps at Doncaster. Photo: Rob Terrace.Jack Miller is following in his fathers footsteps at Doncaster. Photo: Rob Terrace.
Jack Miller is following in his fathers footsteps at Doncaster. Photo: Rob Terrace.

Dad Tony was a fans' favourite on the field and also proved one of the club's most successful head coaches.

“I try not to think about what my dad did for the club and I try to concentrate on my own game,” said Jack.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But he watches me play, as he did when I was at Huddersfield, and he still gives me advice. He knows the game inside out so I’d be a fool not to listen.

“He’ll talk to me after games and tell me where I went wrong and I suppose he’s my biggest critic.

“I signed for the Giants when I was 18, so I was only a young kid, and there were some great half-backs there at the time so I was never going to make it into the first team at that age.

“But while I was there I learned a lot about the game from them – and not just the game but about life.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Danny Brough, in particular, was a fantastic player and still is and you learn a lot from being around people like that every day and seeing what they do.

“After I got released from Huddersfield I decided to go to Australia for a couple of years, as have a few young players from Leeds over the years.

“I came back not only a better player for the experience but also a better person.

“When (head coach) Gary Thornton spoke to me he said he wanted me to come to Doncaster but that he couldn’t guarantee me a regular place in the team.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But Mason Tonks, who is my best mate, was already here and I knew a few other players, so I decided to give it a go and I've no regrets.”

With first-choice No 7 Jordie Hedges picking up a six-match ban, Miller got an earlier than expected opportunity to press his claims but was left out of the squad at North Wales at the weekend as Thornton took a look at Kieran Cross.

Miller hopes to be back in the squad for Sunday’s Challenge Cup fourth round tie against Gloucestershire Old Golds on Pitch 2 at the Keepmoat Stadium.

“I think they’ll run hard and straight and play with a lot of enthusiasm but I think it’s more about us on the day,” he said. “We’ve got to play our own game and play the game we know.

“Hopefully the conditions will be better than our last home game because those sort of conditions were a great leveller.”