TIGERS CLUB NEWS ARCHIVE

Noel Miller
Champion – Extraordinaire

Clubs rely on volunteers – but not many can boast the longevity of a volunteer such as the involvement of Noel Miller to the Tigers Football Club.

2005 being his 29th Year as a Team Manager.

As a youngster Noel played junior footy with the Tigers and like many graduated into the Senior Ranks.

Not noted for his on field achievements, Noel became a keen and active supporter of the Club whilst also producing three daughters – all of who would eventually become three of the Clubs strongest and most loyal supports of the organisation. Like Noel they are the quite achievers / supporters of our group and remain in the background but attend all matches including the matches in Sydney often travelling either with the team or on the supporters bus.

Noel became a Team Manager of the Tigers Club in 1977 when he took charge of the Clubs Monaro League team – a team which competed in the District Competition of the ACT and surrounding areas. He gained immediate success with this team which won the Premiership of 77 with such names as Geoff Gosling, Wally Gisik, Ron Fowlie and Steve Wightman - all of whom are still involved in the organisation or AFL Canberra Football in some manner today.

Providing Team Management duties to the Monaro League team was just part of his weekly routine. The other area of involvement was being an assistant to the Clubs other legendary Team Manager Frank Hopkins who had been in charge of the Tigers 1st and Reserve Grade teams during the late sixties / early seventies.

Eventually Noel took charge of all Team Management duties when Frank retired in 1979 and he has held that position ever since. This included being Team Manager of the Under17 Grade, Under 19 Grade, Reserve Grade and 1st Grade teams over any given weekend throughout the eighties, ninties and into the new millennium.

He is the quite achiever. Never a cross word about any player. Noel goes about his duties with a minimal of fuss. Each and every player is personally handed their jumper in each and every grade by the most popular volunteer every to have had any involvement within our organisation.

Clubs in the AFL Canberra competition have become more professional and responsible for day to day management of their respective teams and most have eventually appointed a team manager for each grade – not the Tigers. Noel is the first to arrive at each ground every week and is set to hand out the jumpers before the first player arrives for the Under 18’s. He is the last to leave the ground after the 1st Grade have completed their day and is often seen at the home ground late at night after the matches washing all the jumpers etc.

Noel is our Official Team Manager for each grade and continues to do a fantastic job regardless of the situation or how the Club may be situated on the ladder in their respective grades. Today - and for a number of years now - he has had the assistance of Kaye Parsons, Rob Cooke, Trevor Weickhardt and Graham Harmer but he remains the man to see by the players if they require any equipment or that personal assistance that only Noel can provide.

During his 29 year involvement as a Team Manager of the Tigers Club he has witnessed many changes in the organisation from the battling, near extinction of the Club in the early eighties with games scheduled at the Queanbeyan Park Oval to the transfer of the Club to its current home base at the Margaret Donoghoe Sportsground, the construction of our Licensed Club and the enormous success of all teams in their respective competitions over the past 23 years.

For the record his Team Management duties has overseen the following Grand Finals, Premierships and Club Championship titles:

1977 – Monaro League Division Two Premiership
1982 – 1st Grade Preliminary Finalist
1983 – 1st Grade Preliminary Finalist
1984 – Under 19 Premiership, 1st Grade Preliminary Finalist
1985 – 1st and Reserve Grade Premierships. Club Champions
1986 – 1st Grade Grand Finalists. R/U Club Champions
1987 – 1st Grade Grand Finalists. Under 17 Grade Premiership. R/U Club Champions
1988 – 1st Grade Premiership
1989 – 1st and Reserve Grade Premierships. Club Champions.
1990 – 1st Grade Grand Finalist and Reserve Grade Premiership. R/U Club Champions
1991 – 1st Grade Premiership. R/U Club Champions.
1992 – 1st and Reserve Grade Grand Finalists. R/U Club Champions
1993 –1st Grade Semi Finalists
1994 – 1st Grade Grand Finalists. R/U Club Champions
1995 – 1st Grade Grand Finalists
1996 – 1st Grade 1st Semi Finalists
1997 – Under 21 Grade Grand Finalists. 1st Grade and Reserve Grade -Preliminary Finalists. Club Champions.
1998 – 1st Grade Premiership and Reserve Grade Grand Finalist. R/U Club Champions
1999 – 1st Grade Premiership. R/U Club Champions
2000 – 1st Grade Premiership. Club Champions.
2001 – Reserve Grade Grand Finalists, 1st Grade Preliminary Finalist
2002 – 1st Grade Grand Finalist and Under 18 Premiers (undefeated). Club Champions.
2003 – 1st and Reserve Grade Grand Finalist
2004 – 1st, Reserve Grade and Under 18 Grand Finalists

He has overseen the following Senior Grade Coaches during his time: Kevin Delmenico, James Black, Peter Williamson, Brian Quade, Rod O’Riley, Des Campbell, Brendan Roberson, James Dore and Mark Armstrong.

He regards seeing the faces of first game Under 18 Grade players either graduating from the Tiger Junior Club or from other areas as the best experience along with their gradual promotion and development into the Senior Grade teams.

Noel Miller – one of our Greatest ever volunteers