Touk Miller is suspended by the AFL for 'conduct unbecoming' after he was found to have made contact with the groin region of Lion Dayne Zorko that the AFL determined "caused Zorko pain and discomfort".
"We accept the AFL's decision but as a club we are extremely disappointed in the outcome," Gold Coast footy boss Wayne Campbell said.
"Touk is the captain of our football club and has built a reputation as a fair and strong leader who is admired by the entire AFL community. He is one of the most highly respected players in the competition and it's disappointing his integrity and character has been tarnished during this process."
Gold Coast will head into 2022 with Touk Miller to join Jarrod Witts to serve as co-captains of the club.
The change comes after David Swallow stepped down from the captaincy following four years at the helm alongside Witts.
Sam Collins is the vice-captain, while Swallow will be joined by third-year midfielder Noah Anderson, Sean Lemmens and Nick Holman in the seven-man leadership group.
Touk Miller signs a new five-year deal to stay a Sun until the end of 2027.
"I just focused on Gold Coast. I talked to my manager fairly early in the year and said I wanted to stay here, I had no intentions of being anywhere else," he said.
"I absolutely love this club. I'd love to be etched into the walls and be part of what this club is going to be."
Touk Miller is in career-best form, averaging 30 disposals and 425m gained each game thus far in 2021.
"I think what I've added to my game is getting out of stoppages and using my legs a bit more," Miller said.
"I think in previous times I was a little more sluggish to get out of stoppages. It probably comes with a bit more confidence and understanding what your capabilities are and be a bit more offensively damaging, which is starting to show."
Sam Collins wins his first Gold Coast Club Champion award for 2020 with 339 votes ahead of vice-captain Touk Miller (335) and co-captain Jarrod Witts (327).
The 26-year-old played all 17 games and finished the year ranked second in the league for intercept possessions, averaging 7.1 per game and fifth for intercept marks.
Touk Miller will again serve as vice-captain for the Suns in 2020 under co-captains Jarrod Witts and David Swallow, while Brayden Fiorini, Alex Sexton and new addition Sam Collins round out the six-man leadership group.
Gold Coast midfielder Touk Miller describes his growing rivalry with Brisbane skipper Dayne Zorko as "personal".
Miller tagged Zorko in two heated exchanges last season, taking the points on each occasion.
Following the round five encounter, in which Miller won the Marcus Ashcroft Medal as best afield, Zorko snubbed the handshake offer extended by the young midfielder.
Then, after turning the tables with a Brisbane win in round 22, Zorko directed a verbal barrage at Miller. The pair shook hands before Zorko bizarrely continued to follow Miller around the field with his hand extended.
"He is a good player, but I reckon I got to him with my niggling, that game was close and he wasn't able to have an impact and that frustrated him," Miller said.
"The second time he definitely changed his approach and took the game on a bit more and was less worried about me.
"But we get to each other and it ends up being personal. There is a bit of feeling there and it makes for good footy. I enjoy it."
Gold Coast appoints David Swallow and Jarrod Witts as co-captains for the 2019 season.
Witts and Swallow will form a new look eight-man leadership group that includes Touk Miller and Pearce Hanley as vice-captains and Alex Sexton, Jarrod Harbrow, Brayden Fiorini and George Horlin-Smith.
"It's very humbling. It's quite a proud moment for myself," Swallow said.
"I'm really confident with the program and the leaders underneath that we'll see success in the near future."
Out of contract at the end of 2019, Touk Miller says he feels obligated to re-sign with the Suns.
"They gave me the opportunity to play AFL and live my dream. I think it'd be rude of me not to pay the respect by giving my loyalty to them as well," Miller said.
"From a club image perspective it'd be fantastic with myself signing on and retaining players is a big thing for us going forward."
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan defends captain Dayne Zorko for his post-match verbal spray towards Touk Miller, and says there needs to be balance in the commentary surrounding the incident.
"I think it's really easy for all of us sitting back and observing to make those comments, it's a lot harder when you're the bloke that's copped the physical attention for two-and-a-half hours to remain composed when the siren goes," Fagan said.
"I thought it wasn't that big a deal this weekend.
"I didn't see the cameras highlight all the whacks and knocks he got from the bloke who was playing on him during the game and no one talked about that as being bad sportsmanship."
Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan has challenged his side to help Dayne Zorko shake off the taggers, after his struggling vice-captain had another quiet game against Greater Western Sydney.
Zorko had just 10 touches at Spotless Stadium as the Lions went down to GWS 10.17 (77) to 5.13 (43).
It continued a frustrating fortnight for the tough on-baller, who was accused of bad sportsmanship after last-week's Q-Clash loss to Gold Coast.
Zorko refused to shake hands with the Suns' Touk Miler, who had tagged him out of the match.
"He's getting a lot of attention at the moment," Fagan said.
"We need to become better in the midfield so that you can't just easily target one guy to slow him down."
Tom Lynch and Steven May will again co-captain Gold Coast in 2018.
Ruckman Jarrod Witts and midfielder Pearce Hanley have been added to a leadership group that again contains David Swallow, Matt Rosa, Michael Barlow and Touk Miller.
Michael Rischitelli has stepped aside from the role.
"Both Tom and Steven have been extremely invested in the program since my arrival," Suns head coach Stuart Dew said.
"The eight-man leadership group will work closely with myself and the entire football department to ensure we can create an environment that is aligned to our values and provides the best possible opportunity for growth both on and off the field."
Jarrod Harbrow and Gary Ablett are dropped from the Suns' leadership group for 2017.
Harbrow and Ablett are replaced by off-season recruit Michael Barlow and midfielder Touk Miller.
Michael Rischitelli, Matt Rosa and David Swallow have held their spots in the group, alongside co-captains Steven May and Tom Lynch.
"Michael Rischitelli, Matt Rosa and David Swallow are already established leaders at our football club and in Michael and David's case they've been playing that role for some time," Suns coach Rodney Eade said.
"Similar to Matty Rosa last year, Michael Barlow has made an immediate impact on the playing group, leading by example on and off the field, and his elevation to the player leadership group demonstrates the influence he has had on the team in a relatively short period of time."
Touk Miller says he has dreams of one day captaining the Suns.
"I'm in the emerging leaders at the moment, which is fantastic, but looking forward I'd really love to be in that leadership group, and one day possibly lead the club," Miller said.
Since round 16, in the absence of Suns captain Gary Ablett and experienced midfielders Dion Prestia, Michael Rischitelli and David Swallow, Miller has taken charge in the middle, averaging 27 disposals per game.
"I think it's almost being a mental [change]. You have your form slumps in your footy career, but it's something you've got to come out of," Miller said.
"I was quite happy with myself that I could move past that, and I'm really thankful to the coaches for giving me the opportunity to keep playing and showcasing what I had. I'm very happy with the way I'm finishing off the season."
Gold Coast stand-in skipper Michael Rischitelli says Touk Miller has been a revelation for the Suns in 2015.
Miller has so far played all 11 matches for Gold Coast, mixing time between half-forward and the midfield, and has averaged 17 disposals and five tackles in a badly struggling team.
"It's pretty amazing for a first-year player to play the games he has so far," Rischitelli said.
"It's a credit to him.
"He's a pretty professional young bloke. It really gets noticed around the club, so hopefully we can get a lot more guys like Touk to be as professional as him."
Gold Coast extends the contract of Touk Miller until the end of 2017.
"My footy has gone to another level under the direction of 'Rocket' (coach Rodney Eade) and the rest of the coaches, and I know with plenty of hard work ahead, I can continue that improvement over the next few seasons," Miller said.
Miller said extending for another season was an easy decision.
"I love the lifestyle, I love the coast," Miller said.
"It's good to be out of Melbourne, in a new environment. I'm the type of person that wherever I'm playing footy, I'm going to be happy."
Touk Miller makes his AFL debut for Gold Coast at the MCG with 6 disposals (5 kicks and a handball), 2 marks, 4 tackles and a goal in a 26-point loss to Melbourne.
Sunday, 4 January 2015
Gold Coast draftee Touk Miller has his sights firmly set on a round one debut as he continues to adjust to the rigorous training demands at an AFL club.
Miller says Suns development coach Matthew Lappin's guidance had been instrumental in helping his initial transition at the Suns.
"I've worked pretty closely with 'Skinny' at the moment. He's probably helped me the most in terms of getting my kicking right," Miller said.
"(He's been) sitting me down and talking about team defence and structures that we've done and sort of working me through small parts of my game I've got to work on."
Gold Coast selects Touk Miller with pick No.29 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft.
"He's got leadership, he was Vic Metro captain, he can play in every zone on the ground – defence, midfield, forward – he's a manic trainer, he's a great competitor and he tackles maniacally," Suns list manager Scott Clayton said.
"They're all characteristics that make you play a lot of AFL footy. He's very strong-willed."
As a 15-year-old, draft prospect Touk Miller made his senior football debut for local club Maribyrnong Park, and also became the second youngest person to play for premier cricket club North Melbourne.
He stopped playing cricket last year to focus on his football, a decision which should be rewarded on November 27 with his name likely to be called by an AFL club at the 2014 national draft.