Jordan Miller is fighting for his future.
Whether it be the legal action he has launched against Wests Tigers over his sacking or his upcoming charity boxing bout, Miller is coming out swinging.
“It was a pretty big shock, I don’t know how to explain it,” Miller said of his controversial axing.
Miller’s two-year, $600,000 contract was terminated after his latest breach, for turning up to training late. The 130kg, 193-centimetre prop claims that there were extenuating circumstances; he was required to assist police with a domestic violence matter not related to him.
“It was a family matter, I was late by 40 minutes,” Miller told this masthead.
“I went back to the Tigers, and they didn’t really believe the story, and then I pretty much got let go.”
Jordan Miller wants another crack in the NRL.Credit: Kate Geraghty, SMH
Miller has engaged former Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis as his legal counsel. The parties have been unable to agree to an outcome and are about to head to arbitration.
The Tigers have defended their handling of the matter.
“We followed all of the procedures with the player and his management and he fronted the board regarding it,” said Tigers CEO Shane Richardson.
“We’ve spoken to the NRL in detail about it, and we have no qualms about the stance we took.”
While the matter drags on, Miller is attempting to get a promising rugby league career back on track. The Fijian international was one of the biggest prospects while in the junior ranks.
An Australian Schoolboys representative and a member of Western Suburbs Magpies’ premiership-winning Harold Matthews competition, he began training full-time with the Tigers upon graduating from Patrician Brothers Fairfield.
Last year he made his NRL debut in a rare Tigers win, against the Gold Coast, and appeared destined for a prosperous career when he added another first-grade appearance to the tally.
“I always knew from a pretty young age I wanted to play in the NRL,” he said.
Jordan Miller is readying himself for a charity boxing bout.Credit: Kate Geraghty, SMH
And then it was all taken away.
“I was lost,” he said.
“Even now, I’m still a bit lost. Straight after that happened, I played for Fiji then I came back to pretty much nothing.
“I was at home, and I was pretty lost. I didn’t really accept what happened. A few months have gone by now, and I would have liked to have had a preseason because like the last three preseasons I’ve done, I’ve been injured.
‘Even now, I’m still a bit lost.’
Jordan Miller on his Tigers sacking
“I’m gutted, but I’ve got to move on and hopefully find something soon. The last couple of months I’ve been starting to come back to training just to keep my mind busy.
“I get bored easily, I’ve just got to do something to keep my mind busy.”
Which is why Miller has taken up, at very short notice, boxing. The 20-year-old will be one of the headliners at Executive Fighter 3, a charity boxing event staged at Sydney’s Hilton Hotel on March 15 to raise money for charity. The event has given Miller a goal to train for as several clubs, including Parramatta, consider adding the front-rower to their roster.
Jordan Miller at the Elouera Tony Mundine Gym in Redfern.Credit: Kate Geraghty, SMH
“It’s about getting some extra fitness, so I thought I’d give it a crack,” he said.
“It’s a bit scary when I’ll be coming up [against] someone who has been training for it for eight weeks, and I’m doing it on two weeks’ notice, but I’ll back myself.”
The main goal, however, is to fulfil his rugby league potential.
“I started playing rugby league when I was four years old, I always wanted to play in the NRL,” he said.
“I was grateful enough for that to happen last year. Playing for my country was a big thing, it made me love the game even more seeing how happy my family and everyone back home was.
“I love footy, I wanna get back into it for sure. I know when I’m at 100 per cent fit, not to be cocky or anything, but I could be like one of the best props.
“That’s how much I believe in myself and how confident I am.”
Asked if he has anything to prove to the Tigers, Miller said: “It’s not about that, I just want to do it for myself and my family, get back in there.
“All my best mates still play for the Tigers. At first, it was a bit of bad blood, I was a bit angry … but I still love the Tigers, I still support them, I grew up my whole life supporting them.
“I was grateful enough to debut there, and all mates are still there, I still support all of them. It is what it is, just gonna move on.
“If I sign with another team, I’m just going to do it for myself and for my family.”
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