Wally Miller

(1958 - 1996)

Wally’s footy world

Adelaide coach and Norwood premiership player Neil Craig still talks footy with Wally Miller every week. Neil says Wally’s influence on himself, Norwood, and football is huge. Premiership captain John Wynne has said Wally’s compassion set the scene at Norwood, and made it different from other football clubs. Current chairman Ian Stasinowsky says Wally always assessed the player as a human being before he assessed the player.

He shaped Norwood that way. His playing career cut short by polio at only 24, Wally devoted himself to developing Australian football at all levels. He was at the forefront of the nationwide modified rules for kids, wrote a book on kicking, and in 1970 took over the day-to-day running of Norwood, his greatest sporting passion.

For the next 22 years Wally was the heart of the club, no surname required. When Norwood won premierships, the players rushed to embrace their mentor. When VFL clubs appointed their new CEOs, they sent them to see Wally. While Norwood grew during Wally’s time, so did the game in SA. Wally has an OAM for services to football. He also has a wide network of friends for life through football, which is what it is all about.

Games: 64 Goals: 13
Norwood service: Promotions officer 1968-69, secretary/manager/football director 1970-92, match committee/selector 1974-96
Other service: SANFL sub-committees 1970-99, as League and proxy delegate, rules, national football league investigation and future direction committees, SA Football Foundation, Adelaide Football Club director 1997-2002
Honours: Norwood Life Member, Medal of the Order of Australia, SANFL Life Member, SANFL Hall of Fame

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