AFL Hall of Fame inductee Terry Wallace can’t understand why certain clubs weren’t prepared to offer Richmond midfielder Anthony Miles a multi-year contract.
Miles has struggled to crack into Damien Hardwick’s best 22, and ultimately missed out on featuring in the clubs drought-breaking premiership last year, but still opted to re-sign for a further year despite being on the periphery.
The former AFL coach is convinced the out-of-favour Tiger would have left Punt Road at the end of last season if a rival club had put forward a deal that bettered the one he was given by Richmond.
“This is what I can’t understand about Anthony Miles,” Wallace told SEN Afternoons.
“My opinion of Anthony Miles is he would have left last year if somebody had given him a two-year contract.
“But for one-year he went: ‘well why would I leave here when I can stay for one more year and go and try and get that Grand Final spot, and hopefully the door opens up for me.’
“Why wouldn’t have an Essendon, who miss strong bodied midfielders, and he’s not the biggest bloke of all time but he plays hard, and why wouldn’t have the Gold Coast have offered him a two-year deal to be able to get him across there.
“Go back to their two finals losses: North Melbourne and over at Port Adelaide – Anthony Miles stood up in big games, he actually stood up in the finals games.
“What you should be looking at is not his VFL form, but what he’s actually able to do at AFL level in finals when it counted.”
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The 26-year-old’s dominant form at VFL level could finally be rewarded this week with reports suggesting he could replace Dustin Martin for Richmond’s clash against Port Adelaide on Friday night at the Adelaide Oval.
Miles collected 43-disposals, eight clearances and booted three goals in his most recent VFL outing, and is still waiting to make his first senior apperance in 2018.
Listen to Terry Wallace's chat on SEN Afternoons with Andy Maher in the player below