Wayne Milera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wayne Milera |
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Milera in June 2019
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Wayne Milera | ||
| Date of birth | 14 September 1997 | ||
| Original team | Central District (SANFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 11, 2015 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 2016, Adelaide v. North Melbourne, at Etihad Stadium |
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| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Adelaide | ||
| Number | 30 | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Wayne Milera (born 14 September 1997) is a professional Australian rules football player. He plays for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). The Adelaide team chose him with pick 11 in the 2015 national draft.
Wayne Milera's Early Life
Wayne Milera comes from the Gunditjmara and Narangga Indigenous groups. He grew up in Adelaide, South Australia. He started playing junior football with the Ingle Farm Football Club.
Before joining the AFL, Milera played for Central District in the SANFL. He played 11 senior games for them, including two finals. He also played all six games for South Australia in the Under 18 National Championships.
During this time, doctors found that Wayne had a heart condition called Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome. He had heart surgery to fix it. Just one week later, he played a semi-final game. He kicked 3 goals, helping his team win!
Wayne Milera's AFL Journey
Wayne Milera played his first AFL game in 2016. It was in Round 1 against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium. After playing four games, he got an injury. He missed the next three games. He came back in Round 8. In Round 9, he kicked three goals.
In 2017, after a great game against Fremantle, Wayne was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award. This award is for the best young players in the league. Even though he played in 24 games over his first two seasons, he didn't play in any of his club's five finals matches.
In the 2018 season, Wayne started playing in a new position. He moved to the half-back line. This happened when another player, Brodie Smith, was injured. In one game against Gold Coast, Wayne had a career-high 33 disposals (touches of the ball).
In 2020, Wayne signed a new contract. It means he will stay with the Adelaide Crows until at least the end of 2025. Sadly, his 2020 season ended early because of a foot injury. He needed surgery. He also missed the entire 2021 season. This was due to a knee injury he got during a pre-season game.
The 2023 season was Wayne's best year yet. He averaged 19.7 disposals per game. The Crows almost made it to the finals that year.
Before the 2024 season, Wayne was voted into the team's leadership group. This shows how much his teammates trust him. However, in Round 3 of 2024, he got another knee injury. It was the same type of injury he had in 2021. This meant he had to miss the rest of the season. He was just one game away from playing his 100th AFL game.
Personal Life
Wayne Milera got married to his long-term partner, Nina, in 2023. They have a son together.
Wayne also became an important ambassador. He joined Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera from St Kilda. They became the first-ever First Nations Education Ambassadors for the AFL Players Association. This role helps educate others about Indigenous culture.
