Gene Miles

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Gene Miles
fullname = Gene Miles
nickname = Geno, Big Unit

---

caption =
dateofbirth = 21 July, 1959
placeofbirth = Townsville
countryofbirth = Australia
height =
weight =
position = rlp|CE|SR
retired = yes
club1 = leagueicon|Wynnum-Manly|16 Wynnum-Manly
year1start = 1980
year1end = 1987
appearances1 =
tries1 =
goals1 =
fieldgoals1 =
points1 =
club2 = leagueicon|Brisbane Broncos|16 Brisbane Broncos
year2start = 1988
year2end = 1991
appearances2 = 72
tries2 = 20
goals2 = 0
fieldgoals2 = 0
points2 = 80
club3 = leagueicon|Wigan|16 Wigan Warriors
year3start = 1991
year3end = 1992
appearances3 = 29
tries3 =
goals3 =
fieldgoals3 =
points3 =
teamA = leagueicon|Queensland|16 Queensland
yearAstart = 1982
yearAend = 1989
appearancesA = 23
triesA = 4
goalsA = 6
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 35
teamB = leagueicon|Australia|16 Australia
yearBstart = 1982
yearBend = 1988
appearancesB = 14
triesB = 8
goalsB = 0
fieldgoalsB = 0
pointsB = 32
source = [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Gene_Miles.html Rugby League Project]

Gene Miles (born 29 July, 1959 in Townsville, Queensland) is an Australian former rugby league player. He was able to off-load the ball on numerous occasions and was noted for his ability to pass the ball one-handed basketball style. Initially a centre, Miles was often used as a back row forward towards the end of his career.

A product of the city of Townsville in North Queensland, where he played for Souths, Miles joined Wynnum-Manly in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership in 1980 and was playing in the State of Origin the following year.

He was one of six Queensland-based players to tour with the 1982 Kangaroos (The invincibles) to Great Britain - the others were Wally Lewis, Rohan Hancock, Mark Murray, Rod Morris and Mal Meninga. Miles couldn't break into the Test team and played against club sides and in an international against Wales. He made his Test debut the following year.

He returned to the United Kingdom four years later with the 1986 Kangaroo Tour and participated in all six Test matches, against Papua New Guinea, Great Britain and France. After the home Test against New Zealand in 1987, and also winning the BRL's Rothmans Medal that year, Miles joined the Brisbane Broncos for their maiden season in 1988, playing in their first ever match. He later switched to the forwards and soon adapted to become one of the country’s finest second rowers, playing for Australia against the Rest of The World in 1988 at the Sydney Football Stadium.

In 1989 he was part of the Queensland State of Origin team's 3-0 clean sweep of New South Wales, playing all three games in the second-row. He was chosen to tour New Zealand with the Australian squad in 1989 but was forced to pull out with a broken hand. The following year, he announced his retirement from representative football so he could concentrate on his job as captain of the fledgling Brisbane club, helping the Broncos to the play-offs for the first time in 1990.

After 72 first grade games for the Broncos, 14 Tests for Australia (including two Kangaroo tours) and 19 State of Origin matches for Queensland, Miles accepted a contract offer from Wigan, making his debut in October 1991 against Featherstone Rovers. Miles played 29 matches for Wigan as they won a treble of Championship, Challenge Cup and Premiership. Whilst at Wigan, Miles formed a formidable partnership with winger Martin Offiah.

Miles returned to Australia to pursue a media career with Channel Nine and in 2000, was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league. In 2001 Miles was appointed Chairman of Selectors for the Queensland State of Origin. He is also the Executive Director of the non-profit organisation Former Origin Greats (FOGS).

In February 2008, Miles was named in the list of Australia's "100 Greatest Players" (1908-2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. [cite news|author=Peter Cassidy |publisher="Macquarie National News"|title=Controversy reigns as NRL releases top 100 players |url=http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players |accessdate=2008-02-23|date=2008-02-23] [cite web|publisher="NRL & ARL"|title=Centenary of Rugby League - The Players |url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true |accessdate=2008-02-23|date=2008-02-23]

External links

* [http://www.rl1908.com/Legends/Gene-Miles.htm Gene Miles at rl1908.com]
*StateofOrigin player|362
*FOGS player|31
* [http://nz.leagueunlimited.com/news.php?newsid=16380 "Queensland Team of the Century named" - article at nz.leagueunlimited.com]
* [http://www.fullbottle.com/foleyshield/miles.htm Gene Miles at Foley Shield fan site]
* [http://www.fogs.com.au/index.cfm?MenuID=46 About FOGS]
* [http://www.qrl.com.au/qrl_history/qld_rep_m.php Queensland representatives at qrl.com.au]

Footnotes