Mick Milliner (centre, standing) as manager of the 1983 Queensland Residents side. The coach is John Lang
Mick Milliner devoted his life to rugby league, in particular the Wests Panthers’ club in Brisbane where he won a Brisbane First Grade Premiership in 1954. Mick represented Queensland Schools (in weight divisions) three years in a row from 1946, playing against New South Wales Schools, captaining Queensland in 1947.
He made his first grade debut with Wests as an 18-year-old in 1953 and was named Most Improved Player at season’s end.
The following year Wests, captained by Team of the Century prop, Duncan Hall, won what would prove to be the club’s last Premiership for 21 years. Milliner did not play in the Grand Final win over Brothers, with injuries and National Service ruining his chances of a start.
Mick took up coaching in the 1970s and guided the Brisbane under-12 side to a State title, as well as having great success with representative under-17 and under-18 sides.
He became an administrator in the 1990s and represented Wests as a director on the Brisbane Rugby League Board when Wests won back-to-back premierships in 1992-93 with the likes of Tony Currie, Brad Thorn, Adrian Lam, Rob ‘Bertie’ Campbell and Steele Retchless in a line-up coached by former Brisbane representative prop, Gary Grienke.
Mick also managed representative sides, his first assignment with the Brisbane Capitols side, which won the 1992 State League under the coaching of Paul Vautin and included the likes of Jason Hetherington, Craig Grauf and Paul Fisher. Milliner also managed the 1993 Queensland Residents side coached by Johnny Lang, a team which included the likes of Grauf, Fisher, Glen Haggath and Grant Young.
Lang said he was saddened to hear of Mick’s passing.
“Mick did a great job as manager, and I enjoyed his company,” Lang said. “He loved talking about football and we got along famously.”
In 1995 Milliner was Suncorp Stadium Ground Manager for State of Origin matches and Internationals, and earned high praise from host broadcasters, Channel 9 for his expertise, efficiency and warmth.
An electrician with Queensland Newspapers, Mick was a fine lawn bowler, and played at the Ithaca Club, next to the Broncos’ training fields. It was from Ithaca State School that the Ashgrove raised Milliner was chosen for Queensland Schools teams.
He and his wife, Pam had three children – Debra, Karen and Michael – with Michael representing the Australian under-18 rugby league side in 1981. Karen, now a freelance journalist, had a long career in the media including stints as a reporter and/or producer with the likes of The Courier-Mail, Channel 7, Channel 9 and SBS Television. She also acted as a media officer for a number of private and government organisations.
Mick Milliner was 90 when he passed away in November, 2025, at Caloundra, where he lived in retirement.
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