It didn't take much to convince Will Miller to return and work on the family farm at Berry after he retired from playing Super Rugby at the end of the 2020-21 season.
Lacing up the boots and playing for his boyhood club Shoalhaven just four-months later was an added bonus.
As was getting the opportunity to play alongside his younger brother George at the Shoals - the same club where their father John played more than 300 games in the 1980s and 1990s.
But history shows the icing on the cake for Miller came when the Shoalhaven player-coach led shoals to victory in the 2022 Illawarra District Rugby Union grand final.
Achieving that feat alongside his brother and some of his best mates ranked the victory as one of Miller's all-time career highs.
That's saying a lot considering the 30-year-old Miller helped the ACT Brumbies end their 16-year Super Rugby title drought in 2020-21.
Miller has also enjoyed spells with Super Rugby outfits the NSW Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Mercury, Miller talks about his rugby journey to date and the incredible ride he is enjoying with his all-conquering Shoals.
How his rugby journey started?
"My dad used to play for Shoalhaven and as a kid I'd go out and watch him play," he said.
"The thing is there were probably a large group of guys playing a bit of first grade and second grade at the moment, who were also there watching their dads play.
"There was always the Watts out on the field, the Dunn's, Maddinson's Brandon's, there was a lot names that are part of our group now.
"I guess our dads all played together as well and we are following in their footsteps so to speak.
"So that's sort of how we all got started at the club. Just being out there and mucking around together. I think I started playing when I was maybe five or six for an under nine's Shoalhaven team
"I think they were trying to get a team together for that age group for the first time and they were short of numbers and asked if I'd be keen to have a run.
"Of course I was. That's how I started playing."
Miller found his love of the game just grew the more he played.
"I've always really enjoyed it.I love playing rugby and being involved in club rugby especially," he said.
"I never really played any rep stuff until I was about 16 and I made Country under 16s.
"I always really enjoyed that but knew club rugby was your main priority and rep footy was a bonus if you're good enough.
"This philosophy was good for me as it helped me to still be passionate about club, even if I was playing higher up honours or whatever.
"I really enjoy trying to give back. I think the game needs to be strong in country and city areas to be strong throughout the country."
Boarding school
Miller conceded his rugby improved when he went to boarding school at Scott's College in Sydney.
"While there I was lucky enough to play for the Australian Schoolboys at the Sevens tournament at the Youth Commonwealth Games in Isle of Man in 2011 when I was 18," he said.
"At the back of that year I played my first Sevens tournament with the Aussie Sevens team."
Miller then played for Norths in the Sydney Rugby competition for about 10 years.
In 2016 Norths won the competition and then in 2017 Miller and Norths team-mate Hugh Sinclair joined a injury-hit Rebels outfit.
"It was an injury contract and I think I played about seven or eight games for the Rebels and from that the following year I got offered a contract from the Waratahs," he said.
"I was there for two years and then I went to the Brumbies for a couple more years.
"I think I played 50 games all up during my Super Rugby career."
Coming back to play for Shoalhaven was a pretty easy decision for Miller.
"When I first came back I sort of wanted to give an experience to players that I got in Sydney, which was winning the competition and at the Brumbies with the Super Rugby AU competition," he said.
"It's something that is pretty special to me.
"I think being able to help others be a part of that, and to see how much other people around it enjoy that as well, and the mates that you become in an experience like that, makes it easily worthwhile.
"I feel that if we can make our club as strong as possible, other clubs are going to be keen to beat us.
"So they're going to be lifting their game as well and it'll only make the competition stronger.
"It might seem like us and Avondale are a little bit dominant, but I think over the next few years other clubs will probably take our spots as the dominant club, but hopefully we can stay at the same level and lift the level of the competition."
Miller said he was enjoying working on the family dairy farm with his brother George.
He was also thankful to his now wife Savanagh Miller for all her support, especially during his time playing in Sydney.
"There were probably two or three years where I travelled for training and stuff and she'd always drive me up on a Saturday and let me sleep and help me out as much as possible with everything outside of footy to allow me to do that. Without her I probably wouldn't have been able to."
Miller added winning a Shute Shield Premiership with Norths and a Super Rugby title with Brumbies were career highlights, as was winning a Illawarra rugby title with Shoalhaven.
He has also enjoyed the opportunity to play with younger brother George and all his mates.
"It's been really good playing with George and with childhood good mates that I grew up playing with but hadn't had the chance to play with in the last 10-15 years. It's been great to have some success on the field with them as well."
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
