The 2023 season was one of growth for the Adelaide Football Club. 

From a pair of Showdown victories to opening Gather Round in style, the campaign was filled with memorable moments.

Across the next few months we will look back on the 2023 season by hearing from the players who helped define it.

Welcome to AFC Media’s Reflections series. 

The electric play of running defender Wayne Milera was a sight for sore eyes for Crows fans in 2023. 

Renowned for his ability to evade tackles and break the lines with devastating effect, injury had plagued the talented 25-year-old in the lead-up this campaign, limiting him to just 14 matches from his past three seasons. 

Knowing full-well how devastating Milera could be at his best, the big question coming into 2023 was would he be able to re-discover that form and be a crucial cog in this Crow side. 

Fast-forward 24 weeks, and the answer is a resounding yes. 

Featuring in a career-high 22 matches, Milera averaged 19.7 disposals, 4.4 marks and 316.7 metres gained per game, to become one of Adelaide’s most consistent contributors. 

Speaking to AFC Media as part of its Reflections series, he said continuity was the key to his strong form over the course of the season. 

“Personally, I feel like it's been a good year and I’ve been a lot more consistent,” Milera said. 

“The most important thing for me coming into the year was getting my body right, and I feel I was able to do that which resulted in me playing some of the best footy of my career. 

“That continuity in my body just came from the fact I completed the whole pre-season, I put a lot of work into getting right for the season, and for that to pay off has been very satisfying.” 

Having spent much of the early part of his career shifting into different roles all over the ground, Milera decided to take a more settled approach to his footy in 2023. 

That resulted in him playing purely as a defender, with the role something he said had brought “new life” to his career.

“I spoke to Nicksy and Burnsy at the back end of last year and said I’d like to be settled into one position to get that confidence back and they were more than happy to do that,” Milera said.

“Playing in defence is something I’ve always found comfortable and the group we’ve got back there has made things very easy for me.

“I feel the permanent move to defence has brought new life to my career, I’ve just loved it.”

That permanent shift to the defence also brought about the formation of a dynamic partnership with Mitch Hinge across the half-back line.

He explained how an extended period in rehab together back in 2021 laid the foundation for what has become a thriving on-field partnership.

“Hingey has been awesome for me, we spent a bit of time in rehab together in 2021 and built a bond then that has carried through to now,” Milera said.

“We do have a bit of a connection out there on the field, and I think we complement each other well on the half back flanks. 

“But it’s not just Hingey, the entire defensive unit has come together really well this year and I think we feed off each other which will put us in great stead moving forward.” 

But while a settled role paved the way for a career-best season, what helped Milera take his game to the next level was his athleticism and evasiveness.

Producing a plethora of highlight plays over the course of the season, he said that aspect of his game was built on having confidence in his body.

“It’s been good getting a bit of power and speed back into my game,” Milera said. 

“I don’t mean to do it (speaking on his evasiveness), it’s just something that comes naturally and something I love doing out on the field.

“When I was playing last year the knee probably wasn’t quite right and I wasn’t fully confident, so I think my evasiveness this year has been a product of my body being fully right.”

While this season was a success for the 25-year-old, he is well aware that the challenge now is to better this campaign in 2024. 

He highlighted which areas he would be focusing on over the pre-season. 

“There is definitely still room for improvement to build on this season,” Milera said. 

“It all starts with getting a bit fitter again, building that aerobic base over the summer and getting stronger in the gym.

“And the other one is working on my defensive craft, that's a key RFI for me and an area which will help me take my game to the next level.”