[1] Milliken was born in Christchurch and educated at St Andrew's College.
[2] A forward, Milliken turned out for Christchurch club Sunnyside and was a regular in the Canterbury provincial side from 1933 to 1938.
[3] He was capped three times by the All Blacks as a lock on the 1938 tour of Australia.
[2] Milliken switched codes in 1939 and began playing for Papakura in the Auckland Rugby League competition.
[4] He was called up to the national rugby league team for the 1939 tour of Great Britain and made two tour appearances before the trip was abandoned due to the war.