In a significant blow to the Sydney Swans, captain Callum Mills will miss the AFL grand final due to a hamstring injury. The team decided it was too risky to have him play, despite his efforts to return to the field.
Mills, who has been battling injuries throughout the season, was sidelined during the preliminary final against Port Adelaide after suffering a minor hamstring strain in training on September 10. He aimed to prove his fitness for the final showdown against the Brisbane Lions, only 18 days after the injury occurred.
On Wednesday, Mills participated in a closed training session that was pivotal for his chances of playing. Although he reported feeling fit and claimed to have trained at “100 percent,” the Swans’ medical team and coaching staff ultimately decided to keep him out of the game. A club statement confirmed, “Sydney Swans captain Callum Mills will not play in Saturday’s AFL grand final.”
With Mills unable to compete, defender Robbie Fox is expected to retain his position on the team. This season has been particularly challenging for Mills, who has appeared in just seven games due to various injuries. He missed the first half of the season after undergoing surgery for a torn rotator cuff sustained in an off-field incident last year, and a calf injury further delayed his return.
Coach John Longmire had previously noted that Mills had trained exceptionally well but hesitated to make a final call on his inclusion. Earlier on the same day, he remarked on Mills’s readiness, only for the decision to exclude him to come just a few hours later. This situation reflects the complexity of managing player fitness; Longmire himself faced criticism for playing an injured Sam Reid in the 2022 grand final, a decision he later deemed a mistake.
In a positive development for the Swans, key forward Logan McDonald has recovered from a rolled ankle he suffered against Port Adelaide, reassuring fans of his readiness to contribute in the final. With the grand final approaching, the Swans must now regroup and strategize without their captain as they prepare to face the Lions.