AFL grand final 2024: Swans face selection dilemma over captain Callum Mills as Lions ponder Oscar McInerney replacement

Callum Mills trained fully at the SCG on Monday, but there’s a bit more of a cloud over a Swans forward. See all the pics, plus the latest on the Swans’ injuries.

Callum Mills and Logan McDonald both hit the track for the Swans on Monday as they ramp up their preparations to be fit for Saturday’s grand final.

Mills was seen running and participating in the majority of drills, having no problem kicking and changing direction.

While it wasn’t at the same level as a match simulation, the Sydney captain progressed through the session well and was in good spirits throughout.

“Cal actually trained fully today,” Chad Warner said at the Swans’ Brownlow Medal function at the SCG. “And Logan did a bit too.”

“They’ll be put through the ringer on Wednesday and see if they’re good to go. Cal’s definitely putting his best foot forward and he did pretty well today so we’re all hoping, and hoping Logan gets up, we’d love that.

“Any team having their captain back would be an amazing morale boost. Obviously the games we’ve played with him this year show how much of a leap he’s taken going into the backline. Like I said before, I can’t wait if he gets in.”

Wednesday is set to be the key factor for Mills and looms as the Swans’ main training session of the week. If he gets through unscathed, John Longmire will have a difficult choice to make about whether to take the risk of playing his skipper.

McDonald attended training on Monday but was in a side group focusing on very light drills. The key forward didn’t have his boots, opting to remain in trainers as he looks to overcome an ankle issue that saw him subbed out of the preliminary final against Port Adelaide.

Other key players such as Isaac Heeney and Tom Papley only had a light session before returning early to Swans HQ to focus on recovery.

Robbie Fox would be the likely man to drop out of the side should Mills be available. Taylor Adams and Caiden Cleary are set to compete for the sub position should McDonald also be ruled out, with Fox moving into the 22.

BRISBANE PONDERING SHOCK REPLACEMENT FOR BIG O

Could Brisbane pull the trigger on a four-gamer to face off against Sydney’s superstar ruck Brodie Grundie in next Saturday’s AFL grand final?

The Lions’ incredible preliminary final comeback victory over Geelong on Saturday night was soured by the double-dislocated shoulder injury to Oscar McInerney, who battled bravely for a quarter and change before being subbed out.

Key forward Joe Daniher deputised in the ruck and played a stellar cameo to help lead the Lions over the line against the Cats. But there is no chance Chris Fagan returns to Melbourne next week without a recognised ruckman on his team sheet.

Darcy Fort battled with Mason Cox at the Gabba in Round 3. Fort hasn’t played at AFL level since Round 7. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Images of McInerney being wheeled into an ambulance in the bowels of the MCG inspired little confidence the ‘Big O’ would be fit to face the Swans in the season decider.

“When your big fella goes down it can rock you a little bit and structurally it’s hard to overcome,” defender Brandon Starcevich said after the match.

“For him to go back out there, it gave the boys a lift and was incredible but we’re obviously pretty shattered for him.

“Joe (Daniher) had to play a lot of time in the ruck and did an outstanding job in his absence.”

Fagan later all-but ruled McInerney out of grand final calculations.

“I reckon when you’ve double-dislocated your shoulder in a preliminary final, you’re not going to be playing in the grand final,” he said.

Should that prove true, it will become a two-horse race to fill his boots.

Veteran Darcy Fort looms as the obvious replacement given he was the listed emergency on Saturday night.

Could Chris Fagan and Brisbane pull the trigger on youngster Henry Smith for the biggest game of the year? Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

But the 31 year old has not featured at AFL level since round 7 – the 57-point thrashing from GWS in Canberra – and only played twice this season, both defeats.

His only finals experience is the 2022 semi-final win over Melbourne.

The left-field option is four-gamer Henry Smith, who came into the forward line late in the season when Eric Hipwood was out injured and spelled McInerney in the ruck, leaving Daniher to play almost exclusively inside 50.

The Lions won three of the four games with Smith in the line-up.

Asked whether Fort was the obvious choice if McInerney was forced to miss, Hipwood indicated the decision would not be so black and white.

“We’ve got plenty of good rucks,” he said post-match.

“Henry Smith has had a really good couple of games this year, he could do the job. There’s Darcy Fort – and Joe, who was able to prove he can play that role tonight.

“There’s plenty of options there but I’m glad I’m not in the decision making group for that one.”

FAGAN RULES RUCKMAN OUT AFTER HORROR INJUY

Brisbane has effectively ruled Oscar McInerney out of the Grand Final after the Lions ruckman twice dislocated his shoulder in the 10-point preliminary final win over Geelong.

Lions coach Chris Fagan said losing their No. 1 ruckman would be a “real pity” as he suggested he would choose to replace him “conservatively” with a specialist ruckman.

Emergency Darcy Fort, who has not played a senior game since round 7, or 206cm four-gamer Henry Smith were the two candidates named by Fagan who could take on Sydney star Brodie Grundy on Saturday.

Oscar McInerney tried playing on despite a serious shoulder injury in the first term. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

“I reckon when you’ve double-dislocated your shoulder in a preliminary final, you’re not going to be playing in the Grand Final, which is a real pity, because he’s just been so enormous to us,” Fagan said about McInerney, who was subbed out following the second dislocation in the third term.

“It’s just such a real pity … it will give someone else an opportunity, someone like a Darcy Fort or a Henry Smith. We’ve got players ready to come in … but (McInerney) means so much to us, he keeps it pretty simple, ‘O’, but he’s a much loved character at our football club.”

EVERY PLAYER RATED: See the player ratings from Brisbane’s win over Geelong

Fagan said McInerney had played on through the pain of the initial injury because he believed he could push his case for the decider by getting through the game.

“That’s him – he’s full of heart, and he’s a bloke that just gives himself to the team. It’ll be a downer for us that he can’t play in the Grand Final, but I know the boys will probably find a way to use that as a dedication (to him) as well,” the coach said.

“I think (the second dislocation) is a signal that there’s a bit of laxity in the ligaments around the shoulder, and that’ll put him out for next week.”

Brisbane players and staff had boarded their bus back to Melbourne Airport less than an hour after the final siren, as Fagan said they were likely to travel south again on Wednesday – a day earlier than when they arrived ahead of last year’s grand final.

Oscar McInerney being helped from the field in the first quarter. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

Arriving earlier would give Brisbane two training sessions in Melbourne ahead of the game, but Fagan said it was likely they would need to find a training venue somewhere else for the main Thursday session before a captain’s run at the MCG on Friday.

The coach said Lachie Neale was likely to have the same preparation as last week with only one training session prior to the Grand Final.

“I’m feeling very proud of our group, not just for the resilience that they showed tonight, but for the resilience that they’ve shown throughout the year,” Fagan said.

“We were in a pretty dicey situation at the halfway mark of the season with four wins, six losses and a draw – the way those boys have gone about it and just stuck to their guns, they got a reward tonight.

“If you had said to me at the halfway mark of the season we’re going to be playing in a grand final at the end of the year, I probably would’ve said, ‘you’re crazy’, but here we are.”

Originally published as AFL grand final 2024: Swans face selection dilemma over captain Callum Mills as Lions ponder Oscar McInerney replacement