‘Put the team first’: Swans rally around shattered skipper Callum Mills

Callum Mills had no say in Sydney’s decision to leave him out of their team for Saturday’s AFL grand final, and his teammates were also held in suspense until the moment the heartbreaking call was made, Swans assistant coach Dean Cox says.

Mills cut a forlorn figure on Thursday as the Swans boarded a chartered flight to Melbourne ahead of their clash with the Brisbane Lions, having had his hopes of featuring at the MCG dashed the day before due to his injured hamstring.

Callum Mills on arrival in Sydney on Thursday.Credit: Phil Hillyard

The 27-year-old trained fully on Wednesday and told reporters he felt like he had reached “100 per cent” fitness after Sydney’s main training run of the week – only for coach John Longmire, his assistants and the club’s medical team to reach the joint decision to rule him out less than two hours later.

Mills was reportedly left in tears after being informed of his fate, and will instead watch the match from either the bench or the coach’s box, likely acting as an auxiliary member of Longmire’s coaching staff as he has done for most of the season.

“Just what he’s done all year, and that’s lead it the best way he possibly can without being on the field,” Cox said when asked what Mills’ role would be on grand final day. “He’s been admired from certainly the players and all staff at the football club for what he’s done through some tough times, and this is just another one he’ll deal with.”

It has been a forgettable 2024 for Mills, who was named Sydney’s sole captain but restricted to just seven games due to the shoulder injury he sustained while wrestling a teammate on Mad Monday last year, and then a calf strain which further delayed his expected comeback. When he did play, Mills was far below his peak output due to an obvious lack of match conditioning.

Tough calls: Swans coach John Longmire and Callum Mills.Credit: Phil Hillyard / Sydney Swans

He hurt his hamstring in the days following the Swans’ qualifying final win over the Giants and was ultimately considered too big a risk of re-injury had he been selected for the grand final, Cox said.

With forward Logan McDonald cleared to play after rolling his ankle last weekend, it means there will be no repeat for the Swans of the horror show that surrounded Sam Reid in the 2022 grand final. He was picked despite carrying an adductor injury, a decision Longmire conceded they got badly wrong after being smashed by Geelong.

“You’ve just got to play everything on its merits,” Cox said. “Sam was a little bit different to Callum this time, so we made the decision what was best for the footy club for this grand final, and for Callum as well.

“One thing that he’s [Mills] always done, ever since he’s been involved in the football club, is put the team first. His approach, certainly throughout the year and the last couple of days, has been unbelievable through a really tough time.

“Callum got through what was asked for him of the training session, and then the decision between the medical staff and coaching staff as well – we sat down for a period of time and spoke through everything. The decision was the one that we made, and then Callum was informed of that.

“All the way through the process [the other players] had no idea, even until the last minute. Then we informed the playing group, like we do with all the decisions that we make – and from there it’s about focus on Brisbane, which is what we have to do.”

Meanwhile, Cox again ruled out any prospect of him potentially leaving the Swans at the end of the season to become Adam Simpson’s replacement as West Coast Eagles coach.

“I thought I’ve done that a few times,” he said – and indeed he has, but despite his previous comments, some Perth-based media figures seem to be holding out hope that he changes his tune once the Swans’ campaign is done.

But that won’t be happening.

“I’m staying in Sydney, and that won’t change,” he said. “John’s one of the best coaches, his record’s impeccable. What he does and how he handles the club and the playing group, he’s first class, so I’m continually learning every day off John and I’ll continue to do so.”