AFL Teams: Cruel double blow for Sydney Swans ahead of finals

The Sydney Swans have it all to do against GWS in week one of the 2021 finals series, after two stars unfortunately failed late fitness tests.

Callum Mills will miss the Swans’ elimination final against the GWS Giants. Picture: Michael Willson / AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Sydney Swans’ premiership tilt has taken a major blow, with star players Callum Mills and Josh Kennedy unable to prove their fitness ahead of the club’s elimination final against GWS Giants.

An Achilles injury forced Mills out of the Swans’ game against the Gold Coast Suns, and sadly he will not recover in time for the bumper clash.

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Kennedy sat on the sidelines for the Suns match with a hamstring complaint and it’s continued to plague the co-captain as he misses out on the elimination final.

The Western Bulldogs opted not to roll the dice on veteran ruckman Stefan Martin, with the 34-year-old enduring an injury-riddled year with the Footscray side.

Callum Mills will miss the Swans’ elimination final against GWS. Picture: Michael Willson / AFL Photos via Getty Images

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge hinted Martin could be selected, but their match against Essendon is too soon for the former Brisbane Lions star.

For Essendon, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti is absent from the line-up yet again as the club helps him through a personal issue.

AFL FINALS WEEK 1 (All times AEST)

PORT ADELAIDE v GEELONG

Friday August 27, 7:50pm AEST at Adelaide Oval

POWER

B: R.Burton, T.McKenzie, A.Aliir

HB: M.Bergman, T.Jonas, D.Byrne-Jones

C: X.Duursma, O.Wines, D.Houston

HF: K.Amon, T.Marshall, Z.Butters

F: R.Gray, C.Dixon, C.Rozee

FOLL: S.Lycett, T.Boak, W.Drew

I/C: O.Fantasia, P.Ladhams, R.Bonner, S.Motlop

EMG: S.Powell-Pepper, S.Mayes, B.Woodcock, T.Clurey

IN: O.Fantasia

OUT: M.Georgiades (injured), S.Mayes (omitted)

CATS

B: J.Henry, L.Henderson, J.Bews

HB: M.O’Connor, M.Blicavs, T.Atkins

C: S.Menegola, M.Duncan, I.Smith

HF: S.Simpson, J.Cameron, G.Rohan

F: B.Close, T.Hawkins, G.Miers

FOLL: R.Stanley, J.Selwood, P.Dangerfield

I/C: J.Kolodjashnij, B.Parfitt, C.Guthrie, L.Dahlhaus

EMG: M.Holmes, S.Higgins, E.Ratugolea, Z.Guthrie

IN: M.Duncan

OUT: M.Holmes (omitted), S.Higgins (sub)

Stefan Martin won’t make his return for the Bulldogs against Essendon. Picture: Western Bulldogs

SYDNEY v GWS GIANTS

Saturday August 28, 3:20pm at UTAS Stadium in Launceston

SWANS

B: H.Cunningham, L.Melican, D.Rampe

HB: J.Lloyd, T.McCartin, J.McInerney

C: J.Dawson, G.Hewett, I.Heeney

HF: W.Hayward, H.McLean, E.Gulden

F: T.Papley, L.Franklin, S.Wicks

FOLL: T.Hickey, L.Parker, J.Rowbottom

I/C: C.O’Riordan, C.Warner, O.Florent, J.Bell

EMG: S.Reid, C.Sinclair, B.Campbell, R.Fox

IN: C.Warner, J.Bell

OUT: C.Mills (injured), R.Fox (sub), B.Campbell (omitted)

GIANTS

B: J.Stein, S.Taylor, I.Cumming

HB: L.Ash, N.Haynes, L.Whitfield

C: J.Kelly, S.Coniglio, H.Perryman

HF: T.Taranto, H.Himmelberg, T.Greene

F: Z.Sproule, J.Hogan, M.de Boer

FOLL: S.Mumford, J.Hopper, C.Ward

I/C: S.Reid, D.Lloyd, T.Green, C.Idun

EMG: K.Briggs, T.Bruhn, P.Davis, C.Stone

IN: S.Mumford, S.Reid, T.Green

OUT: K.Briggs, T.Bruhn (both omitted), A.Kennedy, X.O’Halloran (both injured)

MELBOURNE v BRISBANE LIONS

Saturday August 28, 7:30pm at Adelaide Oval

DEMONS

B: T.Rivers, S.May, H.Petty

HB: J.Bowey, J.Lever, C.Salem

C: A.Brayshaw, C.Petracca, E.Langdon

HF: C.Spargo, T.McDonald, J.Viney

F: A.Neal-Bullen, B.Brown, B.Fritsch

FOLL: M.Gawn, C.Oliver, K.Pickett

I/C: J.Harmes, L.Jackson, J.Smith, T.Sparrow

EMG: N.Jones, M.Hibberd, J.Melksham, J.Jordon

IN: Nil

OUT: J.Jordon (sub)

LIONS

B: D.Gardiner, H.Andrews, B.Starcevich

HB: G.Birchall, M.Adams, D.Rich

C: H.McCluggage, Z.Bailey, J.Berry

HF: L.McCarthy, D.McStay, D.Zorko

F: N.Cockatoo, J.Daniher, C.Cameron

FOLL: O.McInerney, J.Lyons, L.Neale

I/C: M.Robinson, K.Coleman, J.Prior, T.Fullarton

EMG: T.Berry, R.Mathieson, C.Ballenden, J.Payne

IN: H.Andrews, M.Robinson

OUT: C.Ah Chee, R.Lester (both injured), R.Mathieson (sub)

WESTERN BULLDOGS v ESSENDON

Sunday August 29, 3:20pm at UTAS Stadium in Launceston

BULLDOGS

B: T.Duryea, A.Keath, B.Williams

HB: C.Daniel, Z.Cordy, B.Dale

C: A.Treloar, J.Dunkley, L.Hunter

HF: L.Vandermeer, A.Naughton, B.Smith

F: T.Liberatore, T.English, C.Weightman

FOLL: Le. Young, J.Macrae, M.Bontempelli

I/C (from): J.Schache, A.Scott, J.Johannisen, R.Smith, R.Gardner, R.West, M.Hannan, E.Wood

IN: A.Scott, R.West, R.Gardner

OUT: Nil

BOMBERS

B: M.Redman, J.Laverde, T.Cutler

HB: D.Heppell, J.Ridley, N.Hind

C: A.McGrath, Z.Merrett, A.Waterman

HF: W.Snelling, A.Francis, A.Perkins

F: J.Stringer, P.Wright, D.Smith

FOLL: S.Draper, D.Parish, D.Shiel

I/C (from): J.Stewart, D.Clarke, M.Guelfi, N.Cox, S.Durham, J.Caldwell, A.Phillips, M.Gleeson

IN: J.Caldwell, A.Phillips, M.Gleeson

OUT: Nil

Originally published as AFL Teams: Cruel double blow for Sydney Swans ahead of finals