AFL Grand Final: ‘Always a risk’ to pick Callum Mills, says Swans assistant

A Sydney assistant coach has lifted the curtain on the discussions which ended the Grand Final dream of captain Callum Mills.

Callum Mills, Dane Rampe and the Sydney Swans arrive into Melbourne on September 26, 2024 ahead of the AFL Grand Final this week against the Brisbane Lions at the MCG. Photo by Phil Hillyard (Image Supplied for Editorial Use only – **NO ON SALES** – ©Phil Hillyard )

Sydney assistant coach Dean Cox has denied the selection of an underdone Sam Reid in the 2022 grand final had any influence over the decision to leave Callum Mills out of this year’s decider.

Cox said the Sydney captain would still lead in the “best way he possibly can” when the Swans face Brisbane after coaches and medical staff ruled out his return from a hamstring injury on Wednesday.

The senior assistant confirmed that Mills had ticked all the boxes he was asked to in Wednesday’s training session, but said “there was always a risk” with backing him to get through the Grand Final.

“It’s been a tough period for Callum. I think one thing that he’s always done ever since he’s been involved in the football club is put the team first,” Cox said after the Swans arrived in Melbourne on Thursday.

Callum Mills (left) behind likely acting captain Dane Rampe (right) at Sydney Airport on Thursday after he was ruled out of Saturday’s AFL Grand Final. Picture: Phil Hillyard

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

“There was always a risk with the time frame, so the training session was a certain amount of that, and the game loads were a lot different.”

Cox said the decision to pick Sam Reid in the 2022 grand final as he nursed an adductor injury, which backfired in the Swans’ heavy defeat to Geelong, had not carried any weight in the meeting over Mills’ selection.

“You’ve just got to play everything on its merits – Sam was a little bit different to Callum this time,” he said.

“We made the decision on what was best for the footy club for this grand final, and for Callum as well.

“They were unsure about that, I think all the way through the process they had no idea, even until the last minute.”

Brodie Grundy and Darcy Fort have battled against each other only twice previously ahead of Saturday’s Grand Final, with Grundy getting the better of his then Geelong opponent in round 7, 2020. Picture: Paul Kane / Getty Images

He said key forward Logan McDonald was “ready to go” for Saturday after recovering from a rolled ankle which led to him being subbed out of the preliminary final.

The former West Coast premiership ruckman said he and Swans star Brodie Grundy would not underestimate Brisbane tall Darcy Fort, who was set to play only his third senior game this season in place of the injured Oscar McInerney.

Grundy went head-to-head with Fort when their previous clubs Collingwood and Geelong met in round 7, 2020, with their only meeting since Fort’s move to Brisbane in round 5, 2022, when he played alongside McInerney.

“I think a lot of people certainly look at that (match up) but what Darcy’s done for a number of years on an AFL list … I’ve looked really heavily at him,” Cox said.

“He’s really dominated (in the VFL), but he played round 3, round 7 against the Giants … and did really well in both of those games, so we’re preparing on that.

“Brodie’s aware of the mindset that he needs to go in with, and hopefully it all goes to plan.”

Originally published as AFL Grand Final: ‘Always a risk’ to pick Callum Mills, says Swans assistant