Sydney Captain Callum Mills Ruled Out of AFL Grand Final Due to Injury

Sydney Swans captain Callum Mills has been ruled out of the 2024 Toyota AFL Grand Final. Despite completing a fitness test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Wednesday morning, the club decided not to field him for the match against the Brisbane Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Saturday. “Mills trained this morning and after taking everything into consideration, a joint decision was made by the club’s medical staff and the coaches to rule him out,” the club announced in a statement.

Mills suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the team’s preliminary final victory over Port Adelaide. Although he intensified his training regime over the past week, the decision ultimately favored caution. The 27-year-old missed much of the 2024 season due to a series of injuries, including major shoulder surgery in September 2023 and a subsequent calf injury in April.

Despite his absence, the versatile Robbie Fox is expected to maintain his position in the lineup. Moreover, forward Logan McDonald, who was previously subbed out due to an ankle concern, has been cleared to play against Chris Fagan‘s Brisbane Lions.

Coach John Longmire, reflecting on previous experiences, noted the importance of ensuring players are fully fit for critical matches. “You always learn and one of those things is to train at 100 percent, get through training and train flat out,” Longmire reminisced about past decisions, including the one involving Sam Reid in 2022, who was injured during a preliminary final and subsequently struggled in the Grand Final.

Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan is celebrating his first win of the week after being named Coach of the Year at the AFL Coaches Association Awards. Under his leadership, the Lions have reached consecutive Grand Finals, solidifying his reputation in the AFL community.