Player Watch #14 Callum Mills (c)

[Kennedy Parker]

Callum Mills

Callum Mills

14

Callum Mills

Age

27

Ht

188cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

D

18.4

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

6.9

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

3.4

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.6

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

1.2

4star

is one of the best young players in the AFL. The QBE Sydney Swans Academy graduate won the 2016 AFL Rising Star award and was selected in the AFL Players’ Association’s 22Under22 team in three of his four eligible years. Mills is a small defender with uncompromising courage who’s also capable of shifting through the midfield. The New South Welshman was elevated to Sydney’s leadership group during the 2018 pre-season at the age of just 21, and he’s now a member of a five-man leadership panel alongside co-captains Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker

26

Luke Parker

Age

32

Ht

183cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.2

5star

K

12.6

5star

HB

11.6

5star

M

3.8

4star

T

5.6

5star

CL

5.8

5star

D

22.1

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

9.9

5star

M

3.9

4star

T

5.0

5star

CL

5.5

5star

D

21.2

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

8.0

5star

CL

5.2

5star

and Dane Rampe

24

Dane Rampe

Age

34

Ht

187cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.0

4star

K

10.6

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

4.9

5star

T

2.5

4star

MG

358.8

5star

D

14.1

3star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.1

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

284.5

4star

D

10.6

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.4

4star

, as well as Lance Franklin.

Callum Mills

14

Callum Mills

Age

27

Ht

188cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

D

18.4

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

6.9

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

3.4

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.6

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

1.2

4star

DOB: 02 April 1997
DEBUT: 2016
DRAFT: #3, 2015 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: North Shore (NSW)

Callum Mills | AFL

Follow Callum Mills's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[TheMase]

No idea how any of us would know what John had planned for Mills this year, do you have any info? Tried him there for a couple of pre season games for a bit. What about 2017, injured last year.

Rampe fence incident happened in 2017, didn’t it?

 

[The King!]

to be fair to mills half back, he is a good intercept mark and not afraid of going back with the flight etc

also I remember an interview with Malcolm Blight re the crows , he wanted every mid to start at and learn half back so they were more versatile and then if you got to a grand final and struggled in the middle he had another option.

also Hodge, Mcleod etc played off the backline a lot

but then again id like to see it tried more often

 

[Kapanis]

Rampe fence incident happened in 2017, didn’t it?

Sure but mills doesnt replace rampe and he wasnt out for the whole year

 

[Kummerspeck]

pure speculation of course as I havent spoken to Horse about it.

You don't need to talk to him, he's been very open with his reasoning.

“We would like to have Callum playing midfield if we can, that is the aim, and we have been thinking about that for the last couple of years,” Longmire said on SEN Radio.

“He has just been so good as a defender, last year he trained a bit with the midfield, but he just does the job so well as a defender.

“We would like to think that Thurlow and a few others can fill that hole for us this year which would allow Callum to go into that midfield role a bit more regularly.”

The 2016 Rising Star has been impressive in match practice at training throughout the pre-season.

“He has been playing midfield/forward a bit and doing that so well,” Longmire said.

“We know he has great talent and can go in there with Heeney, Hewett and some other young midfielders in that group which we think gives us a great point of difference.

“We hope it works out that way, but we know that he can play half back and be elite at that.”
___

"Jackson Thurlow and Colin O'Riordan, those guys hopefully can allow Callum Mills to go into the midfield a bit more," Longmire told AAP.
___

Longmire explained Heeney played primarily up front be was carrying a sore ankle into the game, while Mills stayed on the halfback line to help cover the loss of injured key defender Heath Grundy.

 

[Kapanis]

You don't need to talk to him, he's been very open with his reasoning.

“We would like to have Callum playing midfield if we can, that is the aim, and we have been thinking about that for the last couple of years,” Longmire said on SEN Radio.
“He has just been so good as a defender, last year he trained a bit with the midfield, but he just does the job so well as a defender.
“We would like to think that Thurlow and a few others can fill that hole for us this year which would allow Callum to go into that midfield role a bit more regularly.”
The 2016 Rising Star has been impressive in match practice at training throughout the pre-season.
“He has been playing midfield/forward a bit and doing that so well,” Longmire said.
“We know he has great talent and can go in there with Heeney, Hewett and some other young midfielders in that group which we think gives us a great point of difference.
“We hope it works out that way, but we know that he can play half back and be elite at that.”
___
"Jackson Thurlow and Colin O'Riordan, those guys hopefully can allow Callum Mills to go into the midfield a bit more," Longmire told AAP.
___
Longmire explained Heeney played primarily up front be was carrying a sore ankle into the game, while Mills stayed on the halfback line to help cover the loss of injured key defender Heath Grundy.

Good stuff K, always appreciate someone who backs up their argument, respect to that. It seems from some of those quotes Longmire doesn't have faith in Thurlow and COR this year doing a Mills job. Still can't fathom 2017 TBH. Seems John changes his mind a bit, a plan a, b even c after all.

 

[Kummerspeck]

Good stuff K, always appreciate someone who backs up their argument, respect to that. It seems from some of those quotes Longmire doesn't have faith in Thurlow and COR this year doing a Mills job. Still can't fathom 2017 TBH. Seems John changes his mind a bit, a plan a, b even c after all.

I think had we landed Moore or Langdon we'd have seen more of Mills in the middle. Hopefully the defensive stocks get bolstered some way some how by next year.

 

[BloodySwan]

I think had we landed Moore or Langdon we'd have seen more of Mills in the middle. Hopefully the defensive stocks get bolstered some way some how by next year.

Signing Cutler could be the fix to release Mills but at this rate I feel he'll always be a defender

 

[Caj]

The puzzling thing about the no midfield for Mills issue is that he's nothing more than an average defender.

He's a good mark and clean when handling the ball, but poor when he's isolated deep one on one (which opposition coaches do regularly).
He's not big enough for a key position, and too slow to handle a zippy forward
His disposal is OK but not great meaning that he plays it pretty safe when getting the ball out of the backline, thus he creates very little going forward.
If you were to rank general defenders in the league, he'd be lucky to slot in the top 50

Yet despite all of this Longmire believes its essential that he stays back there

I know this sounds like I'm potting Mills and I don't mean to, but I think he's a better player than what he has shown and is simply not being utilised to get the best out of his talent

 

[TheMase]

I think Mills one on one has improved heaps this year. I had a bit of a look at the numbers.

Our best (first one a bit of a surprise).

Defensive one on one loss %.

Dawson 10%
Rampe 18%
Mills 19.2%
Aliir 23.7%
Lloyd 31.6%
Melican 31.8%
O’Riordan 45.5%

 

[Blacky]

Dawson is a Jet.

Mills has shown improvement, but I still don’t see an A Grade mid when I watch him play.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Dawson is a Jet.

Mills has shown improvement, but I still don’t see an A Grade mid when I watch him play.

At this stage I'd be happy if he became a B Grade mid. Itcwull not happen though. I am worried Dawson will be locked into backline.

 

[TheMase]

Dawson is a Jet.

Mills has shown improvement, but I still don’t see an A Grade mid when I watch him play.

I personally think it is a case similar to this.

I think he will be an “average” mid (which is not bad per se). Therefore he won’t necessarily improve us in that area, certainly no more than others we have available. However, his loss to our current defensive setup would weaken it, as there isn’t a better replacement.

Therefore, he has been kept in defence as that is the current best outcome for the team.

 

[SGBeach]

I think Mills one on one has improved heaps this year. I had a bit of a look at the numbers.

Our best (first one a bit of a surprise).

Defensive one on one loss %.

Dawson 10%
Rampe 18%
Mills 19.2%
Aliir 23.7%
Lloyd 31.6%
Melican 31.8%
O’Riordan 45.5%

Interesting numbers.
Rampe plays on the best forward (tall or small) so his numbers maybe don't reflect just how good he is.
I hope Dawson doesn't get locked down in defence. I would prefer to see him on the wing, delivering the ball inside 50, dropping back as a spare in defence, kicking goals from 50 out.
O'Riordan is improving and having a go.
Melican is the worry for me

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Interesting numbers.
Rampe plays on the best forward (tall or small) so his numbers maybe don't reflect just how good he is.
I hope Dawson doesn't get locked down in defence. I would prefer to see him on the wing, delivering the ball inside 50, dropping back as a spare in defence, kicking goals from 50 out.
O'Riordan is improving and having a go.
Melican is the worry for me

Spot on, esp re playing Dawson on a wing or in the guts. Mills K still thinking worth a crack. If he reaches a Duncan standard, Id be delighted and it would improve us no end.

 

[Bonz]

Spot on, esp re playing Dawson on a wing or in the guts. Mills K still thinking worth a crack. If he reaches a Duncan standard, Id be delighted and it would improve us no end.

Mills and Duncan are polar opposites in types of players.

Mills was a pure inside midfielder growing up, Duncan is a midfielder who uses endurance and running ability to move away from stoppages.

 

[SGBeach]

Spot on, esp re playing Dawson on a wing or in the guts. Mills K still thinking worth a crack. If he reaches a Duncan standard, Id be delighted and it would improve us no end.

Yep agree.. Id like to see Mills in the mids. Maybe its a matter of..
1 - Trading or developing more guys for half back
2 - Surrounding him with the right players in the midfield.
Hes a talent. Keen to see just how far he can go

 

[The King!]

would mills even go top 10 if you redid the 2015 draft?

 

[Olian]

would mills even go top 10 if you redid the 2015 draft?

Have a look at the top 10 from that year. He’s still top 3.

 

[The King!]

Have a look at the top 10 from that year. He’s still top 3.

i just was for another reason


think he would struggle to be top 10 if you rank them

2015 AFL draft - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Mick Oxlong]

would mills even go top 10 if you redid the 2015 draft?

Great question, scanned it and imo, would possibly round out. Dunkley at 25 was the winner!

 

[The King!]

Great question, scanned it and imo, would possibly round out. Dunkley at 25 was the winner!

agree

dawson is looking ****ing awesome in the 50s

quite a few good players late in the draft

 

[Mick Oxlong]

agree

dawson is looking ******* awesome in the 50s

quite a few good players late in the draft

Ryan Clarke...looks the type

Edit: I actually don’t mind Clarke (I’m one of the few), good depth player.

 

[mtooler]

would mills even go top 10 if you redid the 2015 draft?

Not sure, he's an average player.

 

[Mick Oxlong]

Not sure, he's an average player.

Really Tools? I got the feeling you were a fan. I certainly don’t think he’s average but I certainly think he’s done well in his unnatural position. Swans want a midfield bull...he’s at HBF.

 

[mtooler]

Really Tools? I got the feeling you were a fan. I certainly don’t think he’s average but I certainly think he’s done well in his unnatural position. Swans want a midfield bull...he’s at HBF.

Yeah, I'm starting to give up on him ever being permitted to be a midfielder and just accept he'll be an average HBF now. Too frustrating holding out hope, last time he played mids was as a 17 year old from memory, although he sat out much of the year. Feel sorry for the kid that hes been stuck under Longmire, wrecked his career and development.