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

 

[caesar88]

True captain material.

 

[WhippingCupcakes]

Massive! But the right call.

 

[Indie_]

True captain material.

Can I maybe offer a slightly controversial opinion that i) we don't know that he played any part in the decision not to play (ala Prestigiacomo in 2010), and in fact, the statement by the club suggests it was Longmire and the conditioning staff who made the call and ii) the fact that he missed more than half the season (and importantly pre-season) because he was wrestling a teammate at Mad Monday may go some way to explain why he suffered a soft tissue injury during the finals.

A fit and firing Callum Mills is one of our 10 best players. He won't be out there to help the team in what would have been the most important game of his career. Whether we win or lose this weekend, I'd hope that how he let down the team this year drives him to hold the highest standards for the rest of his career.

 

[Maddo11]

 

[caesar88]

Can I maybe offer a slightly controversial opinion that i) we don't know that he played any part in the decision not to play (ala Prestiagicomo in 2010), and in fact, the statement by the club suggests it was Longmire and the conditioning staff who made the call and ii) the fact that he missed more than half the season (and importantly pre-season) because he was wrestling a teammate at Mad Monday may go some way to explain why he suffered a soft tissue injury during the finals.

A fit and firing Callum Mills is one of our 10 best players. He won't be out there to help the team in what would have been the most important game of his career. Whether we win or lose this weekend, I'd hope that how he let down the team this year drives him to hold the highest standards for the rest of his career.

I don't think anything you said there was controversial. I'm just piecing the clues together. Mills said he felt good and trained well after the session. That leads me to believe there weren't any obvious signs of struggle or soreness. Then next thing we know he's being ruled out. Somewhere in between Mills has to have shown some potential vulnerability or cause for concern that made them reach that conclusion?

 

[Indie_]

I don't think anything you said there was controversial. I'm just piecing the clues together. Mills said he felt good and trained well after the session. That leads me to believe there weren't any obvious signs of struggle or soreness. Then next thing we know he's being ruled out. Somewhere in between Mills has to have shown some potential vulnerability or cause for concern that made them reach that conclusion?

That's one reading. I would say it's also possible the coaching staff was gun-shy after what happened with Reid and decided to err on the side of caution notwithstanding Mills having a strong training session.

 

[Kiama Chris]

I don't think anything you said there was controversial. I'm just piecing the clues together. Mills said he felt good and trained well after the session. That leads me to believe there weren't any obvious signs of struggle or soreness. Then next thing we know he's being ruled out. Somewhere in between Mills has to have shown some potential vulnerability or cause for concern that made them reach that conclusion?

I just think that despite the test the time between the injury and playing was too short to have confidence he would last the game. Correct call. Of course a fit player could pull a hamstring 5 minutes in but nothing can predict that.
Whoever (sorry) said they may have waited until everyone else was clear could well be right.

 

[the hypnotoad]

I just think that despite the test the time between the injury and playing was too short to have confidence he would last the game. Correct call. Of course a fit player could pull a hamstring 5 minutes in but nothing can predict that.
Whoever (sorry) said they may have waited until everyone else was clear could well be right.

yes ... it's really sad for mills but there must be something of a sense of relief ... for player and club (and probably fans)
in the back of his mind, mills must have known he would be forcing the club to take a risk if the call were left to him and he said "yeah, ok, i'm right to go", then broke down early in the game
so he has come through his test feeling ok today, but left the decision to the club ... which is as it should be
he can captain the premiership defence next year

 

[bloodsbigot]

I'm relieved that I don't need to hate him. Bad luck to him but it's 100% the correct call.

My confidence for a win has skyrocketed now. Longmire said no to sentiment for once. All business.

Maybe Mills will finally learn not to **** around too much in the off-season.

 

[bedford]

I'm relieved that I don't need to hate him. Bad luck to him but it's 100% the correct call.

My confidence for a win has skyrocketed now. Longmire said no to sentiment for once. All business.

Maybe Mills will finally learn not to **** around too much in the off-season.

So you hate McVeigh who was about himself and Reid !

 

[Callipygian]

Disappointing for Cal - I hope he's not too gutted and I'm confident he'll take it like a pro.

Mills is definitely in our 10 best players when fit but it just hasn't been his season. I'm comfortable with the club taking this conservative approach. Hopefully he'll have more chances to win a flag. Fox really deserves his spot and he would have been the one most likely to miss out. I hope Rampe is captain.

 

[tombomb]

Disappointing for Cal - I hope he's not too gutted and I'm confident he'll take it like a pro.

Mills is definitely in our 10 best players when fit but it just hasn't been his season. I'm comfortable with the club taking this conservative approach. Hopefully he'll have more chances to win a flag. Fox really deserves his spot and he would have been the one most likely to miss out. I hope Rampe is captain.

Hopefully it helps a bit that Mills is captain. He is basically an assistant coach now and still heavily involved.

 

[Swannie0307]

While it was probably the right call, I have close connections to Cal, so I am absolutely devastated for him and his family! … but I have no doubt he’ll be heavily involved on Saturday and show his true leadership in doing so.

Also, unlike the past, the selectors have made a strong statement that they’re not leaving anything to chance this time around.

 

[liz]

I think that while doubts lingered - and clearly they did - it's just better for the team to make this call now. It means they can all get over their disappointment now, Mills can come to terms with his not playing and travel down to Melbourne with the team tomorrow in the mindset of "how I help the team best" rather than focusing on his own chances, and whoever gets the nod to play in his place - very likely to be Fox - can prepare properly too.

He just hasn't been an important enough part of us getting to the GF this year to warrant taking any risk when we have others perfectly capable of playing in his stead.

The circumstances are a bit different to 2022, where Reid had been a crucial part of getting us to the GF. Though his long history of soft tissue injuries should have been a warning sign. It's even different to 2016, with McVeigh and Mills again, where I don't think Longmire had much confidence in the 'next man in'.

 

[The King!]

They should have just chucked him the aqua training guernsey, no words would be needed

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

I think that while doubts lingered - and clearly they did - it's just better for the team to make this call now. It means they can all get over their disappointment now, Mills can come to terms with his not playing and travel down to Melbourne with the team tomorrow in the mindset of "how I help the team best" rather than focusing on his own chances, and however gets the nod to play in his place - very likely to be Fox - can prepare properly too.

He just hasn't been an important enough part of us getting to the GF this year to warrant taking any risk when we have others perfectly capable of playing in his stead.

The circumstances are a bit different to 2022, where Reid had been a crucial part of getting us to the GF. Though his long history of soft tissue injuries should have been a warning sign. It's even different to 2016, with McVeigh and Mills again, where I don't think Longmire had much confidence in the 'next man in'.

Agree with all of this, including what was likely Horse’s perspective in 2016 - but my view what the next man in (Harry Marsh) was very serviceable and we erred by not selecting him.

Given it was Mills in 2016 who was not really ready and Harry missed out, I find it striking that in 2024 it could have been Fox playing the role of Marsh in very similar circumstances.

I think Horse has made the right call this time. I think Mills would do well to reflect on how it got to Horse having to make the tough call, and why the captain was not able to trust his teammate to get the job done (particular when said teammate contributed far more to the team’s success this year and was one of the best on ground for the Swans in the 2022 GF when very few others could hold their head up high, including Mills).

 

[liz]

I think Horse has made the right call this time. I think Mills would do well to reflect on how it got to Horse having to make the tough call, and why the captain was not able to trust his teammate to get the job done (particular when said teammate contributed far more to the team’s success this year and was one of the best on ground for the Swans in the 2022 GF when very few others could hold their head up high, including Mills).

I don't think it follows that the captain wasn't able to trust his teammate to get the job done. I'm sure that Mills absolutely trusts Fox (or Adams, or Cleary). And when his personal disappointment has waned, no doubt he'll make that clear.

All AFL players want to get their chance to play in (and moreover win, since Mills has already played in two) a GF. If they don't get that chance - whether that's Logan last year, or Adams or Mills this year, for different reasons - it's natural for them to be disappointed for themselves. At least for a while.

 

[hashdag]

I don't think it follows that the captain wasn't able to trust his teammate to get the job done. I'm sure that Mills absolutely trusts Fox (or Adams, or Cleary). And when his personal disappointment has waned, no doubt he'll make that clear.

All AFL players want to get their chance to play in (and moreover win, since Mills has already played in two) a GF. If they don't get that chance - whether that's Logan last year, or Adams or Mills this year, for different reasons - it's natural for them to be disappointed for themselves. At least for a while.

All in all I think Mills was lucky to retain the (sole) captaincy this year given he was always going to miss the first half of the season. I hope and expect he will take an afternoon to compose himself and then wholeheartedly embrace the team, bring the energy and the leadership to get this job done. He only has to look at the bloke in the No. 6 guernsey to see how being dropped for the grand final after a run of very poor form should be handled. Train hard, get on with it, commit to the club, play the team role. His 2024 finals series will always be remembered by me for delivering the kick that resulted in the mark of the century so far… and kick started the team into beating the giants.

 

[J_Moore]

i doubt Mills’ Mad Monday shoulder injury contributed much here. He’s been running for ages. He would’ve got the equivalent to a preseason into his legs, no dramas.

He’s just a bit injury prone. Couple of hammies, the calf, achilles tendinitis, the broken foot that ruined his 2018. Probably some others

 

[The King!]

28 next year is solo skipper on big money.

Accidents happen but also getting injured on mad monday sort of lends to the whole vibe of the place in the face of pressure, that it's all a bit silly and fun and doesn't define us.

He is a highly skilled player and has been good , but his career is at a crossroads. Does he want to be a solid 200 gamer who made one all australian or does he actually want to be a strong Sydney captain and one of our best? Like many his vintage - Heeney, Paps, Lloyd , Rampe maybe, he is running out of time to make the most of his peak.

He owes the club now imo and needs to be first one out there setting the tone pre season and leading us next year.

 

[Wazowski]

What's his role next year?
A bunch of people saying we need him in the guts, but then earlier in the year (maybe he was underdone) we said we needed him down back

 

[KingV23]

What's his role next year?
A bunch of people saying we need him in the guts, but then earlier in the year (maybe he was underdone) we said we needed him down back

I think we need him in the guts. The backline was probably best suited for him this season because I don't think his fitness was quite up to the level to play as a midfielder. But if he can get his fitness back, he will definitely be in the middle.

 

[The King!]

I think we need him in the guts. The backline was probably best suited for him this season because I don't think his fitness was quite up to the level to play as a midfielder. But if he can get his fitness back, he will definitely be in the middle.

Can we have one season of peak midfield Heeney with peak midfield Mills

Would be a dream

 

[sataris]

Can we have one season of peak midfield Heeney with peak midfield Mills

Would be a dream

Belted by 30 or 40?

 

[The King!]

Belted by 30 or 40?

lol might be worth a few goals between them