Swans skipper Mills puts hand up for grand final return
Sydney captain Callum Mills says he trained at “100 per cent” intensity after his hamstring injury and insists his AFL grand final fate now lies with coach John Longmire.
Mills missed the Swans’ preliminary final win over Port Adelaide after suffering a minor hamstring strain at training on Tuesday, September 10.
He is attempting to prove his fitness to face Brisbane in Saturday’s decider, just 18 days after sustaining the injury.
Wednesday’s closed main training session had shaped as D-day for Mills, who had been challenged to train fully and put himself in contention.
“Good mate. Trained 100 per cent; feels good,” Mills told reporters after training.
Asked if he would play, Mills said: “Hopefully. It’s over to Horse (Longmire) now, but got through training and felt good.”
Mills said he wouldn’t be lobbying Longmire for a start.
“Nah, just had to train hard and hopefully that’s enough,” he said.
Mills has played just seven games in an injury-marred campaign.
The 27-year-old was ruled out of the first half of the season after tearing the rotator cuff in his left shoulder in a Mad Monday mishap last year, before a calf injury delayed his return further.
Mills insisted he didn’t know when Sydney, who have to name their team on Thursday, would make a call on whether he would play in the decider.
He didn’t receive a thorough endorsement from his coach, as Longmire instead indicated he was yet to make a decision on whether to recall the skipper.
“Not yet,” Longmire said.
“He trained 110 per cent, which was good.
“We’ll make a call when we make a call. Most importantly, we’ve got our eyes on Brisbane and the rest of the team is really important as well.”He’s trained flat out. Once again, we looked at not only him but everyone else in the team – and Brisbane, importantly, as well.”
Mills was picked for the 2016 grand final loss to the Western Bulldogs after overcoming a hamstring injury suffered in the first week of that year’s finals.
Longmire knows better than most how risking an injured player can pay off or backfire.
He lamented playing the injured Sam Reid in the 2022 decider as a “mistake”, after the severely hindered big man struggled then had to be substituted out soon after halftime in the embarrassing loss to Geelong.
But in 2012, Ted Richards was picked off an ankle injury and successfully quelled Lance Franklin to help the Swans to victory.
There are no concerns over key forward Logan McDonald, who has overcome the rolled ankle suffered against Port Adelaide.
“Nah, he was good,” Longmire said.
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