Swans skipper got the news every footy player dreads just before the grand final – and now a footy great says he has nobody to blame but himself

Swans captain Callum Mills will heartbreakingly not feature in this year’s AFL Grand Final against Brisbane, despite having trained at ‘100 per cent’ in the run up to the match. 

The 27-year-old was agonisingly ruled out of the first 16 games of the 2024 season, after sustaining a freak injury during the Swan’s post-season ‘Mad Monday’ event.

Mills suffered a torn rotator cuff while wrestling with team-mate Jacob Konstanty and would not make his return from injury until round 18 against North Melbourne.

The Swans skipper subsequently went on to feature in seven games this season, but has suffered a fresh setback after sustaining a hamstring injury two weeks ago.

The injury forced him to sit out of the Swans’ preliminary final against Port Adelaide on Friday.

Mills had appeared to make a strong recovery from the strain and claimed he had ‘trained at 100 per cent’ during a session on Wednesday.

But according to Channel 7 reporter Ryan Daniels, the midfielder had been left waling out of coach John Longmire’s office ‘in tears’ upon learning he had not been selected for Saturday’s showdown. 

A statement from the club read: ‘Sydney Swans captain Callum Mills will not play in Saturday’s AFL grand final.

Sydney Swans captain Callum Mills (centre) will not feature in this year’s AFL Grand Final 

Mills had reportedly trained at ‘100 per cent’ during the Swans’ training session on Wednesday

‘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.

‘Mills initially strained his hamstring at training a fortnight ago.’

Ahead of the game, Longmire had also been impressed by Mills’ recovery, telling reporters the skipper had been ‘flat out’ during Wednesday’s training session.

The midfielder had also insisted he was fit to play in the Grand Final, stating: ‘[I] trained 100 per cent.

‘Hopefully (I’ll play). It’s over to Horse (John Longmire) now. But got through training and feel good. Just had to train hard and hopefully, that’s enough.

‘I’ve just been worried about the team and making sure we’re in the best shape to play well in a granny.’

It appears Robbie Fox is being backed to step up to the 22, with Mills now set to miss out.

It adds further woe to what’s been an injury-stricken 12 months for the Swans skipper, but according to one footy great, his injury may be a lesson to other players around the league.

Former Port Adelaide midfielder Kane Cornes said he had ‘no sympathy’ for Mills and said players needed to ensure they were in the ‘best physical condition at this time of the season.’

‘He hasn’t been in great form,’ Cornes said on Nine’s Footy Classified.

The 27-year-old was agonisingly ruled out of the first 16 games of the 2024 season, after suffering a freak injury during the Swan’s post-season ‘Mad Monday’ event

Kane Cornes told Nine’s Footy Classified that he had ‘no sympathy’ for the Swans captain

‘I think he’s really only got himself to blame. I think it’s a real lesson for other players, football is every day of the year.

‘You have to prepare yourself so that you are in the best physical position at this time of the year.

‘When he tore that rotator cuff being a clown on mad Monday – that was entirely avoidable,’ Cornes added.

‘For the captain to put himself in that position, it’s a lesson to other players.

‘He’s had no continuity with his body because he missed so much football due to that stupid incident on Mad Monday. I don’t have a lot of sympathy for him at all.’