The Sydney Swans have confirmed grand final heartbreak for captain Callum Mills who has been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with the Brisbane Lions despite a strong training session on Wednesday as he tried to prove he’d overcome a hamstring injury.
Mills was bullish as he left the training track and even Swan Longmire told waiting media that the skipper had trained “flat out” having missed his preliminary final win over Port Adelaide due to the injury.
But not long after the session at the SCG, the Swans released a statement confirming Mills “will not play in Saturday’s AFL Grand Final”, a game set to be played 21 days after he hurt his hamstring in the qualifying final win over the Giants.
“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 statement said.
Earlier in the morning Mills pushed himself through an intense session behind closed doors but captured by TV cameras, left the field with a smile on his face and declared himself ready to go as he left the club.
“Trained 100 per cent,” Mills told waiting media.
“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.”
Longmire had said Mills went at “110 per cent” but wasn’t willing to declare his captain would take his place.
“He trained 110 per cent which is a good sign. We’ll see how he goes,” Longmire said.
“We’ll make a call when we have to call. Most importantly we’ve got our eyes on Brisbane and the rest of the team is really important as well.”
But the session proved in vain for Mills who joins a long list of players to miss grand finals through injury.
Spearhead Logan McDonald is likely to take his place in the grand final despite rolling his ankle during the preliminary-final win over Port Adelaide last Saturday.
