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

31

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

33

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

 

[Mick Oxlong]

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.

Feel your pain, I understand.

 

[RobbieK]

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

Of course he would. Who are 10 better players from that draft?

 

[swansfan51]

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

The most valuable players from the draft are the quality key forwards, there are several

Eric Hipwood
Harry McKay
Harrison Himmelberg
Charlie Curnow

Then the elite midfielders

Josh Dunkley
Clayton Oliver
Jacob Hopper

Then the quality key defender

Jacob Weitering

After that you have the best players in the other positions

Jade Gresham
Wayne Milera
Tom Papley
Brayden Fiorini
Callum Mills
Blake Hardwick
Jordan Dawson
Sam Menegola
Darcy Parish
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
Daniel Rioli
Tom Phillips
Darcy Tucker
Ryan Burton

 

[Dubai Quacker]

I

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

It was an odd draft - most of the top tier players were selected between 10 and 25.

Still, I’m happy to have Mills.

 

[The King!]

I’d like a lot more from Mills for a pick 3 to be honest

 

[caesar88]

I’d like a lot more from Mills for a pick 3 to be honest

Agreed but to be fair to Mills, he never even got a chance to live up to the hype. Horse ****** him over big time.

Still his second half of the year was exceptional and if that’s a sign of what is to come then we’ll have a gun on our hands.

 

[tombomb]

If Mills has a reasonable run with injury, he is going to be a 300 game player for us and probably future captain.

I am not quite sure what some people on here are expecting.

 

[caesar88]

If Mills has a reasonable run with injury, he is going to be a 300 game player for us and probably future captain.

I am not quite sure what some people on here are expecting.

I mean at the bare minimum we were probably expecting to see the guy play in the position he was drafted in. I don’t think that’s an unreasonable expectation considering we matched a bid at pick 3 for him?

 

[TheMase]

Agreed but to be fair to Mills, he never even got a chance to live up to the hype. Horse ****** him over big time.

Still his second half of the year was exceptional and if that’s a sign of what is to come then we’ll have a gun on our hands.

Hard to say he was ****ed over. He won the rising star award in his first year. He is in the leadership group at 22 and finished 5th (I think) in the B&F.

I don’t see him as an AFL midfielder. Maybe the coaches agree given the close proximity they have to view him week in, week out at training and during match sims. “Trying” him out at AFL level if he doesn’t show the required qualities in training match sims would seem a bit daft to me.

From a stats perspective It’s worth noting that he took 6.2 Marks per game (elite), 0.7 contested (elite), 2 intercept Marks (elite) and above average for one percenters, tackles, spoils, disposal efficiency, kicking efficiency and intercept possessions.

He had a contested defence loss percentage of 18.4 which was only bettered by Jordan Dawson (from half the amount of contests, Mills was around half of Rampe who was 19 for comparison).

I struggle to understand why people can’t accept that Mills may just be/become a very very good AFL level defender.

Him being selected “at pick 3” is also a bit of a nothing given we matched it with a bundle of picks further down the draft.

 

[TheMase]

I mean at the bare minimum we were probably expecting to see the guy play in the position he was drafted in. I don’t think that’s an unreasonable expectation considering we matched a bid at pick 3 for him?

I don’t really feel where he played as an underager means much, nor where he was selected (nor our expectations for that matter).

If the coaching staff who see him at training, do not feel he will offer more than those already playing midfield, but feel he can offer a fair bit in defence when those he would be displacing in the midfield would offer less elsewhere... can you really blame them?

 

[tombomb]

I mean at the bare minimum we were probably expecting to see the guy play in the position he was drafted in. I don’t think that’s an unreasonable expectation considering we matched a bid at pick 3 for him?

Why does it matter what position he played as a junior?! I couldnt care less.

WHat matters is whether or not he is a good player, and he is developing into an All Australian level versatile defender and you only need to look at Nick Haynes, Dylan Grimes, and Tom Stewart to realise how important they are to winning.

 

[caesar88]

Hard to say he was f’ed over. He won the rising star award in his first year. He is in the leadership group at 22 and finished 5th (I think) in the B&F.

I don’t see him as an AFL midfielder. Maybe the coaches agree given the close proximity they have to view him week in, week out at training and during match sims. “Trying” him out at AFL level if he doesn’t show the required qualities in training match sims would seem a bit daft to me.

From a stats perspective It’s worth noting that he took 6.2 Marks per game (elite), 0.7 contested (elite), 2 intercept Marks (elite) and above average for one percenters, tackles, spoils, disposal efficiency, kicking efficiency and intercept possessions.

He had a contested defence loss percentage of 18.4 which was only bettered by Jordan Dawson (from half the amount of contests, Mills was around half of Rampe who was 19 for comparison).

I struggle to understand why people can’t accept that Mills may just be/become a very very good AFL level defender.

Him being selected “at pick 3” is also a bit of a nothing given we matched it with a bundle of picks further down the draft.

I have accepted him as a defender. I said he had an exceptional back end of the year. But no matter how you slice it, if you draft a midfielder, and don’t even give him a chance to play as a midfielder, that’s not good coaching. Fair enough if after a dozen games he wasn’t looking up to scratch in the mids they made the switch to defence. But to write off his midfield potential before he even debuted? Please.

 

[Punts]

I mean at the bare minimum we were probably expecting to see the guy play in the position he was drafted in. I don’t think that’s an unreasonable expectation considering we matched a bid at pick 3 for him?

What did he show against the best juniors as as mid?

Nothing because he didn’t play against the best so who knows

 

[TheMase]

I have accepted him as a defender. I said he had an exceptional back end of the year. But no matter how you slice it, if you draft a midfielder, and don’t even give him a chance to play as a midfielder, that’s not good coaching. Fair enough if after a dozen games he wasn’t looking up to scratch in the mids they made the switch to defence. But to write off his midfield potential before he even debuted? Please.

Sorry mate, that bolded piece is nonsense. The coaches don’t need to play him as a midfielder for half a season at AFL level to have a fair determination of how he is likely to perform. This is not the under 12s. If he can’t beat his team mates in match sims, I don’t see how he would suddenly star against others.

Who wrote him off before he debuted? He came into a side with Kennedy, Parker, Hannebery, Mitchell, Hewett, he was never going to play midfield at the start. 2017 Rampe tripped over a chain further complicating the issue after Mitchell moved on.

 

[caesar88]

Sorry mate, that bolded piece is nonsense. The coaches don’t need to play him as a midfielder for half a season at AFL level to have a fair determination of how he is likely to perform. This is not the under 12s. If he can’t beat his team mates in match sims, I don’t see how he would suddenly star against others.

Who wrote him off before he debuted? He came into a side with Kennedy, Parker, Hannebery, Mitchell, Hewett, he was never going to play midfield at the start. 2017 Rampe tripped over a chain further complicating the issue after Mitchell moved on.

How is it nonsense? No player should be written off before they’ve even seen senior action!

 

[Punts]

How is it nonsense? No player should be written off before they’ve even seen senior action!

Look way of the pace and a headless chook against the giants to a point they had to move him back

 

[caesar88]

Look way of the pace and a headless chook against the giants to a point they had to move him back

I’m referring to his first year and first pre-season, where apparently because the 18 year old wasn’t excelling straight away his midfield credentials were written off.

 

[TheMase]

How is it nonsense? No player should be written off before they’ve even seen senior action!

I don’t even know what you’re talking about now. Prior to senior action was prior the start of the 2016 season. He wasn’t getting time in the midfield in his first year, it was just unnecessary.

Since then the coaches have had plenty of time to assess his ability as an AFL level midfielder. They get to watch him gym sessions, know his skin folds, his running capacity and most importantly watch him in match sims vs his senior midfield team mates.

Honestly, if Mills was likely to or has the capacity to become a gun midfielder, he’d be playing there. Simple as that for me.

Just doesn’t look a midfielder, and that’s fine, there are lots of other important positions where we can utilise his specific talents to their fullest.

 

[Punts]

He imo lacks awareness to be a gun midfielders

 

[tombomb]

I still dont get what the issue is with Mills being a great half back flanker.

Were Geelong people complaining for 10 years that Enright was being wasted in defence?!

Hodge sure was wasted as a defender. I mean he was pick 1! Pick 1s should be in the midfield.

Personally I think Mills is too one sided (it seems like he almost has trouble handballing left handed, let alone kicking) and more suited to defence to utilise his elite intercepting - and that is fine by me.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

What did he show against the best juniors as as mid?

Nothing because he didn’t play against the best so who knows

I reckon we’re all being a bit harsh on Mills.

Fearless, reliable and still in his early 20’s.

We wouldn’t have managed a percentage in the mid 90’s without him.

 

[TheMase]

I’m referring to his first year and first pre-season, where apparently because the 18 year old wasn’t excelling straight away his midfield credentials were written off.

Nobody has said that. You’ve created your own conclusion there.

Simply was not needed as a midfielder in year one, no space available, so they decided to start his development in another position like many have done before him (Hewett played half forward for instance).

 

[Punts]

I reckon we’re all being a bit harsh on Mills.

Fearless, reliable and still in his early 20’s.

We wouldn’t have managed a percentage in the mid 90’s without him.

I rate him as a defender mind you

 

[caesar88]

Nobody has said that. You’ve created your own conclusion there.

Simply was not needed as a midfielder in year one, no space available, so they decided to start his development in another position like many have done before him (Hewett played half forward for instance).

That’s exactly what you said. You said the coaches would’ve seen him in training sim and seen he wasn’t up to it from early on. But now it’s just that there wasn’t a spot in the midfield for him? Which one is it?

 

[caesar88]

I reckon we’re all being a bit harsh on Mills.

Fearless, reliable and still in his early 20’s.

We wouldn’t have managed a percentage in the mid 90’s without him.

No one’s questioning that. My gripe is from 2016. Old maybe but still valid.

I’ll say it again I thought Mills had a great year and his second half was exceptional. Rarely beaten one-on-one and started to play with some flair and authority on the attack (the resulting turnovers of which I can live with for now.)