Player Watch #14 Callum Mills (c)

[Kennedy Parker]

Callum Mills

Callum Mills

14

Callum Mills

Age

28

Ht

188cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.6

4star

MG

287.0

4star

D

18.4

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

6.9

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

3.4

4star

MG

293.4

4star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.6

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.8

5star

MG

284.4

5star

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

33

Ht

183cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

M/F

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

35

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

28

Ht

188cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.6

4star

MG

287.0

4star

D

18.4

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

6.9

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

3.4

4star

MG

293.4

4star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.6

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.8

5star

MG

284.4

5star

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

 

[Punts]

wow champion gets thrown around

 

[Punts]

Adam Goodes , Paul Kelly , Lockett even creswell is more of a champion

 

[rustycrate]

wow champion gets thrown around

Yep.
And plenty try to put them down.
Including you.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

As much as I’d love it, not convinced Mills body is up to being an inside bull / extractor. Give it a crack for sure but if it doesn’t work, he’s great down back.

Well said Jack, love your work

 

[dosser]

Well said Jack, love your work

Thanks Angus Taylor

 

[ErrolisGoldun]

Yep.
And plenty try to put them down.
Including you.

I am with you Rusty, some of our support aren’t able to see the value Mills brings.

This is only a minor hamstring, misses a few weeks into Xmas break.Not the end of the world!!

Let’s see how Mills goes in preseason after Xmas and most importantly round 1 and the actual season.

Agreed he needs to play a lot more games, if he does, we will have a much improved season.

Wonder how many saying he is not a champion would say the same for Brett Kirk?

 

[bedford]

I am with you Rusty, some of our support aren’t able to see the value Mills brings.

This is only a minor hamstring, misses a few weeks into Xmas break.Not the end of the world!!

Let’s see how Mills goes in preseason after Xmas and most importantly round 1 and the actual season.

Agreed he needs to play a lot more games, if he does, we will have a much improved season.

Wonder how many saying he is not a champion would say the same for Brett Kirk?

Well posted , exactly how i feel

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

I have mixed views on Mills being captain but you don’t remove it for a 4 week injury.

If he struggles come back from this, then I think conversations need to be had - at the very least for Mills’ wellbeing and recovery.

I am sure nobody is more frustrated in Mills’ injuries that Mills himself, and also no one putting on more pressure to get back as captain.

Less pressure might be secret ingredient (but as I said, too soon to be jumping to conclusions).

 

[The Blue Max]

One thing we have missed is Mills’ hardness - he never shirks a contest - IF he can get on the field.

I think he was missed in the last GF.

 

[Millky95]

One thing we have missed is Mills’ hardness - he never shirks a contest - IF he can get on the field.

I think he was missed in the last GF.

Glad he used that hardness in 2022

 

[bedford]

The thing i get with Millsy is that he's really not a lovable leader , very respected by all , but not like a Kelly , Round , Kirk type of captain , more the McVeigh type and please this is not knocking him or macca

 

[kelpie_X]

We'd save ourselves so much stress if we just skipped to the part where he gets injured and misses half the season.

Prayers answered

 

[The Blue Max]

Glad he used that hardness in 2022

Well, he was one of very few that hit the scoreboard

 

[ErrolisGoldun]

The thing i get with Millsy is that he's really not a lovable leader , very respected by all , but not like a Kelly , Round , Kirk type of captain , more the McVeigh type and please this is not knocking him or macca

A couple of years ago Errol did a podcast, forget which one but he gave tremendous insight into why Mills is respected by the playing group.

My main take away was that Mills was relentless about driving high standards for the playing group and led by example. Which is mostly what you want from the skipper.

Mills is a hard nosed, no nonsense captain, not flashy or a media favourite.

Its worth remembering that it’s not a prerequisite for the best player to be the clubs captain.

Tom Harley, Ling, Kirk and Maxwell are all great examples of successful captains who are similar to Mills (outside looking in) solid but not spectacular players, who brought the best out of the team.

 

[rustycrate]

A couple of years ago Errol did a podcast, forget which one but he gave tremendous insight into why Mills is respected by the playing group.

My main take away was that Mills was relentless about driving high standards for the playing group and led by example. Which is mostly what you want from the skipper.

Mills is a hard nosed, no nonsense captain, not flashy or a media favourite.

Its worth remembering that it’s not a prerequisite for the best player to be the clubs captain.

Tom Harley, Ling, Kirk and Maxwell are all great examples of successful captains who are similar to Mills (outside looking in) solid but not spectacular players, who brought the best out of the team.

Could not agree more.
This is the sort of captain I want.
Sydney need to be harder more relentless. When you get an opponent down. Bury them. Humilate them on the scoreboard.
We are not there yet.
But we have a captain that has those standards.

 

[zyzzbruh]

I am with you Rusty, some of our support aren’t able to see the value Mills brings.

This is only a minor hamstring, misses a few weeks into Xmas break.Not the end of the world!!

Let’s see how Mills goes in preseason after Xmas and most importantly round 1 and the actual season.

Agreed he needs to play a lot more games, if he does, we will have a much improved season.

Wonder how many saying he is not a champion would say the same for Brett Kirk?

It kinda is the end of the world for him though. It's yet another off season where even if good to go round 1, he won't be optimally prepared. 4 weeks off prior to Christmas meaning his pre season starts mid Jan, is a major set back - the boys will be doing some heavy work the next 3 weeks.

 

[crankygeese]

If Mills was fully fit and playing 20 games a season, I think he'd be a great solo captain, but he hasn't been that player for a few years now, and with this missed block coming up, if he has any more interruptions in preseason, I think we have to take the captaincy off him so he can just focus on his own body and get himself right. He's only got a few peak years left, and we've already lost a good chunk of them.

He'd still be great in the leadership group, but if this continues, he needs time and space to get himself right. Can't captain from the sidelines.

 

[ErrolisGoldun]

It kinda is the end of the world for him though. It's yet another off season where even if good to go round 1, he won't be optimally prepared. 4 weeks off prior to Christmas meaning his pre season starts mid Jan, is a major set back - the boys will be doing some heavy work the next 3 weeks.

Time will tell but it’s minor compared to the other more impactful injuries of last 2yrs.

Yes agreed, this will be a big 3 weeks but he is also a seasoned player, he won’t be missing those weeks as much as a younger developing player, eg Sheldrick or younger.

Let’s see how the rest of pre-season goes and then round 0/1.

The season will determine his legacy for mine, it’s too early to jump to conclusions but remember it was only start of 2024 that Heeney started to deliver on his considerable talent.

Prior to that, he was copping abuse for his salary vs output, now he is on unders!! It can change pretty quick and Mills has delivered mostly over the last decade, apart from last two years with a bad run of injury.

 

[bedford]

A couple of years ago Errol did a podcast, forget which one but he gave tremendous insight into why Mills is respected by the playing group.

My main take away was that Mills was relentless about driving high standards for the playing group and led by example. Which is mostly what you want from the skipper.

Mills is a hard nosed, no nonsense captain, not flashy or a media favourite.

Its worth remembering that it’s not a prerequisite for the best player to be the clubs captain.

Tom Harley, Ling, Kirk and Maxwell are all great examples of successful captains who are similar to Mills (outside looking in) solid but not spectacular players, who brought the best out of the team.

Harley was not a Swan , Kirk was loved as was MaxFIELD , nothing like Mills

 

[ErrolisGoldun]

Harley was not a Swan , Kirk was loved as was MaxFIELD , nothing like Mills

Harley, Maxwell, Ling were Premiership captains for other teams that are in the same mould as Mills. They weren’t the teams best player but were their teams best leader.

Same for Brett Kirk for us, Kirky started as an unfashionable tagger, who grew in confidence game on game, year on year until he was a super two way midfielder and an inspiration to the team. Co-captained 2005 Premiership and I agree Stuart Maxfield was the skipper who helped lay the foundations for our success in the 2000’s.

 

[bedford]

Harley, Maxwell, Ling were Premiership captains for other teams that are in the same mould as Mills. They weren’t the teams best player but were their teams best leader.

Same for Brett Kirk for us, Kirky started as an unfashionable tagger, who grew in confidence game on game, year on year until he was a super two way midfielder and an inspiration to the team. Co-captained 2005 Premiership and I agree Stuart Maxfield was the skipper who helped lay the foundations for our success in the 2000’s.

Im talking about Swans , no one else

 

[Tedeski]

I am with you Rusty, some of our support aren’t able to see the value Mills brings.

This is only a minor hamstring, misses a few weeks into Xmas break.Not the end of the world!!

Let’s see how Mills goes in preseason after Xmas and most importantly round 1 and the actual season.

Agreed he needs to play a lot more games, if he does, we will have a much improved season.

Wonder how many saying he is not a champion would say the same for Brett Kirk?

Not even on the same level.
Brett Kirk is a far, far greater player than Mills will ever be.

Kirk got every little ounce out of his career.
Mills the exact opposite, forfeiting many career games through off season stupidity.

 

[rustycrate]

Not even on the same level.
Brett Kirk is a far, far greater player than Mills will ever be.

Kirk got every little ounce out of his career.
Mills the exact opposite, forfeiting many career games threw off season stupidity.

Mills is Mills. He is always up for a challenge.
Yes he had an arm wrestle with another player and got injured.
He also stupidly jumped off the top bunk of his bed as a kid and broke/fracured his leg or something and hid it from his parents for a few days.
Is he a timid person. No. Is he careful to the extent that he does not venture outside his comfort zone. No.

Mills takes on a challenge. He accepts the risks.
I don't want a careful fearful captain.
I want a relentless fearless captain to take on every challenge.

 

[Jewelsbon]

If Mills was fully fit and playing 20 games a season, I think he'd be a great solo captain, but he hasn't been that player for a few years now, and with this missed block coming up, if he has any more interruptions in preseason, I think we have to take the captaincy off him so he can just focus on his own body and get himself right. He's only got a few peak years left, and we've already lost a good chunk of them.

He'd still be great in the leadership group, but if this continues, he needs time and space to get himself right. Can't captain from the sidelines.

Yep, this is exactly how I feel about the whole Mills situation.

Whilst I don't think he's the "champion" many on here are calling him, when he's fully fit he's a terrific player that would be a walk up start in any team in the comp - but it's been a fair while now since we saw that version.
He's obviously a leader the boys look up to, but if he's not on the park, it's pretty hard to look to him for guidance! Errol has played 100 games now and has had five years in the system, make he and Mills co-captains.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

If Mills was fully fit and playing 20 games a season, I think he'd be a great solo captain, but he hasn't been that player for a few years now, and with this missed block coming up, if he has any more interruptions in preseason, I think we have to take the captaincy off him so he can just focus on his own body and get himself right. He's only got a few peak years left, and we've already lost a good chunk of them.

He'd still be great in the leadership group, but if this continues, he needs time and space to get himself right. Can't captain from the sidelines.

He actually did just this for the first half of the 2024 season