Callum Mills Biography

Sydney coach John Longmire says Callum Mills understands why the tough call had to be made on his non-selection for the 2024 Grand Final due to a hamstring injury.

Despite the captain getting through training this week, Longmire and the club's medical staff ruled Mills out of the game, leaving the 27-year-old tearful and disappointed, and his emotional teammate Dane Rampe "shattered".

"When we sort of weighed it all up and the risks going into a game like this, it just seemed to outweigh and go against Callum in that moment, even though he trained well," Longmire said.

"You sit down as a group with your medical and conditioning staff and you go through everything, and you talk about it and then you've got to deliver the message.

"It's tough, because Callum's a great person and a great leader of our footy club. But he also understands that decisions need to be made and then jobs need to be done after that.

"We had that discussion as a group, made the decision as a group, and then we get on with things."

Despite a valiant attempt to prove his fitness, Callum Mills is ruled out of the Swans' side to take on the Brisbane Lions in the 2024 Grand Final.

Callum Mills will miss the Swans' upcoming preliminary final after sustaining a hamstring injury at training.

Callum Mills will lead Sydney as sole captain in 2024, having shared the captaincy with veterans Luke Parker and Dane Rampe since 2022.

Callum Mills fronts the media to address the 'Mad Monday' incident that may sideline him for the first half of the 2024 season and potentially impact his position as captain.

"I want to firstly show my remorse and apologise to the club, my coaches, the board, my teammates and especially the Swans supporters. I made a bad mistake, put myself at risk and I take full responsibility," he said.

"I'm obviously extremely disappointed and this is not a reflection of the captain I aspire to be and I'm gutted that this will put the start of my season at risk.

"One thing I do want to assure people is that I'm doing everything I possibly can to get back as soon as possible."

Callum Mills undergoes surgery after suffering a shoulder injury at a post-season event, leaving his pre-season in tatters.

“Callum is our captain and an important member of the squad. We are extremely disappointed this injury has occurred. Callum is equally disappointed, as you can imagine, but he is recovering well and will get to work on his rehabilitation immediately,” Swans football manager Charlie Gardiner said.

Callum Mills, Dane Rampe and Luke Parker will co-captain Sydney again in 2023.

"Luke, Dane and Callum set a great example not only in the way they consistently prepare and perform at an elite level, but the way they invest in our football club more broadly," Sydney footy manager Charlie Gardiner said.

"They support and complement one another extremely well, and the model has worked for us over the past couple of years."

Callum Mills caps a sensational 2022 campaign by being named Sydney's best and fairest winner.

The 25-year-old, who was also awarded his first All-Australian blazer this year, won the count ahead of young midfielders Chad Warner and James Rowbottom.

Callum Mills signs a contract extension for the next six years, a deal which will see him at Sydney until at least the end of 2029.

"Footy is about people and the relationships you form along the way, and I love the football club and the people in it," Mills said.

"With the group that we've got – everyone from the players to the coaches and staff – we are building something special and I’m proud to be able to help drive that."

Sydney name three co-captains for season 2022. Josh Kennedy has stepped down as co-captain with Callum Mills to take his place alongside Luke Parker and Dane Rampe.

"Josh approached me mid-way through last season and said, 'Millsy’s ready'. To identify that, foster it, and then make a selfless decision, sums up the sort of person Josh is. I know he will continue to be an important mentor," Sydney coach John Longmire said of Kennedy's decision to step down.

Callum Mills is thriving to start the 2021 season after a move into the Swans' midfield.

"I had the confidence that I could do it, but I've also had great coaches and great leaders to follow," Mills said.

"[There are] subtle craft things that I'm really keen to keep improving on: body work around stoppages, reaction time when the ball is around you all the time. It's a bit different to defence."

The Swans are grooming Callum Mills, who has played in defence for most of his career, to play as a midfielder in 2021.

"It's never been about whether Callum can play midfield, we know he can play midfield and be very good at it, it's just we have been looking at setting up that defence," Sydney coach John Longmire said.

"Two years ago, we trained him in our midfield. Then we lost Heath Grundy, Jarrad McVeigh and Nick Smith all at once, so we had to put him back. We've been rebuilding our defence to a large degree and a lot of experience has left our back six, so he's been part of that."

Callum Mills, who has spent most of his career as a defender, impresses after being thrown in the midfield with 12 possessions in the second half against the Bulldogs.

"He's a very good defender and he could be a very good midfielder, but when you're looking at the balance of the team, (you've) got to replace him with a player you know can do the same thing in that previous role," Sydney coach John Longmire said.

"That's always the challenge. It's not about what we think he can do in the midfield. We think he can be a pretty good player in our midfield. We've always thought that."

Lance Franklin is the new face in Sydney's player-voted leadership group for 2020, joining co-captains Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Dane Rampe, as well as young gun Callum Mills.

The Swans have slashed the group from eight players to five, with retired pair Jarrad McVeigh and Nick Smith, Isaac Heeney and Tom Papley no longer involved.

Tom Bugg says he will keep playing with a strong physical edge at Carlton.

Bugg has endured a lean 18 months, playing just three AFL games after he was suspended for six weeks for his crude hit on Sydney's Callum Mills in June 2017.

"I met with Brendon Bolton and Stephen Silvagni and they really instilled in me that they believe in me," Bugg said.

"They want me to be myself, so I'm excited with the fresh start. There's a lot of energy in the young guys and some strong leadership, which I've seen in the last two weeks."

Callum Mills will miss the rest of 2018 after an accident after breaking his foot walking from a cafe.

"He was walking back from the café at Sydney Football Stadium here this afternoon after training, tripped and fell and broke his foot," Sydney coach John Longmire said.

"It's a really unfortunate accident and unfortunately he has an operation on Monday and he will be out for the rest of the year.

"It's a bad break and something out of the blue and something really disappointing for him and us."

Tomas Bugg speaks out about the toll taken by his devastating punch on Sydney's Callum Mills, and how he is working hard to change people's views about his character.

Bugg was handed a six-week suspension for knocking Mills out in an off-the-ball incident when the two teams met in round 15 this season.

"I wasn't actually looking at him when I hit him. I heard the umpire's whistle, he was running over, then I looked down and saw Callum on the ground," Bugg wrote in a column for playersvoice.com.au.

"Callum actually muttered something to me on his way down, I'm pretty sure it was, 'f*** you'.

"From that point my whole body kind of dropped. It was such a strange experience, like I was watching it unfold from off the field.

"All the Sydney players came at me and were ripping my jumper, throwing me around. I didn't fight back at all, didn't push back, I just let myself get thrown around. I'd usually push back if someone goes at me, but I didn't. I just let it happen.

"I was nowhere for the rest of the game. I kept replaying the incident over and over in my head all night. It’s the longest game I've ever played."

Tom Bugg has been suspended for six matches for his strike on Callum Mills after pleading guilty at the Tribunal.

"I want to apologise to Callum Mills, his family, the Sydney Swans, the AFL and the wider community," Bugg said after the hearing at AFL House.

"I'm standing here tonight very embarrassed by my actions. I fully accept the sanction that's been served.

"I'm feeling very embarrassed and going forward I've got a lot of work to do to earn back the respect of my captains, my fellow players and my coaches."

Tom Bugg is sent straight to the Tribunal for striking Sydney defender Callum Mills after the Match Review Panel graded his punch as intentional conduct with high impact to the head.

Tom Papley slams Tom Bugg's hit on Sydney teammate Callum Mills.

"It was a pretty dog act," Papley said.

"That's not how we go about it, it's not what the League's about. If you want to be tough, you be tough at the contest, not 80 metres off the ball."

An embarrassed Tom Bugg says he is ready to take responsibility for his strike that left Sydney's Callum Mills concussed in Melbourne's loss on Friday night.

Bugg was reported minutes into his side's 35-point defeat to the resurgent Swans at the MCG, when he struck Mills with his left hand.

Mills was immediately floored and helped from the field before failing the club's concussion test and playing no further part in the game.

"I saw the footage and it does look really bad. I'm a bit embarrassed, my genuine intent – it looks really bad – but it wasn't to hurt Callum," Bugg told Channel Seven after the loss.

"It was disappointing he couldn't take part in the rest of the game, and going forward I hope he's OK.

"I went and tried to speak to him after the game but I could understand he didn't want to speak to me too much. I just hope for him and his family that he gets better and he can play next week."

Sydney's elite leaders have been stung by criticism over their scarce support for young teammate Callum Mills and have vowed to never let it happen again.

Mills was physically and verbally targeted during Sydney's loss to Carlton at the MCG, and the Swans have been heavily scrutinised for what was seen as a lack of protection and care for the young defender.

"That shouldn't happen to a second-year player who has played less than 50 games and we were disappointed with it, but we'll make sure that it never happens again," Parker said.

"We need to make sure, especially with a young bloke like that, that he's taken care of."

Callum Mills extends his contract with Sydney, signing for a further five years to remain at the club until the end of 2023.

"It was a really easy decision, the club put so much time and effort into me as a 13-year-old boy in the academy," he said.

"Then to walk into the club a year ago it's seriously exciting, it's a great time to be part of it, and I love everything this footy club is about.

"We've got a bright future that’s for sure, there's a lot of great kids coming through, and I can't wait to repay the club with a lot of hard work, and hopefully some premierships."

Sydney coach John Longmire says Callum Mills has been training with the midfield group this pre-season.

"We've trained him a fair bit more in the midfield, knowing he can still go mid-half back," Longmire said.

"We think we have got some variety and options to go through that part of the ground."

Callum Mills is ruled out of the Swans' semi final against Adelaide due to a low-grade hamstring strain.

Callum Mills wins the NAB AFL Rising Star award, becoming the first academy player from any club to take out the title.

He is also the first New South Wales-born player to win the Ron Evans Medal, which he received in a presentation at Crown Palladium.

Mills used to play rugby union but began playing AFL when he was 13, with one aspect in particular drawing him to the sport.

"The 360 dimension of the game, it's so different every game. It's exciting, it's fast and there's so many more skills that you can use," Mills said upon taking out the award

"In rugby, I used to kick the ball too much so my coach used to get angry, so I thought AFL was the game for me."

Mills has become known for his courage and seemingly has no issues running back with the flight of the ball.

"It seems reckless at the time but when you're on the field and you see how much support they (teammates) give you, it's quite easy to listen to what they say and do it," Mills said.

Swans co-captain Kieran Jack says Callum Mills has been a standout amongst the 2016 crop of rising stars.

"I haven't seen a kid have an impact like he has in his first year," Jack said about Mills.

"He's not just ticking a box each week either, he's been consistently among our better players, and it's been pretty special what he's done.

"He naturally reads the play really well, which is what he probably learned from playing in the midfield as a junior.

"But at half-back it all happens in front of you, and given he's such a smart player, it suits him really well."

Callum Mills earns the NAB AFL Rising Star nomination for round 16.

Mills, the first top-10 draft pick taken from metropolitan Sydney, has fitted seamlessly into the Swans' back six in 2016, averaging 18 disposals from 14 games.

Mills identified the Swans' academy as the key reason in him choosing to play AFL rather than rugby union.

"The academy persuades you to play football and it gives you a pathway to play at the highest level," Mills, whose family members were avid rugby union followers, said.

"That was the major factor for me."

The Sydney Swans secure Callum Mills until the end of the 2018 season.

Mills has made a seamless transition to AFL football this season after the Swans matched Melbourne's bid of pick No.3 in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft.

Mills debuted in round one against Collingwood and has not missed a game.

Playing predominantly across half-back, he has averaged 17 possessions, 3.3 rebound 50s and one contested mark a game in the first six rounds.

Callum Mills makes his AFL debut for Sydney at Stadium Australia with 18 disposals (9 kicks and 9 handballs), 2 marks and 2 tackles in an 80-point win over Collingwood.

Sydney have ramped up expectations on highly rated midfielder and No.3 draft pick Callum Mills by handing him the coveted no.14 jumper.

It is the most famous jumper at the club, having been worn by Brownlow medallists Bob Skilton and Paul Kelly.

Mills came out of the club's academy and the Swans had to use several draft picks to secure him after Melbourne made an early bid for the promising midfielder in last month's NAB AFL National Draft.

"It's a massive honour to wear such a huge number at the club," Mills told The Daily Telegraph.

"I'm looking forward to ­making it my own."

Sydney select Callum Mills with pick No.3 in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft.

"We're really pleased to be able to get Callum, we rate him so highly," Sydney recruiting manager Kinnear Beatson said.

"The footy that he played for our reserves team in the NEAFL has been terrific. We think he's an elite talent and has really strong leadership potential."

Mills has etched his name in the history books as the first player to attract a bid on under the AFL's new bidding system.

Melbourne offered up its No.3 pick, but the Swans were quick to match, using their No. 33, 36, 37 and 43 picks to move up the order and ensure Mills would wear the red and white in 2016.