Next week's potential selection calls are already pressing the public ahead of preliminary final weekend, with the latest news surrounding Sydney skipper Callum Mills drawing some attention.
Mills was devastatingly made unavailable for Friday night's prelim against the Power at the SCG, suffering a hamstring injury while training.
This followed a brutal post-season shoulder injury last year which cut out his preseason entirely had him miss majority of the 2024 season.
He has since returned and somewhat struggled to re-find his groove, with the latest concern all but rendering his season over.
Asย SEN broadcaster Sam Edmund reported Friday morning however, the captain is already nearing full fitness, apparently hitting maximum running capacity while training ahead of the penultimate match, raising speculation over his potential place in the side next week.
Callum Mills said to have trained very well at Tramway Oval this morning. Witnesses said the skipper was running at close to, if not full capacity, despite that hamstring concern. He'll be a big story next week should the Swans advance. @1116sen
— Sam Edmund (@Sammy__Edmund) September 20, 2024
Sydney must win tonight to make it a debate, but if they do, it will create yet another glaring dilemma for John Longmire and the Swans' selection committee, whose 2022 grand final heartbreak was soured further by the call to field injured veteran Sam Reid, who was unfortunately pulled from the match early en route to the 81-point trouncing.
While yet to hit form we know he's capable of since returning from his shoulder injury, Mills remains a pivotal piece for the Swans' premiership hopes.
Longmire may need to weigh up whether his skipper's leadership will be required on the field, or can still make an impact from the interchange bench in a more coach-oriented role.
Indeed, the Swans are looking no further than Ken Hinkley and his Port Adelaide Power, who have had the wood over them for close to a decade.
Shockingly the Swans are yet to beat the Power since 2016, but enter tonight's match as warm favourites and with an eye on writing the wrongs of their previous eight encounters.
It shapes as yet another riveting battle in a season littered with them, and it will kick off tonight from 7:40pm.
