Sydney Swans Skipper Callum Mills Set to Miss Initial Matches Due to Foot Injury

Callum Mills, the captain of the Sydney Swans, will be sidelined for the club’s first three matches of the premiership season due to an injury.

Mills will miss the encounter against Hawthorn, along with matches versus Brisbane and Fremantle, after sustaining a tear in his plantar fascia, the robust tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes.

The Swans are optimistic that the talented midfielder will be ready to take on North Melbourne in round four, following a bye in round three.

“Callum had been effectively managing his plantar fasciitis, but he required further imaging which revealed that he has a tear of the plantar fascia,” said Damian Raper, the Swans’ head of physiotherapy, on Tuesday.

“After consulting with our medical team, we believe the most suitable approach is for him to spend two weeks in a boot, after which we will reassess Callum’s return-to-play strategy.”

“Regrettably, this means he will not be available before the bye in round three.”

This recent setback comes on the heels of a challenging 2024 season for Mills, who participated in only seven matches of the AFL due to injuries.

The Swans academy graduate didn’t make his appearance until round 19, having suffered a shoulder injury during a light-hearted wrestle with a teammate on Mad Monday.

Though he played towards the end of the season, he was not selected for the grand final due to a hamstring issue, leaving him to watch as the Brisbane Lions triumphed over the Swans by 60 points.