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Sydney Swans star Callum Mills to miss AFL elimination final against GWS Giants with injury

Shayne HopeAAP
Achilles soreness has ruled Callum Mills out of Sydney's AFL elimination final against GWS.
Camera IconAchilles soreness has ruled Callum Mills out of Sydney's AFL elimination final against GWS. Credit: AAP

Sydney have suffered a huge double blow ahead of Saturday’s AFL elimination final against GWS, with gun duo Callum Mills and Josh Kennedy ruled out of the high-stakes derby clash.

Star midfielder Mills is unavailable because of achilles soreness, while co-captain Kennedy will miss a second successive week with a hamstring injury.

Inexperienced duo Chad Warner and James Bell have been named for their first taste of finals action.

The UTAS Stadium clash is the third finals meeting between the two NSW clubs, with GWS ahead 2-0 on the ledger.

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The Giants have called captain Stephen Coniglio back in the starting 22 along with rested ruckman Shane Mumford, Tom Green and Sam Reid.

The Game AFL 2024

Coniglio will bolster the Giants’ midfield in just his second starting appearance since round three and first in six weeks, having returned from a nagging toe complaint as the substitute in a win over Carlton last week.

The Giants have lost Xavier O’Halloran (calf) and Adam Kennedy (hamstring) to injuries.

Port Adelaide have named star goalsneak Orazio Fantasia for Friday night’s qualifying final against a Geelong side bolstered by the inclusion of gun midfielder Mitch Duncan.

Hamstring tightness caused Fantasia to miss the win over the Western Bulldogs in round 23, which saw the Power finish second and lock in a home final at Adelaide Oval.

The fleet-footed former Essendon forward returns as a direct replacement for impressive young marking target Mitch Georgiades (hamstring soreness).

One star who could not be considered for an otherwise healthy Geelong was dashing defender Zach Tuohy (hamstring).

But Duncan has been cleared to return from a knee injury that had threatened to end his season prematurely.

Minor premiers Melbourne will go into Saturday night’s qualifying final unchanged against Brisbane, who have received a double-boost in their bid to book passage to a preliminary final.

Key defender Harris Andrews (hamstring) and Mitch Robinson (calf) have both overcome injuries to take their places in the Lions side at Adelaide Oval.

On Sunday, Essendon will be without excitement machine Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti in their elimination final against the Western Bulldogs at UTAS Stadium.

McDonald-Tipungwuti will miss a third consecutive match as he deals with a personal issue.

The Bombers and Bulldogs have named extended squads that will be trimmed on Friday.

FULL TEAMS

Port Adelaide v Geelong

Friday, Adelaide Oval, 5.50pm

TV: 7MATE

POWER

B: R Burton T McKenzie A Aliir

HB: M Bergman T Jonas D Byrne-Jones

C: X Duursma O Wines D Houston

HF: K Amon T Marshall Z Butters

F: R Gray C Dixon C Rozee

FOLL: S Lycett T Boak W Drew

I/C: O Fantasia P Ladhams R Bonner S Motlop

EMG: S Powell-Pepper S Mayes B Woodcock T Clurey

IN: O Fantasia

OUT: M Georgiades (injured) S Mayes (omitted)

CATS

B: J Henry L Henderson J Bews

HB: M O’Connor M Blicavs T Atkins

C: S Menegola M Duncan I Smith

HF: S Simpson J Cameron G Rohan

F: B Close T Hawkins G Miers

FOLL: R Stanley J Selwood P Dangerfield

I/C: J Kolodjashnij B Parfitt C Guthrie L Dahlhaus

EMG: M Holmes S Higgins E Ratugolea Z Guthrie

IN: M Duncan

OUT: M Holmes (omitted) S Higgins (medical-sub)

Sydney v GWS

Saturday, University of Tasmania Stadium, 1.20pm

TV: Channel 7

SWANS

B: H Cunningham L Melican D Rampe

HB: J Lloyd T McCartin J McInerney

C: J Dawson G Hewett I Heeney

HF: W Hayward H McLean E Gulden

F: T Papley L Franklin S Wicks

FOLL: T Hickey L Parker J Rowbottom

I/C: C O’Riordan C Warner O Florent J Bell

EMG: S Reid C Sinclair B Campbell R Fox

IN: C Warner J Bell

OUT: C Mills (injured) R Fox (medical-sub) B Campbell (omitted)

GIANTS

B: J Stein S Taylor I Cumming

HB: L Ash N Haynes L Whitfield

C: J Kelly S Coniglio H Perryman

HF: T Taranto H Himmelberg T Greene

F: Z Sproule J Hogan M de Boer

FOLL: S Mumford J Hopper C Ward

I/C: S Reid D Lloyd T Green C Idun

EMG: K Briggs T Bruhn P Davis C Stone

IN: S Mumford S Reid T Green

OUT: K Briggs T Bruhn (both omitted) A Kennedy X O’Halloran (both injured)

Melbourne v Brisbane

Saturday, Adelaide Oval, 5.30pm

TV: 7MATE

DEMONS

B: T Rivers S May H Petty

HB: J Bowey J Lever C Salem

C: A Brayshaw C Petracca E Langdon

HF: C Spargo T McDonald J Viney

F: A Neal-Bullen B Brown B Fritsch

FOLL: M Gawn C Oliver K Pickett

I/C: J Harmes L Jackson J Smith T Sparrow

EMG: N Jones M Hibberd J Melksham J Jordon

OUT: J Jordon (medical-sub)

LIONS

B: D Gardiner H Andrews B Starcevich

HB: G Birchall M Adams D Rich

C: H McCluggage Z Bailey J Berry

HF: L McCarthy D McStay D Zorko

F: N Cockatoo J Daniher C Cameron

FOLL: O McInerney J Lyons L Neale

I/C: M Robinson K Coleman J Prior T Fullarton

EMG: T Berry R Mathieson C Ballenden J Payne

IN: H Andrews M Robinson

OUT: C Ah Chee R Lester (both injured) R Mathieson (medical-sub)

Western Bulldogs v Essendon

Sunday, University of Tasmania Stadium, 1.20pm

TV: Channel 7

BULLDOGS

B: T Duryea A Keath B Williams

HB: C Daniel Z Cordy B Dale

C: A Treloar J Dunkley L Hunter

HF: L Vandermeer A Naughton B Smith

F: T Liberatore T English C Weightman

FOLL: Le Young J Macrae M Bontempelli

I/C: J Schache A Scott J Johannisen R Smith R Gardner R West M Hannan E Wood

IN: A Scott R West R Gardner

BOMBERS

B: M Redman J Laverde T Cutler

HB: D Heppell J Ridley N Hind

C: A McGrath Z Merrett A Waterman

HF: W Snelling A Francis A Perkins

F: J Stringer P Wright D Smith

FOLL: S Draper D Parish D Shiel

I/C: J Stewart D Clarke M Guelfi N Cox S Durham J Caldwell A Phillips M Gleeson

IN: J Caldwell A Phillips M Gleeson

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