Callum Mills

Mills was born in Sydney and grew up on the Northern Beaches. His grandfather, Ray Mills, played Australian rules football for the Perth Football Club and represented Western Australia through the 1960s.{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-07-07/codehopper-drafttopper|title=Code-swapper might be 2015 draft-topper|last=Twomey|first=Callum|date=7 July 2015|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Bigpond|access-date=24 November 2015}} Callum was an avid Sydney Swans supporter as a child and idolised Swans' forward Tony Lockett.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/sydney-swans-set-on-securing-prodigious-talent-callum-mills-at-afl-draft-20151112-gkxaab.html|title=Sydney Swans set on securing prodigious talent Callum Mills at AFL draft|last=Sygall|first=David|date=14 November 2015|work=The Age|publisher=fairfax Media|access-date=24 November 2015}} He began playing Australian rules football at the age of four through the Auskick junior program, but gave the game away at seven years of age to play rugby union with his school friends.{{cite web|url=http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/video/2015-11-24/welcome-callum-mills-november-24-2015|title=Welcome Callum Mills|date=24 November 2015|work=sydneyswans.com.au|publisher=Bigpond|access-date=24 November 2015}} He played representative junior rugby with Warringah Rugby Club's underage representative team which won three consecutive state championships (2008-2010) alongside Brad Parker and Simon Kennewell.[Mills destined for leading role] By Sydney Swans Media 4 February 2022[https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/teams/sydney/sydney-swans-star-callum-mills-was-a-great-junior-rugby-talent/news-story/110dc6c50fa68e7daf45dd6a60e292a7 Sydney Swans star Callum Mills was a great junior rugby talent] by Neil Cordy for the Daily Telegraph 9 September 2016

In 2010, aged 13, Mills was approached by then-Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham to fill in for the Mosman Swans junior Australian rules football team. He impressed enough to be placed in the Sydney Swans talent academy later that year and gave up rugby union. Mills later revealed the Swans' academy was the major influence in his decision to play Australian rules football instead of rugby union when he was a teenager.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/teams/sydney/sydney-swans-academy-kept-callum-mills-in-the-code/news-story/44cb511f1d92941a05e31ce198c50074|title=Sydney Swans academy kept Callum Mills in the code|last=Cordy|first=Neil|date=7 May 2016|work=The Daily Telegraph|publisher=News Corp Australia|access-date=8 May 2016}} He won the under 16's best and fairest at fourteen years of age for the Mosman Swans and he was ultimately named club champion in 2012. In 2014–15, he was cleared to play in the TAC Cup competition as a member of the NSW/ACT Rams and during this period he also played four games for North Shore in the premier division of the Sydney AFL competition.

Mills was selected by the Sydney Swans with their first selection and third overall in the 2015 national draft. He was initially bid on by {{AFL Mel}}, however Sydney matched the bid under the new live bidding rules implemented in the 2015 draft.{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-11-24/callum-mills-makes-history-as-draft-bidding-system-makes-its-debut|title=Callum Mills makes history as draft bidding system makes its debut|last=Whiting|first=Michael|date=24 November 2015|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Bigpond|access-date=6 September 2016}} He was given the number 14 guernsey, made famous by three-time Brownlow Medallist and Australian football hall of famer, Bob Skilton and former club captain and Brownlow medallist, Paul Kelly.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/sydney/callum-mills-says-its-a-massive-honour-to-wear-the-no14-jumper-made-famous-by-paul-kelly-and-bob-skilton/news-story/f8306abd756e50a8d300ad47efb6ddde|title=Callum Mills says it's a 'massive honour' to wear the No.14 jumper made famous by Paul Kelly and Bob Skilton|last=Cordy|first=Neil|date=3 December 2015|work=Herald Sun|publisher=News Corp Australia|access-date=14 December 2015}} He made his debut in the eighty point win against {{AFL Col}}, recording 18 disposals in round one, 2016.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/sydney-swans-teen-callum-mills-was-destined-for-afl-debut-after-request-to-be-called-tony-lockett/news-story/6c1115b9d6d9f687da113205a608df7e|title=Sydney Swans' teen Callum Mills was destined for AFL debut after request to be called Tony Lockett|last=Cordy|first=Neil|date=23 March 2016|work=Herald Sun|publisher=News Corp Australia|access-date=6 September 2016}} After the 38-point win against {{AFL Gee}}, he was the round 16 nomination for the Rising Star where he recorded 23 disposals, six marks, and four rebound-50s.{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/sydney/callum-mills-finally-earns-his-rising-star-nomination-after-impressive-round-16-performance/news-story/47aa4ff764c09bbab0bfb851b4ded45d|title=Callum Mills finally earns his Rising Star nomination after impressive Round 16 performance|last=Landsberger|first=Sam|date=11 July 2016|work=Herald Sun|publisher=News Corp Australia|access-date=11 July 2016}} He was ultimately the winner of the Rising Star, receiving the Ron Evans Medal with 49 votes out of a possible 50.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/callum-mills-wins-2016-afl-rising-star-award-20160906-gr9p07.html|title=Callum Mills wins 2016 AFL Rising Star award|last=Lane|first=Samantha|date=6 September 2016|work=The Age|publisher=Fairfax Media|access-date=6 September 2016}} He became the third Sydney Swan to win the award.

Following a promising debut season, Mills re-signed with the Swans on a five-year contract that will see him remain at the club until the end of 2023.{{cite web|last1=Cordy|first1=Neil|title=Callum Mills signs five-year contract extension |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/teams/sydney/callum-mills-signs-fiveyear-contract-extension-with-sydney-a-day-after-boyhood-idol-tony-lockett-returned-to-the-club/news-story/4debe6c4de694f01a8565ad23cdc101d|publisher=Daily Telegraph|access-date=19 March 2017}}

At the start of 2022 he was named one of Sydney's co-captains,{{cite web|url=https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1054354/mills-joins-parker-and-rampe-as-sydney-co-captains|author=|date=2 February 2022|title=Mills joins Parker and Rampe as Sydney co-captains|location=Sydney Swans|access-date=6 February 2024}} and later that year signed a contract extension with the Swans to keep him at the club until the end of 2029.{{cite web|last1=Black|first1=Sarah|title=Done deal: Swans co-captain inks monster deal |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/837433/done-deal-swans-co-captain-callum-mills-inks-monster-deal|publisher=AFL|access-date=1 April 2023}} Mills later became sole captain of the Swans ahead of the 2024 AFL season.{{cite web|url=https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1486364/callum-mills-named-sole-captain|author=|date=6 February 2024|title=Callum Mills named sole captain|location=Sydney Swans|access-date=6 February 2024}}

Updated to the end of the 2024 season.{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/C/Callum_Mills.html|title=Callum Mills Stats|work=AFL Tables|access-date=18 October 2016}}

{{AFL player statistics legend}}

{{AFL player statistics start with votes}}

|-

| 2016 || {{AFL Syd}} || 14

| 22 || 1 || 3 || 231 || 177 || 408 || 105 || 50 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 10.5 || 8.0 || 18.5 || 4.8 || 2.3 || 0

|-

| 2017 || {{AFL Syd}} || 14

| 24 || 1 || 2 || 267 || 148 || 415 || 121 || 59 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 11.3 || 6.1 || 17.2 || 5.0 || 2.5 || 0

|-

| 2018 || {{AFL Syd}} || 14

| 9 || 0 || 1 || 101 || 72 || 173 || 44 || 23 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 11.2 || 8.0 || 19.2 || 4.9 || 2.6 || 3

|-

| 2019 || {{AFL Syd}} || 14

| 22 || 1 || 0 || 231 || 174 || 405 || 136 || 58 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 10.5 || 7.9 || 18.4 || 6.2 || 2.6 || 0

|-

| 2020{{efn|The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.}} || {{AFL Syd}} || 14

| 15 || 0 || 1 || 164 || 107 || 271 || 77 || 48 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 10.9 || 7.1 || 18.0 || 5.1 || 3.2 || 2

|-

| 2021 || {{AFL Syd}} || 14

| 18 || 6 || 1 || 256 || 239 || 495 || 107 || 95 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 14.2 || 13.3 || 27.5 || 5.9 || 5.3 || 18

|-

| 2022 || {{AFL Syd}} || 14

| 25 || 10 || 3 || 360 || 250 || 610 || 165 || 158 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 14.4 || 10.0 || 24.4 || 6.6 || 6.3 || 21

|-

| 2023 || {{AFL Syd}} || 14

| 20 || 7 || 5 || 207 || 196 || 403 || 96 || 88 || 0.4 || 0.3 || 10.4 || 9.8 || 20.2 || 4.8 || 4.4 || 3

|-

| 2024 || {{AFL Syd}} || 14

| 7 || 2 || 0 || 73 || 49 || 122 || 38 || 16 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 10.4 || 7.0 || 17.4 || 5.4 || 2.3 || 1

|- class=sortbottom

! colspan=3 | Career

! 162 !! 28 !! 16 !! 1890 !! 1412 !! 3302 !! 888 !! 595 !! 0.2 !! 0.1 !! 11.7 !! 8.7 !! 20.4 !! 5.5 !! 3.7 !! 48

|}

Notes

{{notelist}}

Team

• Minor Premiership ({{AFL Syd}}): 2016, 2024

Individual

• Sydney captain: 2022–
• Bob Skilton Medal: 2022
• All-Australian team: 2022
• 3× 22under22 team: 2016, 2017, 2019
• Brett Kirk Medal: 2018 (round 3)
• AFL Rising Star nominee: 2016 (round 16)

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{Sydplayer}}
• {{AFL Tables|ref=C/Callum_Mills.html}}

{{Sydney player squad}}

{{Sydney Swans captains}}

{{Bob Skilton Medal}}

{{2022 All-Australian team}}

{{Current AFL captains}}

{{2020 All Stars players}}

{{Ron Evans Medal}}

{{AFLPA best first year player}}

{{2016 AFL Rising Star nominees}}

{{Brett Kirk Medal}}

{{2015 AFL national draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, Callum}}

Category:1997 births

Category:Australian rules footballers from Sydney

Category:NSW/ACT Rams players

Category:Living people

Category:North Shore Australian Football Club players

Category:Sydney Swans players

Category:Bob Skilton Medal winners

Category:AFL Rising Star winners

Category:All-Australians (AFL)

Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen