Team Tips, team news, latest, predicted sides and squads, ins and outs, team changes, Callum Mills hamstring, Logan McDonald, training, Oscar McInerney replacement, Darcy Fort #adessonews

Grand Final week is here.

The Swans are sweating on two of their stars ahead of a defining week on the training track, while Brisbane has a giant-sized hole to fill.

Read about all the latest team news for the 2024 AFL Grand Final in AFL Team Tips!

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AFL GRAND FINAL

SYDNEY SWANS v BRISBANE LIONS

Saturday September 28, 3:20pm at the MCG

SWANS

B: D.Rampe – C, T.McCartin, N.Blakey

HB: M.Roberts, H.Cunningham, L.Melican

C: J.Lloyd, Ch.Warner, O.Florent

HF: L.Parker, L.McDonald, E.Gulden

F: T.Papley, J.Amartey, W.Hayward

FOLL: B.Grundy, I.Heeney, J.Rowbottom

I/C: J.Jordon, B.Campbell, R.Fox, J.McInerney, H.McLean

EMG: A.Francis, C.Cleary, P.Ladhams

Team Tips: All eyes will be on the availability of skipper Callum Mills (hamstring) and key forward Logan McDonald (ankle). Mills missed the preliminary final win over Port Adelaide due to a tweaked hamstring sustained in the days after the qualifying final win over GWS. The Swans have so far been non committal about Mills’ availability ahead of a defining week on the training track — with a main session on Monday followed by another session on Wednesday, when a call will likely be made. All reports are that there’s growing optimism around the midfielder’s bid to play after he’s progressed well since first hurting his hamstring just under two weeks ago. Robbie Fox was the main that came in for Mills and would likely make way should the skipper return, pending the status of McDonald. McDonald missed Sydney’s light training session on Sunday dafter rolling his ankle against Port, causing him to get subbed out. John Longmire was confident McDonald, who was dropped ahead of the 2022 grand final, would be fit to play. It’ll be fascinating what Sydney does if Mills comes in given you’d expect the captain to be in the starting 22. Braeden Campbell might be the unlucky one to drop down to the sub role should that happen after a quieter game against Port (eight games). Meanwhile Taylor Adams, who was the heartbreak story for Collingwood in last year’s grand final, looks set to miss again after he wasn’t even named an emergency last week.

LIONS

B: D.Zorko, H.Andrews, C.McKenna

HB: D.Wilmot, J.Payne, R.Lester

C: J.Fletcher, W.Ashcroft, H.McCluggage

HF: C.Rayner, J.Daniher, J.Berry

F: C.Cameron, E.Hipwood, Z.Bailey

FOLL: O.McInerney, J.Dunkley, L.Neale – C

I/C: K.Lohmann, C.Ah Chee, L.Morris, B.Starcevich, N.Answerth

EMG: H.Sharp, D.Fort, D.Joyce

Team Tips: Ruckman Oscar McInerney looms as the heartbreak story this year after dislocating his shoulder twice in the club’s thrilling win over Geelong. Chris Fagan flagged that the team would conservatively replace McInerney with a traditional ruckman, naming former Cat and 35-gamer Darcy Fort and four-game youngster Henry Smith as the potential reinforcements. Smith has actually played more games this year (four) than Fort (two), who hasn’t played since Round 7, but was named an emergency against the Cats firms as the more ready-made, suitable replacement to go up against Brodie Grundy. Saints great Leigh Montagna on Fox Footy’s The First Crackhighlighted the big “opportunity” for Fort, who’s averaged eight clearances and 13 contested possessions in his last eight VFL outings. It stands as the only change for the Lions, while you’d expect Conor McKena to stay in the sub role for a third-straight week.