SYDNEY Swans assistant coach Stuart Dew says he would pick NAB Rising Star winner Callum Mills for Saturday's Grand Final if the decision were solely up to him.
Mills hasn't played since injuring his hamstring in the Swans' qualifying final loss to Greater Western Sydney.
Both Mills and Swans skipper Jarrad McVeigh (calf) got through training on Wednesday and appear firmly in the frame for selection on Thursday.
The Swans ruled young key defender Aliir Aliir out of the Grand Final on Wednesday after he failed a fitness test at training.
The Swans match committee will make a final decision on Thursday.
Dew, the AFL Coaches' Association assistant coach of the year, told 3AW on Wednesday night he would pick Mills if it were solely his call.
"I would, but that's easy for me to say, it's not my name to it," Dew said.
"He trained well. I'd say he's on track if you ask me.
"He trained fine, did basically everything that was asked of him today.
"For guys coming back from injury it was just a normal session for them. They did everything that was asked. So we move forward to the next stage.
"By the time we've got to name the team, enough will be known. There won’t be any fitness tests behind closed doors. It is what it is. We've got all the information and it's just ticking off that final selection hurdle."
Dew said it was a bit easier to make a decision on McVeigh given the Swans do have a good understanding of his history coming off injury. But he said Mills' time with the Swans' academy would help.
"We've got a little bit more history with 'Macca' (McVeigh) and knowledge of him but 'Millsy' is a special player as well," Dew said.
"We've also got a bit more history with Millsy than a first-year player having been in the academy. So we throw it in the bucket and make a call."
Dew said the Swans are planning for Western Bulldogs ruckman Jordan Roughead to play. He also said they would plan for both Matthew Suckling and Lin Jong in case either or both were selected.
"We would just go in expecting that Roughead will play," Dew said.
"We've obviously catered for who they might bring in. Matt Suckling's a senior player that has got Grand Final experience. Not that I'm on their match committee but I assume if he's right he plays. Lin Jong would be the other hard call for them."
Western Bulldogs assistant coach Rohan Smith told 3AW it was going to be one of the toughest calls the Bulldogs' match committee have had to make for a long time.
