Twist to injured stars Callum Mills and Oscar McInerney heartbreak as AFL approves bench request

It is the one game of the season which no player wants to miss.

But for Swans skipper Callum Mills and Lions ruckman Oscar McInerney, the opportunity to hit the MCG turf for the grand final will take place in a different form.

With both players sidelined due to injury, AFL football boss Laura Kane has given discretionary approval for them to sit on the bench in support.

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Both clubs lodged requests on Friday to allow their experienced injured stars to communicate with teammates on the bench during the match.

Nine's Tom Morris confirmed the requests from both Sydney and Brisbane had been approved due to the nature of the grand final.

"Both are in the leadership group. This, combined with the fact it's a Grand Final, are the reasons for the allowance," Morris wrote on X.

Mills was withdrawn from the match after failing to recover from a hamstring injury. He underwent testing at the Swans' final training session in Sydney, where he was deemed ineligible to play.

A gruelling preliminary final battle against Geelong saw McInerney dislocate his shoulder twice, ruling him out of the grand final.