A year later and the emotion couldn’t be more different.
“(I'm) above the world,” Mills said after Echuca’s dominant victory over Shepparton in the senior grand final.
“I feel awesome, it's just so good to be back doing it.
“Such a good group of boys, coaches, the whole club, so good to get it done again.”
The Echuca defender was denied a place in the 2025 finals series for not playing enough games after battling brain cancer for most of the season.
Now, Mills is not only back on the field, but competing, and winning at the Goulburn Valley League’s highest level.
“It means everything,” he said.
“To come back with my best mates, it's one of my favourite things to do.”
AJ Mills is swamped by teammates after kicking a fourth-quarter goal.
Known more for preventing goals, Mills was thrown forward in the final term and kicked two goals, sending his teammates into raptures.
“They treated me well,” he said.
“They put me out forward, gave me a couple of chances and put it where I needed it.
Co-coach Simon Maddox dedicated much of his three-quarter time address, his last as Echuca coach, to Mills, urging the squad to ‘do it for AJ’.
The team also heard from the Mills family before the game.
“He's the best coach I've ever had,” Mills said.
“On field, off the field, he has supported me the whole way.
“It's going to be sad not having him next year onwards, but he's definitely one that we did it for today as well.”
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