{
  "id": 8834874,
  "title": "Country footballer wins premiership with Echuca despite brain cancer",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/country-footballer-wins-premiership-with-echuca-despite-brain-cancer",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-21T03:49:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-21/aj-mills-footy-grand-final-win-after-battling-brain-cancer/107176174"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Victorian country footballer Aiden \"AJ\" Mills secured premiership glory on Sunday for the Echuca team, despite being ineligible to play in last year's finals due to brain cancer. Mills, who played two home-and-away games before being cleared by doctors to return in time for the finals, was moved forward late in the final quarter and kicked two goals, including one on the final siren. Echuca triumphed by 81 points, ending the match with a score of 21.15 (141) to Shepparton's 8.12 (60). Mills' mother, Katie Mills, expressed the emotional scenes after the final siren, with players hugging the family.",
  "summary": "Echuca footballer Aiden \"AJ\" Mills celebrates a premiership a year after being denied a permit to play finals while undergoing treatment for brain cancer.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}