Star Swans play through pain

Two influential Sydney players fought to the end in Saturday's grand final triumph despite carrying serious injuries.

Adam Goodes suffered a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his knee during the second quarter but played through the pain (with the help of an injection).

He went on to gather 14 disposals including a clever goal with seven minutes to play in the final term, which put the Swans seven points ahead.

Ted Richards also needed a jab after rolling an ankle in the preliminary final.

Goodes appeared painfully restricted when he returned to the field with heavy strapping in the second term.

Nevertheless, he was a reliable target in Sydney's forward line and his snap, the second last goal of the see-sawing match, effectively won the premiership for the Swans.

"He was enormous. He did a PCL and the word came back up that his PCL was gone in his good knee," premiership coach John Longmire said.

"Obviously it wasn't the news I really needed at that time. But to be able to just come back on, and I asked him a couple of times during the course of the game 'Are you all right?'

"He didn't even flinch. He said 'Don't worry about me'. He went on and no excuses from him, went out there and contributed really well.

"To have a knee that was essentially gone and hang in the way he did was a sensational effort."

At the other end of the MCG, key defender Richards needed injections before the game and during every break to dull the agony of a swollen ankle.

He went on to hold Lance Franklin to three goals and often beat him in one-on-one contests, although the Hawks spearhead could have won the match for the Hawks had he not sprayed six gettable shots at goal.

"His (Richards') ankle wasn't 100 percent it's fair to say going in to play on Buddy Franklin because his (Franklin's) turning circle is pretty tight," Longmire said.

"You often hear about these things after a grand final because there's no next week. But quite often during the year, players play with injuries and don't offer any excuses. People on the outside looking in think we're a bit severe on them, but they just go about their business."

Longmire also made special mention of Canadian ruckman Mike Pyke, who perhaps played his best game ever by gathering 16 touches and 29 hit-outs.

"He turned up at our footy club and it's a great effort for listening and taking on feedback and working hard at your craft and he's been able to do that today," Longmire said.

"He rucked unchanged for a lot of that last quarter (when Shane Mumford had been subbed out) and did a great job.