Sydney coach Paul Roos has credited the on-field leadership of veterans Brett Kirk and Ryan O'Keefe for helping the Swans get over the line by five points in Sunday's thrilling elimination final against Carlton.
Kirk, who finished the game on the bench after appearing to tweak a hamstring late in the contest, started like a bomb with 12 first-quarter possessions on Kade Simpson while O'Keefe, who's been battling a groin injury for much of the season, kicked the goal that put the Swans back in front late in the last quarter.
"He's so mentally tough," said Roos of 33-year-old Kirk who is playing on emotion after announcing back in June that this season would be his last.
"He's played on guys his whole career that he shouldn't be able to play on and he's mentally smart too."
"He researches the players he plays against, he works out a way that he can beat them, tries to play them with his strengths and that's why he's been such a great player for so long."
Roos said he was confident that Kirk's injury is not too serious.
"He can't run fast enough to do a hamstring," Roos said.
"He's just cramped, he's getting creepy, cranky so the poor old fella had to come off but he'll be fine."
Roos said O'Keefe had been struggling with his injury which 'comes and goes' and which has slowed him down over the first five metres.
"Like the great player that he is, he kicked that goal," said Roos.
"When guys are so hungry and passionate that can generally lift at the right time and he did that again today."
Roos said veteran forward Daniel Bradshaw was 'a chance' to return to the line-up for next Saturday night's semi-final against the Western Bulldogs after completing 80 minutes for the Swans reserves on Saturday.
The 31-year-old has been sidelined since Round 9 by a succession of knee and hamstring injuries.
"Providing he's pulled up well he'll definitely be in contention for this week," said Roos.
"That's two games now he's played so it will come down to how comfortable he feels and the medical guys if they tick him off."
"He's a quality player, a very, very talented player and you've got to seriously think about playing him."
Roos said the versatile Ben McGlynn was also a strong chance for inclusion after three weeks out with a fractured cheekbone.
He said the Bulldogs, despite their long injury list and indifferent recent form, are entitled to go in as favourites next week.
"Everyone tends to pick the teams that win first week of the finals against the team that lose the first week of the finals and it never works out that way," he said.
"During the home and away season they were the fourth-best team in the competition and we're fifth, so we're not as good as the Bulldogs over 22 rounds."
"They can win, they're a very good team with very good players so we have to lift again next week."