'He failed again': Kane Cornes fumes at Isaac Heeney's stress fracture 'excuse'

Kane Cornes has rubbished Isaac Heeney's stress fracture "excuse" after the Swans star's grand final shocker.

One of the league's best players all season, Heeney was relatively anonymous and managed just 14 disposals and a lone goal as the Swans were routed by 60 points.

Among the pre-game favourites to win the Norm Smith Medal, he came from the field mid-way through the final term and didn't return.

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Heeney revealed post-game he'd been "managing" a stress fracture in his ankle throughout the finals.

On Sunday morning, Cornes pointed to Heeney's 11-touch performance in the 2022 grand final, and suggested there's a broader problem with his big-game preparation.

"He was the hottest player in football coming into this game ... he was walking on water in the qualifying final," he said.

"In the prelim final, Port Adelaide had no answers – he was a man possessed.

"To turn up and not give the performance that he had all year."

Swans coach John Longmire said in his post-match press conference it was a "stress reaction" in his shin.

"Yeah, well, there was no stress reaction in his shin in the prelim final or qualifying final, so don't give me an injury excuse," Cornes continued.

"11 disposal performance in 2022, yesterday he hardly went near it and no influence. I just don't want the injury excuses.

"Isaac has to look at his preparation in the big games, and why he has failed again as the best player in football this year, but not on the biggest stage."

Heeney wasn't the only Swan under an injury cloud before the match, with Logan McDonald also battling an ankle injury.

He managed just six touches and was subbed out at half time.