Lions heroics laid bare after star duo’s shock injury reveal
Two of Brisbane’s grand final heroes have revealed they played through the game with significant injuries.
The Lions came from nowhere in the final four minutes of the game to come from 17-points down and take down Fremantle.
Dayne Zorko of the Lions reacts holding two AFL Premiership Cups. Getty
Former captain Dayne Zorko was one of the stars throughout the game, finishing equal second in the Norm Smith Medal.
He picked up 28 disposals to go with 660 metres gained and set the Lions up across half-back all afternoon.
However, he revealed in the aftermath that he actually tore his hamstring in the first quarter and simply played through it.
At the time, Brisbane reported the injury and simply a leg cork.
"I actually did my hammy in the first quarter so I was a little bit concerned," Zorko told Seven.
"The staff assured me I'd get through no worries and thankfully I did."
The 37-year-old isn’t ready to call it quits yet either, having signed a one-year deal to play on next season with the premiers.
Zorko wasn’t the only one toughing it out either, with key forward Logan Morris also playing through significant discomfort.
He revealed after the match to reporters that he had been playing the latter half of the season with a back stress fracture.
Morris also came from the ground during the game reporting an arm injury, with Seven's Abbey Holmes saying Morris was losing feeling in the arm.
The 21-year-old kicked three goals for the game, including the final two of the match, putting the Lions in front after a big contested mark and sealing victory.
It was a brutal day on the injury front, with Fremantle captain Alex Pearce suffering an Achilles rupture in the third quarter.
Alex Pearce of the Dockers sits on the bench with ice on his Achilles. Getty Images
Pearce went down out of nowhere while chasing the footy, clutching at his leg and had to be helped from the ground.
The injury capped a nightmare afternoon for Fremantle, given the veteran defender will likely now miss the majority of the 2027 season.
Full of class, Pearce still hobbled up the dais to give the losing captain's speech after the shock defeat.
