MUCH has changed since Ryan O'Keefe was part of the Sydney Swans' last premiership, in 2005.

In the Swans' four-point win over West Coast that year, O'Keefe, then 24, played as hard-running lead-up forward, a role he played so well in the first half of his career.

In recent seasons, O'Keefe has transformed himself into a midfielder.

Now 31, O'Keefe showed in the Swans' 10-point win over Hawthorn in the 2012 Grand Final that he runs just as hard as ever, racking up 28 possessions, four inside 50s and one score assist.

But he also underlined the inside edge that he has brought to his game and the Swans' midfield in recent seasons.

O'Keefe won 12 of his possessions against the Hawks in contests, had seven clearances and a game-high 15 tackles.

It was no surprise then when O'Keefe's almost perfect blend of attack and defence won him the 2012 Norm Smith Medal.

Speaking at the Swans' press conference after the game, O'Keefe said he had enjoyed his reinvention as a midfielder.

"I just enjoy getting in amongst it where the action is, being physical," O'Keefe said.

"I'm really enjoying my footy at the moment and the coaches are giving me the confidence just to back myself and get in there amongst it and get physical."

But as significantly as O'Keefe the player has changed since 2005, a far greater change would have unfolded had the Swans been able to come to terms with one of the Victorian clubs courting O'Keefe at the end of 2008.

The Victorian-born O'Keefe, who played for Strathmore Football Club as a junior, had sought a trade home to be closer to family and friends.

It was reported in that year's trade period that Carlton, Essendon and, ironically, Hawthorn had made serious plays for O'Keefe but, ultimately, no deal could be done.

Asked about that time, O'Keefe said it was not something he had dwelled on, but it seemed clear that he was happy he'd stayed in Sydney and at the Swans.

"I've totally forgotten about that and once it was all done and dusted I made a commitment to everyone, and I'm just so happy to be part of this club," O'Keefe said.

"It's a sensational club, right from the top down to the bottom."

Swans coach John Longmire was one of many happy that O'Keefe stayed.

After winning his first flag as senior coach, Longmire gave an insight into the leader O'Keefe had become at the club.

"Before the game today [O'Keefe] came up and grabbed me, patted me on the head and said, 'Don't worry about it, we'll be right'," Longmire said.

"And he was right, which I'm pretty happy about."

O'Keefe stood up on so many levels for the Swans against the Hawks.

First, he took responsibility for manning the Hawks' premier inside ball-winner, former skipper Sam Mitchell.

Although Mitchell won plenty of the ball himself (24 possessions and 10 clearances), O'Keefe put unrelenting pressure on him all day, ensuring Mitchell's disposal efficiency slipped from its normal high standards.

O'Keefe's pressure was exemplified by his tackling. He laid a game-high 15 - five more than the next best players on the ground.

O'Keefe was also the Swans' best player when they were on the back foot in the first quarter. The Hawks had 18 inside 50s to the Swans' seven in that term and led by 19 points at quarter-time.

The Hawks' inaccuracy (4.5) stopped that lead from being bigger, but O'Keefe also helped keep the Swans within striking distance.

Against the tide of Hawthorn dominance, O'Keefe had a team-high eight disposals and three clearances.

He was also in the vanguard when the Swans stole the momentum in the second quarter. As the Swans piled on 6.0 for the term to the Hawks' 0.1, O'Keefe pumped the ball inside their forward 50 twice and helped set up a goal.

And in the final quarter when the Swans clawed their way back from a 12-point deficit, O'Keefe was recklessly throwing himself into contest after contest as he had done all day.

Longmire aptly summed up O'Keefe's performance.

"He was enormous … he led from the front."

"When he went into the middle, the way he was able to go about it was sensational.

"To have 15 tackles at this time of a year in a Grand Final it's what you need."

O'Keefe, however, preferred to concentrate on his team's achievement.

"[The premiership medal] is the one that matters, the [Norm Smith] is a bonus," O'Keefe said.

"The only reason I got the other one is because of the rest of my teammates.

"This year we've always been about the 22 players, it's never been about individuals and today was just the perfect example of that.

"Everyone played their role, cracked in [and] really dug in when the Hawks had the momentum."

But no Swan did that quite as well as O'Keefe.

Nick Bowen is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nick