In a year defined by a wretched run of injuries, which included season enders to co-captains Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott, the Cowboys emerged as one of the toughest NRL teams ever assembled but eventually ran out of steam against the rampant Melbourne Storm.

Almost a dozen players played through injury this year when they would have otherwise been sidelined, such was the close-knit bond at the club according to mid-season recruit Te Maire Martin.

The former Penrith half was one of them after joining the Cowboys in June. Soon after he suffered a grade-two medial ligament injury that should have kept him sidelined for much longer than the one match he missed.

That attitude underpinned the Cowboys' year, which netted an eighth-placed finish before a September surge that earned them a second grand final appearance in three years.

"A few of the boys did it and it's just the keenness to still play, and how close-knit we are as a team," Martin said."

"They're pretty tough. Everyone's keen to play alongside each other trying to get to this grand final, unfortunately we just fell short.

"I did it in my third or fourth game and I didn't want to spend much time on the sideline so I tried my hardest to work back into the team.

"That's what Hessy [Coen Hess] and that did. They saw I did it and if I could still play they definitely can."

Hess also played through a medial ligament injury, as did Shaun Fensom, who suffered a horrific double leg break just three minutes into Sunday's 34-6 loss to Melbourne.

Prop John Asiata played in the decider with a broken hand, while fellow front-rower Scott Bolton needed pre-game needles throughout the year to push through a stack of niggles.

Kyle Feldt injured his groin in last weekend's preliminary final win over the Sydney Roosters, but still played on Sunday.

Captain Gavin Cooper battled a recent calf injury, fullback Lachlan Coote had an ankle complaint last month while Justin O'Neill (elbow) and Antonio Winterstein (hamstring) also played through pain in recent times.

"Some of the things they have played with, particularly through injury has been nothing short of remarkable," Cowboys coach Paul Green said.

"If I single anyone out it doesn't do the whole story justice, but John Asiata has a broken hand, Kyle Feldt tore his groin last week, Te Maire Martin should have been out with a grade-two medial for four to six weeks and missed one game, Cootey and Coops with his calf, there's four guys that came back in that Tigers game that probably shouldn't have come back.

"Scott Bolton all year has been outstanding. He's been playing busted and he's scared of needles, which is surprising for a pig-hunting fisherman. He has to get needled every week before the game.

"No one made them do that. I didn't make them play, they wanted to. It shows the character and how much they care for the team and each other."