Sydney Swans coach John Longmire has described Ryan O’Keefe as one of the most driven players he has ever seen.

His comments came ahead of O’Keefe’s 250th game milestone, which he will reach tomorrow afternoon against Carlton at Etihad Stadium.

Longmire said O’Keefe’s hard work and dedication has seen him excel at the game’s highest level for over a decade.

“Ryan has been a star of this football club for a long time,” Longmire said.

“He’s a premiership player, he’s a best and fairest winner, he’s an All Australian and he continues to improve.

“He applies himself to his next task at hand, whether it is training or a game, as good as I’ve seen, and he continues to do that and that’s why his form is still strong and why at 31 he is still able to be a really important player for our team.

“He has an unbelievable level of mental strength that helps him apply himself session-in, session-out, week-in, week-out, and year-in, year-out, and that’s what makes him such a good player.”

O’Keefe arrived at the Swans as a forward via the 1999 AFL Draft, but has managed to re-invent himself as a strong and versatile cog in the Sydney midfield.

Fellow midfielder and club veteran Jude Bolton said O’Keefe’s transition from a forward to an elite midfielder has been exceptional.

“When (O’Keefe) got up (to Sydney) he was just a little centre half-forward from the Calder Cannons and he’s been able to turn himself into a power running athlete playing off half-forward and playing into the midfield,” he said.

“He’s just got this desire to improve himself and improve the team and it’s just stood the test of time which is phenomenal.

“His ability now to go into the midfield, but also drift forward and still kick a lot of goals for us, makes him so valuable.”

Swans team mate and club co-captain Adam Goodes said it is O’Keefe’s determination that sets him apart.

“He is very determined and has always known exactly what he wanted and he was always going to work hard to get there,” Goodes said.

“A lot of people could have seen that as being a little bit arrogant but I think for Ryan that was just how determined he was.

“He knew that he wanted to be a successful footballer and he would stop at nothing to do that."

Goodes added that O’Keefe’s stringent preparation and training regimes were top class.

“He’s turned into a fantastic leader at our football club and his determination and hard work has meant he’s been a fantastic role model for our younger players on how to get fitter, stronger and how to maintain that through a very long career.”

Click on the video player above to see more of O’Keefe’s team mates pay tribute to him ahead of his 250th game tomorrow