It’s easy to believe Hayley Miller when she says that there’s “not much that will stop me from playing.”

Miller showed incredible toughness to come back on the field following a sickening collision in the third quarter of Freo’s 11-point win against Carlton on Saturday at Fremantle Oval.

The versatile midfielder initially came off the ground after running back with the flight of the ball into a contest that felled three players, including Miller. 

“I've never been in that much pain in my life, to be honest,” Miller told Adrian Barich on Monday night’s Channel 7 news broadcast.

"I just couldn't breathe.”

After a visit to the hospital, the cause of Miller’s pain became clear.

“I actually have a collapsed lung but it just feels like I'm winded, it’s manageable."

With or without the injury, Miller was likely to be rested for the start of the WAWFL season with Subiaco due to playing a full season with Fremantle.

With an expected four to six weeks on the sidelines, Miller is projected to be available for the second half of the season. 

It’s not the first time that Miller’s shunned the pain barrier in her football career, kicking two goals in an exhibition women’s western derby game despite breaking her leg in the opening minute.