Clay Smith recounts fairytale finish to tough year

Clay Smith recounts fairytale finish to tough year
Nick Bowen December 14, 2016 7:00 AM

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Clay Smith celebrates with fans after flag triumph

IF THE Western Bulldogs' 2016 premiership strayed into the realm of fairytale, no player's journey to be part of that drought-breaking win was more far-fetched than Clay Smith's.

The Bulldogs won their second flag this year after becoming the first team in VFL/AFL history to claim a premiership from seventh on the ladder – the previous lowest home and away finish of a premier was fifth, by Adelaide in 1998.

In ending the club's 62-year premiership hiatus, Luke Beveridge and his men won two away finals, against West Coast at Domain Stadium and Greater Western Sydney at Spotless Stadium, and defeated the reigning premier, Hawthorn, and minor premiers, the Sydney Swans.

Smith's effort to play a part in that incredible run was even more remarkable.

The Gippsland Power product entered the 2016 season having undergone three right knee reconstructions in the previous three years.

Smith had played just four senior games since he first ruptured his right anterior cruciate ligament against Essendon in round 16, 2013.

Since his most recent ACL rupture, against St Kilda in round six, 2015, Smith had asked himself at times during his rehabilitation whether he "wanted to go through it all again or not".

But with a year still to go on his existing contract with the Bulldogs, Smith resolved to "give it one last crack".

Smith returned in the VFL in June, racking up 35 possessions and seven clearances in Footscray's win over Geelong. After winning 18 contested possessions and seven clearances the following week against Frankston, he earned a senior call-up in round 15 against the Swans.

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After the Bulldogs' semi-final win, Smith was told a childhood friend was in a coma after a serious car accident

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From there, Smith did not look back. With his knee finally holding up, he played a career-high 13 consecutive games that included all four of the Bulldogs' finals.

Clay Smith receives his 2016 premiership medal. Picture: AFL Photos
http://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL%2...WB16AT8583.jpg


He also thrived in a relatively new role as a forward. Although Smith was still regularly rotated through the midfield, it was in attack that he carved a niche.

Despite his late start to the season, the long-time inside midfielder kicked 18 goals in 2016, to finish fifth on the Bulldogs' goalkicking table.

But Smith's primary focus was on applying forward pressure – and it showed. The 23-year-old averaged more tackles a game (5.9) than any other Bulldog, and took his defensive pressure to an even higher level in September and the first Saturday in October.

Over the Bulldogs' four finals, Smith laid a remarkable 38 tackles, 11 more than his nearest teammate, Luke Dahlhaus. He reserved his best defensive effort for Grand Final day, laying a season-high 11 tackles in the 22-point win over the Swans.

A week earlier against GWS, Smith played his best game for the Bulldogs. On the Giants' home deck, he had equal career-highs in possessions (26) and goals (four). All of Smith's goals came in the first half, three of them in the second quarter as the Bulldogs built a nine-point half-time lead.

The left-footer's heroics came amid the most trying personal circumstances.

After the Bulldogs' semi-final win over Hawthorn, he was told childhood friend, Dale Walkinshaw, was in a coma after a serious car accident in Darwin. On the following Monday, Walkinshaw died, leaving a distraught Smith five days to get his head right to take on GWS.

"It was a pretty emotional week. I didn'treally know how to feel after the GWS game and we had the funeral the following Tuesday before the Grand Final," Smith said.

"You never wish that upon anyone but these things happen and we just sort of got together with his family and group of mates and tried to get around each other as best we could.

"And I knew going out there and playing footy was what he would have wanted me to do. So that was my escape, to get out there. It sort of freed my head a little bit, which was nice."

Clay Smith in tears after the preliminary final win over GWS. Picture: AFL Photos
http://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL%2...WB16MW2984.jpg

On the field, things could scarcely have turned out better for Smith in 2016. His hopes ahead of the season were certainly far more modest than what he ultimately achieved.

"I hoped to get back and play. I was just looking to get back and play footy and enjoy being back around the boys," Smith said.

"I was lucky enough to get back and play some games, string some together in a row – I hadn't done that for three years – and I stayed in the side.

"The way it panned out was pretty much like a fairytale."

Having entered his second week of 2017 pre-season training, Smith is now more concerned with football realities.

Rapt to have started with the Bulldogs' main group for the first time in four years, Smith is relishing the opportunity to work hard on his game.

"I just want to get as fit as I possibly can, while starting training on day one will obviously give me more time to work on my skills – my kicking and my hands – and I'll just be out there with the boys working on the drills more," Smith said.

Clay was terrific in all finals too. His bump on Griffin that set Caleb up for a goal was memorable.

Love Clay,such an Animalistic Beast.

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Originally Posted by Bulldog4life

Clay was terrific in all finals too. His bump on Griffin that set Caleb up for a goal was memorable.

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I loved that one as well. Griffen is a bigger body than Clay but it was clay who won the advantage. Awesome footy and tough stuff.

I'm so happy for Clay to finally get a decent run at it and he showed what he is capable of.

I have a bit of relationship with this story as Clay's Granddad is a local and his Mum and Dad where staying with me the last time he did a knee.
I am so wrapped for all of them as they are a great family and well deserving.

I have a bit of relationship with this story as Clay's Granddad is a local and his Mum and Dad where staying with me the last time he did a knee.
I am so wrapped for all of them as they are a great family and well deserving.

Clay was responsible for my favorite bit if play this year too. Against the Swans in Sydney when he split that pack and got the ball to Wallis at the start of that last play of the game that finished with JJ's winning goal. There were Sydney players all around that ball but Clay's attack on it made them all blink and they weren't really on attacking with the same vigour as Clay.

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Originally Posted by Twodogs

Clay was responsible for my favorite bit if play this year too. Against the Swans in Sydney when he split that pack and got the ball to Wallis at the start of that last play of the game that finished with JJ's winning goal. There were Sydney players all around that ball but Clay's attack on it made them all blink and they weren't really on attacking with the same vigour as Clay.

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He also lays the last tackle in the sequence leading up to Picken's second goal in the GF. He tackles, ball gets to Macrae, the rest is history.

Picked kicks a goal with a funny sort of dinky kick. He didn't straighten up just dropped the ball onto his foot.

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Originally Posted by Twodogs

Picked kicks a goal with a funny sort of dinky kick. He didn't straighten up just dropped the ball onto his foot.

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Might have been smothered if it was a full kick. Picken is the master of pulling his kicks to get them away under pressure.

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Originally Posted by Mofra

Might have been smothered if it was a full kick. Picken is the master of pulling his kicks to get them away under pressure.

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I think you're right. It's a remarkable bit of skill to pull off under that sort of pressure.


It's great that Clay gets to play in a premiership after all he's been through.

The moment Clay Smith beat Ryan Griffen in that contest to set up Caleb Daniels goal had a very deep and profound meaning for me as a long time Bulldogs supporter. In a finals series full of colossal contests resulting in colossal goals this one was the greatest with only the Boyd goal in the last 1/4 of the Grand final to compete with it. This of course is purely a personal point of view.

My reasoning relates to what the two players in the pivotal contest, Clay Smith and Ryan Griffen, symbolise as players and what the two clubs, the Western Bulldogs and GWS, represent as clubs in the modern Australian sporting landscape and my connections to them both.

The lead up to the Daniel goal was a series of incredibly fierce contests that was breathtaking to watch. In the dying seconds of the 3rd 1/4 and us behind on the scoreboard it was going to take something special to get us back in the game and even things up and give us some momentum going into the last. Each possession taken under the most intense finals pressure and somehow we willed the ball forward. The were magical touches such as Stringer's deft tap to Dahl and Libba's miraculous handpass to Stringer and lots of courage and valour from many other players involved.

I thought perhaps our chance was gone when Dahlhaus got run down but he managed to get the handball away and then came the contest between Smith and Griffen and the greatest bump I have ever witnessed.

Clay Smith as we all know is a contested ball beast despite his size at 181cm. However this dude has been through 3 knee reconstructions and had not been able to complete many preseasons because of it. His career hanging in the balance and being written off by almost everyone. He had shown remarkable tenacity to just get back on the field after all he has endured. Clay in his short career in many ways symbolised the struggle of our club. The heartbreaks, the disappointments, the fleeting moments of hope and so on but a fierce determination to get back up and keep trying. In fact had Daniel not been there Smith would have re-gathered and probably kicked the goal himself (his 5th) as he kept his feet.

Ryan Griffen on the other hand at 190cm and with 237 AFL games in a stellar career with a long list of accomplishments achieved over 13 seasons, was the bigger, stronger and more credentialed going into this contest and on paper should win and help clear the ball to safety. But he couldn't. Too me he is symbolic of the lost preliminary finals teams. Good but not good enough. There is just something missing. He is also symbolic of a sad past that saw many champions that I adored leave the club. Players like Quinlan, Stoneham, Templeton, Dempsey, Featherby, Hardie, Edmond, Brown, Cooney, Higgins and all the others who would never play in a premiership.

The fact that Griffen went to GWS made Clay Smith winning this colossal bump even more satisfying for me as I, like many others, hate the club. I lived in that western suburbs shithole for 8 years (apologies to anyone living there now). Doing 'time' in Rooty Hill, Blacktown and Parramatta I was regularly taunted with jibes about our game being Aerial Ping Pong by the yobs that dwell there. Further, I was told directly in 2000 by the then head honcho for the AFL in NSW that HQ wanted the Bulldogs relocated in Sydney's West. "They are the perfect fit" he claimed. "The locals can I identify with them and they've got the name" he also stated. "The Libba/Kelly rivalry is a good thing" he continued, "The league fans like that".

Plus, we all know about the endless privileges that GWS have been given in terms of draft concessions and favoured treatment by the AFL. But I won't get into that right now!!!

When Daniel kicked that goal I jumped out of my seat and yelled 'stick that up your @$$# Griffen, how do you like that AFL?' Brian Taylor described it as goal of the year. Goal of a life time would be more apt. I think Clay and our all our boys who played that day represent a new bulldog breed. One that simply doesn't give in and can win against the odds no matter how great.

I loved our banner about our club being made with blood and boots and not in AFL focus groups. Nothing could describe my sentiments more precisely!

Sensational.

The thing I love is the difference in intent, in my opinion? between the two players. And this is not a sleight on Griffen. Not one bit.

Griffen is trying to win the ball. Smith is trying to make sure his teammate wins the ball.

If you watch the impact and watch where the ball is, Smith is clearing Griff out, knowing Daniel is ready to pounce.

Selfless act by a selfless player.

Great post Doc.

Pure poetry Doc.

Should point out the guy kicking the goal was the shortest player in the AFL whom we picked up with a speculative 3rd round pick we gained for trading out Liam Jones to Carlton who gave him a 3 year contract. Just some sweet icing on the cake :)

Thanks Doc

Not to diminish how that contest makes any of us feel, and I loved Doc's post.......however, I don't think Clay won the bump as decisively as some of us might remember - though with the ball jarring loose he effectively won the contest.

I've watched it over and over again (probably more than any other contest of the finals series) and think it was a magnificent example of two players getting low and having an honest crack at a loose ball. After the actual bump Griffen put in a lunge at the loose ball and got reasonably close to getting a hand on the footy at the same time Daniel did, as much as I've gone off the guy he didn't shirk any aspect at all, the fact that he put everything in and couldn't stop us is most satisfying to me.

10cm taller and 10kg heavier with the bigger man having greater momentum. Also, we goaled. Clay won that as much as anyone could ever win a contest.

I'm pretty sure I did say Clay won the contest. But I'm not sure when Griffen (irrespective of what it says on the Giants web page and Wikipedia) became so tall and heavy.

All I am saying is I've heard many a supporter talk about how Clay smashed Griffen in the bump and I think that's inaccurate. Barely even close - and objective - examination of the evidence shows that.

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Originally Posted by jeemak

I'm pretty sure I did say Clay won the contest. But I'm not sure when Griffen (irrespective of what it says on the Giants web page and Wikipedia) became so tall and heavy.

All I am saying is I've heard many a supporter talk about how Clay smashed Griffen in the bump and I think that's inaccurate. Barely even close - and objective - examination of the evidence shows that.

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That is how I saw it as well. Both brave and gutsy efforts.

Bump is at 5:30

Griffen fell to his knees, Clay kept his feet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45Hkba1o64g

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Originally Posted by jeemak

I'm pretty sure I did say Clay won the contest. But I'm not sure when Griffen (irrespective of what it says on the Giants web page and Wikipedia) became so tall and heavy.

All I am saying is I've heard many a supporter talk about how Clay smashed Griffen in the bump and I think that's inaccurate. Barely even close - and objective - examination of the evidence shows that.

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Objectivity is immeasurably bias as far as individual observations go. That said, in my bias Smith smashed him as BD says, sent him to his knees while he kept his feet.

I'm not one to question GWS profile data I've never stood next to Griffen to get a handle on his size.

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Originally Posted by 1eyedog

Objectivity is immeasurably bias as far as individual observations go. That said, in my bias Smith smashed him as BD says, sent him to his knees while he kept his feet.

I'm not one to question GWS profile data I've never stood next to Griffen to get a handle on his size.

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It'd be surprising if he grew 3-4 cms in his late 20s considering we had him at 186-7 IIRC

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Originally Posted by jeemak

I'm pretty sure I did say Clay won the contest. But I'm not sure when Griffen (irrespective of what it says on the Giants web page and Wikipedia) became so tall and heavy.

All I am saying is I've heard many a supporter talk about how Clay smashed Griffen in the bump and I think that's inaccurate. Barely even close - and objective - examination of the evidence shows that.

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For mine is not so much that Clay 'won' the contest, but that he positioned himself to clear space for a teammate that meant that we got the goal.

It was terrific to watch from both players, and, dare I say it, Griff won a decent chunk of my respect back. He actually rode the bump well.

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Originally Posted by hujsh

It'd be surprising if he grew 3-4 cms in his late 20s considering we had him at 186-7 IIRC

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Nah we always had him at 188

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Originally Posted by boydogs

Bump is at 5:30

Griffen fell to his knees, Clay kept his feet

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Spot on bd.

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Originally Posted by hujsh

It'd be surprising if he grew 3-4 cms in his late 20s considering we had him at 186-7 IIRC

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I recall him being listed as 189cm in his last couple of years with us - B-Mac added weight tto him to turn him into an inside midfielder, like 95% of our list.

I get that Clay kept his feet and all that, but he was clearly off balance and Griffen was in the better position to affect the spilt ball and as you can see, almost got a hand to it as Daniel swooped.

Anyway, if we've come this far it's doubtful our positions on this bumping incident will change. Perhaps we should just get back to how awesome Clay's finals were.

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Originally Posted by jeemak

I get that Clay kept his feet and all that, but he was clearly off balance and Griffen was in the better position to affect the spilt ball and as you can see, almost got a hand to it as Daniel swooped.

Anyway, if we've come this far it's doubtful our positions on this bumping incident will change. Perhaps we should just get back to how awesome Clay's finals were.

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All of them? Can we handle the bandwidth?

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Originally Posted by Twodogs

All of them? Can we handle the bandwidth?

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The guy with the ugliest kicking style in football kicked 8 goals 1 in the finals series.

2 goals per game from a small forward is outstanding. If he played every game and maintained that average he would have finished 8th in the Coleman medal. Only Jack Redpath managed to average 2 goals per game during the year, and that was only from 10 games.

FWIW Jake Stringer's 2015 AA year he average 2.55 goals per game, Dickson 2.17 in 2015. Prior to that you have to go back to 2011 to find a Bulldog that managed it (Hall and Gia).

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Originally Posted by Mofra

The guy with the ugliest kicking style in football kicked 8 goals 1 in the finals series.

2 goals per game from a small forward is outstanding. If he played every game and maintained that average he would have finished 8th in the Coleman medal. Only Jack Redpath managed to average 2 goals per game during the year, and that was only from 10 games.

FWIW Jake Stringer's 2015 AA year he average 2.55 goals per game, Dickson 2.17 in 2015. Prior to that you have to go back to 2011 to find a Bulldog that managed it (Hall and Gia).

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That's some damn fine use of bandwidth, right there.

Those goalkicking stats are pretty ordinary for the years 2012-2014. I guess we were finding our defensive mindset is a big reason. God we were an ugly team to watch in those years. Anyone who sat through that deserved a premiership.

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Originally Posted by Mofra

The guy with the ugliest kicking style in football kicked 8 goals 1 in the finals series.

2 goals per game from a small forward is outstanding. If he played every game and maintained that average he would have finished 8th in the Coleman medal. Only Jack Redpath managed to average 2 goals per game during the year, and that was only from 10 games.

FWIW Jake Stringer's 2015 AA year he average 2.55 goals per game, Dickson 2.17 in 2015. Prior to that you have to go back to 2011 to find a Bulldog that managed it (Hall and Gia).

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Picken also kicked 8 during the finals and to me was the player of the finals (across all 4)

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Originally Posted by bornadog

Picken also kicked 8 during the finals and to me was the player of the finals (across all 4)

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For us he was player of the Finals series by the length of the straight.

I think Kennedy was a deserving winner of the official award.

Yep, Picken was our best. Smith was pretty good though and excellent when it counted.

Smith was so important for us when he made his comeback after the 3rd knee reco. He not only kicked goals in the finals, his tackling in the forward 50 was enormous.

Some highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lSMoHMd1ME[/QUOTE]