Clay Ready to Go

[Ghost Dog]

Yeah he mungrels it but somehow manages to kick it straight through the big sticks most times. His field kicking is pretty unreliable but it all comes good when he is kicking for goal.

A bit like Suckling's technique is all wrong and his centre is way off when his foot hits the ball but other than Lindsay Gilbee I can't think of a more effective kick of the footy playing for us. Small sample I admit.

Do you play the kid in a defensive mode, try to mitigate the damage that could be done, or to hell with it and let him loose?

[Ghost Dog]

Weird seeing McCartney in the box. So much changes so quickly. Geez Dahlhaus is a jet.

Good luck Clay. You deserve it.

And weird hearing Rocket commentate.

[Twodogs]

Do you play the kid in a defensive mode, try to mitigate the damage that could be done, or to hell with it and let him loose?

Pretty much the whole team plays in defensive mode these days. But I don't think he would have the pace or delivery to play in the backline. Forward or bust I'd say.

[Dancin' Douggy]

Chaos ball has been raised a few times on its forum and given how many sound sets of hands we have at ground level it makes sense.

I would love to see a chaos ball come into an outnumbered Stringer, rather than a bomb on his head.

[Remi Moses]

We have a bloke coming back after 3 knees that barely gets a mention, yet we get 24/7 on the Cloke Soap opera .
The afl media are pathetic

[bornadog]

Great piece on Clay:

Menzel heaps praise on the feat of Clay


WHEN Clay Smith makes his long awaited return from a third knee reconstruction in the VFL this weekend, the luckless Bulldog will be in the thoughts of a peer who has a travelled a frighteningly similar journey.

Daniel Menzel's courageous battle to overcome the dreaded ACL tear on four occasions is one of football's most inspiring tales, and the Geelong forward has formed a strong bond with Smith.

Menzel has only played 31 games in seven seasons at the Cats, while Smith has just 34 senior appearances to his name since making his debut in round one, 2012.

Menzel's own footy commitments won't allow him to support his friend at Whitten Oval on Saturday, but Smith will re-enter the fray with the best wishes of the football world and some sage advice from the classy Cat.

"When I heard he was going to play this weekend I texted him saying I was rapt for him and that I would definitely be keeping an eye on him," Menzel told AFL.com.au.

"I said enjoy the game and be proud of what you've achieved because like me, he wants to come back and play good footy.

"I feel so pumped for Clay because he's so excited to be playing again and he's worked so hard to get there."

The rehabilitation from repeated knee reconstructions is both mentally and physically draining, and Menzel believes only the very strong in body and mind can see the arduous recovery periods through.

Those all-important traits were clearly evident in the rugged midfielder from the first meeting, Menzel said.

"To come back from one, let alone multiple ACLs, you think to yourself how unfair it is he has to go through that again," he said.

"You speak to some blokes and you notice the drive to get back isn't that high, or they have doubts, but with Clay there's a lot of belief.

"To hear that he's back is really pleasing, but not surprising at all."

While he said Smith would probably run down the race with some psychological scars to go with his physical ones, Menzel was sure the 23-year-old's thorough preparation would exorcise any mental demons.

"The first contest he gets knocked over will be a little nerve-racking, and (the injuries) are certainly in the back of your mind, but you don't think about after that," he said.

"But once you've done enough contact drills, you're over the fear of a reoccurrence.

"Clay will be at the stage now where he's done everything at training, and he will have full confidence going into the game."

In a quirk of the fixture, the Dogs play the Cats twice in the next eight weeks, and Menzel believed it would be a special occasion if the kindred spirits squared off in Smith's first AFL game since round six last year.

"Eight weeks is a long time, and it took me six weeks in the VFL last time, but you never know," Menzel pondered.

"It would be pretty special to play against Clay in his first game back.

"It would be weird because we wouldn't want to tackle each other."

[Dancin' Douggy]

Gee I'm worried about the greasy conditions.

[Eastdog]

Good luck Clay and hopefully will see him in the seniors very soon. Will be keen to hear how he travels tomorrow.

[Eastdog]

We have a bloke coming back after 3 knees that barely gets a mention, yet we get 24/7 on the Cloke Soap opera .
The afl media are pathetic

So agree with this Remi. Cloke was featured on the news again last night.

[The Underdog]

We have a bloke coming back after 3 knees that barely gets a mention, yet we get 24/7 on the Cloke Soap opera .
The afl media are pathetic

To be fair Cloke was a match winner for the biggest club in Australia for a while and his drop off has been precipitous. Clay is a great story of persistence but nowhere near Cloke's peak. Both have *!*!*!*!ing awful kicking actions though...

[Remi Moses]

To be fair Cloke was a match winner for the biggest club in Australia for a while and his drop off has been precipitous. Clay is a great story of persistence but nowhere near Cloke's peak. Both have *!*!*!*!ing awful kicking actions though...

No doubting the playing credentials of Cloke compared to Clay, and Collingwood's profile, but it's ad-nauseum on Travis .
You've got a guy coming back from a knee reco, and yet it doesn't get even acknowledged .

[jazzadogs]

No doubting the playing credentials of Cloke compared to Clay, and Collingwood's profile, but it's ad-nauseum on Travis .
You've got a guy coming back from a knee reco, and yet it doesn't get even acknowledged .

I'm confident that his afl comeback will be sufficiently covered, but I agree the fascination with Clokes vfl matches was so ridiculous it was noticeable from the other side of the world!

[Rocket Science]

VFL: Clay Smith best on ground for Footscray in return match


Western Bulldogs midfielder Clay Smith was typically best on ground with 36 disposals and five tackles on return from a third anterior cruciate ligament injury in Footscray's seven-point win over Geelong at Whitten Oval on Saturday.

Smith, in his first match since rupturing the ACL in his right knee in round six against St Kilda last season, has had a history of dominating VFL matches on return from knee injuries.

He had 39 touches on return from his first ACL injury in 2014 – and followed that up with another 24-disposals best on ground display in 2015 on return from his second knee injury.

Of course, he hopes the concerning pattern that has followed those displays to stop – the dreaded ACL.

"I didn't want to moz him, but historically, he's always had an impact as soon as he's come back," Bulldogs VFL coach Ash Hansen said.

"I think it's a combination of our rehab staff, who have prepared him really well for his return."

"Clay himself, the way he's applied himself over the past year where it can be really devastating to go through the process again. But because he's known what he's had to do, he's been really diligent. I think for his contribution to be the way it was, was a great reflection on Clay," he said.

Hansen added: "I wouldn't have cared if he had five touches and just got through the game healthy, but to have that contribution certainly allowed us to win which I'm sure he'll be proud of."

Despite the 23-year-old's dominant performance, it is likely that he will be forced to wait to add to his 34 AFL match tally.

"He wasn't restricted game time wise, he was in our normal rotations," Hansen said.

"I think for Clay, a lot of it is about continuity and getting a lot of footy into him. With the AFL team going relatively well at the moment, obviously you have to wait for an opportunity but I don't think would want to rush Clay."

"But certainly he will be a week by week discussion on where he's at. He will obviously build up over the next few weeks and get some confidence in his game style and his role," he said.

On return from suspension, Lin Jong also pressed for a senior recall with 30 disposals.

"Obviously he's disappointed he's had to miss games through suspension, but obviously he's able to still train and he's carried over his form. It was really strong at VFL level which warranted AFL selection," Hansen said.

Hansen said Tom Boyd also showed some encouraging form in his second match back from a shoulder injury, despite not hitting the scoreboard.

"He didn't hit the scoreboard and I know that's where everyone is going to look at straight away, but I think he impacted the game in other areas. He took more marks this week and defensively, he was better," he said.

Jed Adcock and Lukas Webb (24 disposals) also added to the Dogs' impressive depth.

"Squads allow for team success at AFL level. We'll certainly be calling on all of these guys at some point in the back half of the year. That's what we do preach, is that you need a portfolio of performances at VFL level to gain selection. It's not like in the past where a one game performance has been rewarded," he said.

Geelong forward Mitch Clark got through unscathed in his second match on return from a calf injury with 16 disposals and a last-quarter goal. Sam Menegola impressed with 21 disposals.

[bulldogtragic]

Cmon Clay!!

[hujsh]

If Dahl's out for a while is Clay the replacement maybe?