-
Our 1954 premiership players are our heroes, and it has to be said that Charlie was their hero. -
Re: We still love you Clay.
Don't loose you're mind mate. Your all right."It's over. It's all over."Comment
-
Re: We still love you Clay.
I forgot just how good he is. 3 last night, 3 posters and a denied goal for running too far. His manic pressure, tackling, bumping and ferocious attack is just what we needed. If he brings this every week, he's not getting dropped anytime soon. As Bevo said in the presser, he brings fear as opposition players hear him coming.Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023Comment
-
Re: We still love you Clay.
It's all heart with Clay. He's got that Glenn Archer 'live by the sword, die by the sword' way of playing. If there were a player who could be forgiven taking a short step it's Clay but he throws himself at it as ferociously as anyone I"ve seen.Comment
-
Re: We still love you Clay.
It's not just his tackling. I know it's not the intention but we are borderline patronising to Clay the amount we focus on his tackling. He has a few attributes that give him the flexibility to add value forward. Puts his ahead of the legion of inside mids we have who have to rotate/spend majority their time forward.
1- Despite his poor kicking technique, he has good goal sense. The typical 'knows where the goals are' type. He looks way more comfortable snapping the ball rather than when he has time to conventionally pass the ball up the ground.
2- His tenacity doesn't end at ground level. He is a competitive aerial beast, doing anything he can to get the ball to ground. In the first quarter of last night's game he got hands to a marking contest and kicked a goal form his own crumbs.
3- Agility/quick turn. He hasn't lost it after the knee recos.
4- Natural ball finder. Means unlike other small forwards, it's hard to keep him out of the game for long periods.Comment
-
Re: We still love you Clay.
Just re watched the game to look closely at boyd and clays work. I can understand by watching and sitting on the sidelines thinking about his game while injured, you should become a smarter player. But boy clay putting it to practice after very few games is outstanding. If his skills ever get near his desire for the footy. He will be in the lenny hayes quality of player. Keep it up clay. Becoming a favourite of mine.Comment
-
Re: We still love you Clay.
Not all heart, a dash of Hollywood too. See that turn he did ? Lead the chasing defender a merry dance, juked him out of his boots. After his injuries, you aren't supposed to do that. Had the ball on a string when he got it in space on the run as well.Time and Tide Waits For No ManComment
-
Re: We still love you Clay.
The optimistic Dog who knows every game could be his last
CLAY Smith knows his career is likely over if he seriously injures his right knee again, but he isn’t fazed.
The Western Bulldogs midfielder, who has endured three reconstructions on his right knee in three years, played his third game on Saturday night since returning from his latest injury lay-off.
True to his recent run of luck, the 23-year-old managed to hit the post on three occasions and had a possible goal of the week nomination disallowed in the 48-point win over Gold Coast.
It didn’t shake the resilient Dog, who finished with 3.4 from 17 possessions to be one of their best.
“The first poster was shocking, I should have nailed that. I thought the other two might have swung back in," Smith told AFL.com.au.
"The one I got called for running too far was a case of, if I had a bounce, I would have got caught.
"I'm sure I'll get the luck of the draw in the next few weeks."
Having such an optimistic outlook on life was pivotal in Smith’s ability to fight back from adversity and overcome years of rehabilitation, and now has him regarded as an important part of the finals-bound Bulldogs.
"Clay's as hard as anyone at the footy and any opponent in the comp," coach Luke Beveridge said.
Smith has mixed his work up between the forward line and the midfield in his past three games.
"It's the defensive side of game, I think the opposition hear him coming and he's going to be important for us (in the run to the finals),” Beveridge said.
"He's done some special things since he's come into the side."
While the Gippsland product will never shy away from attacking the contest at 100 miles an hour, he's well aware if his right knee does give way again, his highly promising and stop-start career will be finished.
But Smith is subscribing to the old theory – 'the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.'
"My last recovery period was 13 months and it was the longest out of the three injuries and I've come back feeling really confident," Smith said.
"I ended up having a quad graft this time to repair my knee and the doctors believe this will be the strongest one yet, but if it goes again that's pretty much the (end of my career).
"But as soon as I step on the ground I don't think about my knee at all, I have complete confidence in it.
"'Bevo' is pretty happy with playing down forward with my tackling and pressure, but I'll play more in the midfield as I find my feet.
"It's just good to get some continuity."
That stability in his footy is yet to see Smith play in a losing side this season, but he's not about to tempt fate and declare himself a lucky charm.
"I've told the boys we've won three in a row since I've been in the side," Smith joked.
"And I'll need to remind 'Bevo' too if he's thinking of dropping of me."FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.Comment
-
Re: We still love you Clay.
Love the last few comments!
Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023Comment
-
Re: We still love you Clay.
Please hold together.But then again, I'm an Internet poster and Bevo is a premiership coach so draw your own conclusions.Comment
Tweet
Comment