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.

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



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



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.