Clay Smith calls time on career

[G-Mo77]

https://image.ibb.co/dUOHsT/Capture.jpg

Western Bulldogs forward Clay Smith has announced his retirement from AFL football, effective immediately.

Smith, who has been battling a knee injury which has forced him to remain on the sidelines in 2018, told his team-mates and Club staff today that his seven-year career has come to an end.

A much-loved player at the Bulldogs who has endured the agony of injury and the ecstasy of premiership success, finishes his time at the highest level with 55 games and 43 goals for the Club.

“It was a very difficult decision for me to retire at my age, but the right one to make given my knee hasn’t been able to fully recover,” Smith said.

“I’ve given everything to try to make it back this season, but unfortunately it hasn’t worked out the way I would’ve liked.

“I want to thank everyone at the Western Bulldogs for their support over my career, and especially the medical staff, physios and strength and rehab staff for their care and professionalism.

“It’s been a difficult road for me, but I was able to experience being in the premiership team and I wouldn’t swap that for anything.

“I’ve also met some great people, made some incredible friendships, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to play AFL football.

“While life without footy will leave a big hole in my life, it has shaped me as a person and helped me grow and I’m thankful for that.”

Smith was recruited to the Bulldogs with pick 17 in the 2011 National Draft from Gippsland Power and burst onto the scene in Round 1 the following year with a four-goal debut against West Coast.

The 16 games he registered in 2012 would be the most he would play in a season, with a series of knee injuries interrupting his career.

He ruptured his ACL three times in the next three seasons, robbing him of the opportunity to establish himself at AFL level.

After three gruelling 12-month rehabilitations, Smith returned in Round 15, 2016, and became a crucial member of the Bulldogs’ premiership run.

He kicked eight goals and averaged 18 disposals in the four finals, including four goals and 26 possessions in the preliminary final win over GWS.

“It has been emotional time for all of us because Clay is such an admired and loved person around the place, and it’s sad his career has come to an end at just 25 years of age,” said Bulldogs’ senior coach Luke Beveridge.

“To have the mental application and strength to work through all the setbacks he’s had to deal with has been inspirational to watch and his team-mates have been motivated by his determination.

“He should be so proud of what he did to overcome all of his challenges, and content that he will always be a Western Bulldogs premiership player.

“We will miss him dearly when he leaves the building, but we will always be connected.”

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2018-07-09/clay-smith-calls-time-on-career

[bulldogtragic]

Thank you.

[chef]

Bulldog legend. That prelim performance will stay with me forever.

Cheers Clay and thank you for the flag.

[westdog54]

Brian Taylor summed him up beautifully during the '16 prelim final: "He's a go-er".

Knew no other way to approach football than as a bull at a gate.

I only wish we could have seen more of his best.

[AndrewP6]

Very sad, though not unexpected news. Clay was a huge part of our 2016 finals success, and forever has a place in the history books. I can only imagine the mental strain of 3 ACL tears - his body just couldn't make it. Wishing him all the best for the next chapter. Thanks for giving us your all.

[The bulldog tragician]

We couldn’t have won the flag without Clay. His ferocity in the PF was simply outstanding. The injury god were so cruel to Clay, but how wonderful that his brief period of respite was in that second half of 2016. We can’t ever thank you enough Clay.

[LostDoggy]

Literally fought back tears. My favourite bulldogs. All the best Clay.

[EasternWest]

Best on ground in one of the most important wins in our history.

I'll never forget the moment he went it lower and harder than Griffen and outbodied him to create that opportunity for Daniel.

Clay goes out early, doing the team thing again. Bulldogs legend, his legacy is assured.

[bornadog]

55 games, that is all. Thank you Clay and all the best.

[Sedat]

Best on ground in one of the most important wins in our history.

I'll never forget the moment he went it lower and harder than Griffen and outbodied him to create that opportunity for Daniel.

Clay goes out early, doing the team thing again. Bulldogs legend, his legacy is assured.
Clay in a nutshell - my favourite ever Bulldogs goal (took something special to knock off Kolyniuk in 1990 vs Collingwood). Built for September and delivered on the big stage.

[Mofra]

No Clay, 2016 flag. It's a simple as that. Forever a BullGod

[Greystache]

Very sad news. Clay was a player who had the talent and heart to have a long and successful AFL career but it just wasn't meant to be.

He'll always be a Bulldogs premiership player and he can take heart that he contributed massively to winning it. His exploits in the prelim final helped break a curse many thought would never be lifted from Whitten Oval. Thanks for everything and good luck in your life post-football Clay. You were a player I truly admired.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Great, great memories, thank you Clay.

[lemmon]

Echoing everyone's sentiments. That one game immortalised Clay.

[bulldogtragic]

Brilliant Finals Record (all in 2016):

4 Games
4 Wins (100% winning record)
1 Premiership

8.1 Scored
2 Goal Assists
3.5 clearances average a final
9.2 tackles average a final
18.5 disposals average a final
Of disposals he had a more contested ratio: 39 contested, 35 uncontested
Lost his best friend to a tragic car accident before the GWS game, but still ran out committed to the contest.

That's one hell of a record to proudly look back upon in the years ahead.

[The Pie Man]

He was incredible in 2016, and we've missed him terribly ever since.

Go well Clay

Seriously emotional at this news.

[ledge]

Always be a bulldog , thanks for the action packed short career and the flag!

[josie]

Good luck Clay. We will miss you and your toughness. The prelim is my fave doggies match and I thankyou for your Herculean efforts in that game, and indeed all the other games you played in the RWB. You are the gold standard of quality of output, attitude and effort not quantity, albeit we all wish we could see you play more. Still remember your first game at docklands when you blitzed opposition with ?4? Or was it ?3? Goals and that miraculous one where you rolled over and got back on you feet like a cat then kicked it through the big sticks. It was electrifying.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Damn, gonna miss him.

He had brutal tenacity, an ability to kick goals and stand up in big moments. Hell of a 2026 and glad he’s forever a premiership hero. All the best Clay.

[angelopetraglia]

So sad to see him go out like this. Loved watching him play. One of my favourites.

What a warrior. From his first game his attack at the contest has been ferocious. If could only bottle that and spread it around.

[Remi Moses]

Stood up in a prelim when previously more vaunted players of ours haven’t .
Tragically cut short . Thank you clay

[Daughter of the West]

Thank you Clay.

Thank you for the incredible September, thank you for throwing everything you had into football for the red, white and blue. I'm so sorry to see you leave not on your terms.

[The Doctor]

Absolute legend Clay

He went to war for us in 2016 and we would never have won the flag without him.

Bulldog Hero Forever

[bornadog]

Some great moments from Clay:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms6A-f4fneM&feature=youtu.be

[Dry Rot]

Farewell Clay. BOG in the best game I've been to.

Watch his 4 goals

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2016-09-24/clay-comes-through-in-huge-first-half


GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 2.1 5.2 9.7 12.11 (83)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.3 6.5 9.6 13.11 (89)

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Patton 4, Greene 3, Lobb 3, D. Smith, Shaw
Western Bulldogs: C. Smith 4, Dickson 4,Cordy 2, Daniel, Bontempelli, Macrae

BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Kelly, Scully, Patton, Coniglio, Wilson, Greene
Western Bulldogs: C. Smith, Dahlhaus, Dickson, Morris, Wood, Johannisen, Macrae, Picken

INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Ward (concussion)
Western Bulldogs: Roughead (eye)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Nicholls, Schmitt, Meredith

Official crowd: 21,790 at Spotless Stadium

[The bulldog tragician]

Even though the PF was his best, I also remember him kicking a vital goal v Hawthorn when we were on the ropes. I remember thinking/saying: come on Clay, this is what you worked so hard for. He didn’t disappoint.

[Twodogs]

That'll do Clay, that'll do.

[Sedat]

Even though the PF was his best, I also remember him kicking a vital goal v Hawthorn when we were on the ropes. I remember thinking/saying: come on Clay, this is what you worked so hard for. He didn’t disappoint.
Kicked 2 goals just before half tine when we were on the ropes. Massive in the scheme of things.

[Smads57]

Loved him as a Bulldog player - always gave 100%. Very saddened but understand why he is retiring. All the very best for the future Clay.

[Mofra]

Farewell Clay. BOG in the best game I've been to.

Watch his 4 goals

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2016-09-24/clay-comes-through-in-huge-first-half
I honestly think his best prelim moment wasn't any of his four goals - it was the contest with Griffen where he just gave it everything to stop Griff getting the ball.

It spills to Daniel who goals to give us a sniff going into 3/4 time. I shudder to think what happens if Clay was even 1% less of a contested beast.

[Insufficient Intent]

So sad to see Clay go, though he'll never be forgotten; Guts and determination personified.
Best wishes to you and your family Clay, for a happy, productive and pain-free life ahead.

[chef]

Need a gif of that Clay v Cryan moment.

[FrediKanoute]

Crying shame that he has been denied a career doing something he loved and was fantastic at. The team walks a bit taller with Smith in it and that ferocious will be sorely missed. Wishing him all the best in life after football. You are 25 Smith, the world is your oyster!

[SlimPickens]

Thank You Clay. One of the toughest people I have ever met. All the best post football.

[dadsgirl16]

All the very best Claybe14...thanks for those wonderful memories...one tough hombre

[GVGjr]

As tough as they come. His first game and his effort against GWS in the preliminary final will be a stand out memory for me.
I doubt we would have made the GF if it wasn't for his game.

He can leave us with his head held high

[JohnGentStand]

From the best of Clay we molded a cup. The best cup ever. Thanks beast.

[ratsmac]

A true bulldog who epitomizes the bulldog spirit. That prelim final, wow, it's probably my favourite of the finals series somehow (it must be all the prelim loses we've endured over the years). Clay was instrumental in that win with his 4 goals and hardness. There was no way we win without him.

And when needed something against Hawthorn we they looked like taking the game away from us and he bobs up with a couple goals. He is a bulldog hero.

We will (have been already) miss him for what he brings when he was on top of his game.

Thank you Clay.

[EasternWest]

From the best of Clay we molded a cup. The best cup ever. Thanks beast.

Love it.

[bulldogtragic]

Love it.

Awesome!

Cmon man. Know your own premiership key word! :D

[whythelongface]

Thank you Clay for being part of Bulldog folklore. You will always be much loved and admired from the Bulldogs faithful.

Good luck in your future. I am sure whatever you put your mind to you will succeed.

[Max469]

Thank you Clay. Loved you from day one. Lots of tears from me today. Good health and happy life.

[macca]

Thank you Clay for so many great moments and the greatest of all, getting us through the Prelim and winning the GF. You are a legend and will be remembered in WB footy folklore

found this highlights reel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lSMoHMd1ME

[Eastdog]

Thanks Clay for everything you have done for the club and for playing a pivotal role in our 2016 premiership success. Unfortunate to go only after playing 55 games due to injuries. I wish him all the best for what he does next.

[LostDoggy]

Shark fishing off a hand line in a tinny as a 17y old you just knew he was going to be something special.

Best on and dragged our club over the line in a prelim a week after losing his best mate is pretty bloody special...

Thank you Clay Smith. Will never forget.

[EasternWest]

Awesome!

Cmon man. Know your own premiership key word! :D

Thankyou for keeping me on my toes. Awesome work.

[Mantis]

Thanks Clay.

Won't forget your efforts to help us win the flag... A brilliant performance against GWS and 2 crucial goals against Hawthorn when we needed them. You were part of an extremely special month of footy.. something to look back fondly on.

Hope the issues with your knee doesn't stop you from have an active life moving forward... all the best.

[azabob]

They say you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone - except in this case.

We as members, supporters and bulldog faithful all know what we are losing, how much of a gap will be left out on the ground without Clay Smith in the #14.

The players - his teammates- his brothers also know how much of a hole out on the ground and in the locker room will be left without him.

Clay Smith lived and breathed the moto Cede Nullis.

Good Luck Clay, and Go Well.

[Sedat]

Love the symmetry of Clay Smith and his no 14 jumper becoming a pivotal part of our flag, the same jumper number that Callan Ward walked away from. The same Callan Ward who netted us a compensation pick used on Jackson Macrae, who kicked the winning goal against GWS in the PF and like Smith also became a premiership hero a week later. And of course one of the signature plays of the PF was Clay Smith going lower and harder than our previous captain who walked out on our club, clearing a path for a critical goal.

There's a very good chance both Ward and Griffen will never become premiership players, while Smith and Macrae will forever be etched in premiership folklore.

[Bulldog4life]

So sad to see Clay go. Saw his first game where he kicked 4 goals and that horrific full body cramp. Thought to myself here is a 200 gamer for us. Wasn't to be. A true beast, who without him we wouldn't have won that on so important prelim. Kept the score ticking over. Will be sorely missed. His absence has been definitely one of the factors why we have dropped down the ladder since 2016.