News Farewell Clay

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So gutted for you Clay, would have loved to see you back stalking the forward line like a hungry Lion. Thank you for your amazing finals series. One of the very best Bullgods.
 
Sad news but totally understandable. Clay has given his all to his footy career and comes away with a premiership medal and the love of teammates and supporters.

Thanks for everything, Clay, enjoy what life brings in the future.

Now, time to watch the 2016 prelim again... for the 100th time... :)
 

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Johnny_Dogg4 said:
Will never forget that prelim final.
A premiership player
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I would argue that his prelim was more important to our premiership than JJ or TB the following week.

He played the most important single game of football for us in my 50 years following the Bulldogs. Imo

Respect.
 
Has anyone ever had a 55 game career like Clay?

So hard to get back after 3 knee recos, but to be such an important part of our flag defies all odds!

Boy, could we use him out there now!

Well done, Champ!
 
Thanks Clay your a star. A shame we never got to see the best of Clay because of the knee's when a young player but too still be able to be a huge reason for the 2016 premiership and play so well still was unbelievable. Can only dream of the player he would be now without the horrible luck. Deserved that premiership so much.
 

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Thank you Clay for all that you gave us fans. It was a bumpy road for you but after winning a flag in 2016 I’m sure that it was all worth it to you.

As you put it in an article a few years ago - the one year your knee came good and you won a flag. Murphy was here 18 years and did his knee in a flag year. Swings and roundabouts of footy. She’s a cruel mistress.

I’ll never forget sitting next to the race when we played the saints in 2015. Seeing you go down on the boundary and thinking you’d done your ACL again, then seeing you resurface and come back on and seeing you crumble again and go past me on the medicab, body shaking with tears and emotion is another football memory that will never leave me. Total roller coaster of emotions. Not sure I’ve ever felt so hurt and sad at the football.

We’ll always speak fondly of your debut, your attack on the man and the ball but your game against GWS will always be fresh in the hearts and minds of bulldogs fans everywhere.

All the best in retirement. #ThanksClay
 
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Clay is a bullGOD. Nothing can change that now. His knees deprived us of a long and special career but for four weeks and most of 2016 we saw a glimmer of godliness that was huge in netting us our second premiership.

He was central to the pressure we could apply to opposition. A maniac of a tackler and so tough as an inside mid. For years his opponents will shudder remembering his footsteps thud behind them.

Thank you Clay Smith. It was short but what a delightful career it was to witness. It's a shame we didn't get more of you but i am definitely taking what we got.
 
Clay Smith our junkyard dog with the quirky kicking style.
I'll never forget watching his interview after the prelim talking about his best mate who had died only days before the game.
He absolutely starred in the best game of football I have ever seen.
BULLGOD FOREVER
 
Sad news to be waking up to, but not entirely unexpected. Was good to see him training again, but in a way it must have just been a goodbye for him as well.

One hell of a career cruelly cut short by serious injuries, but him winning the flag was just an amazing experience to watch after knowing everything he’s gone through. Will always be a flag hero & can watch the whole finals series with pride for what he did for us!!

One of my favourite players with how he attacked the ball, he was a beast. One of my favourite moments of him was tackling someone in a game, just annoying I can’t remember which one. He just beelined at the player about to receive the ball, he didn’t try to get low to tackle around the hips like usual & literally just ran into him with his body, wrapped both arms around him before they hit the ground. It just looked funny as I can only think of Mumford using his body in the same way & he had 30kg on Clay. It’s a shame he’s barely been able to get back out there as his toughness is understated.

Thanks for everything Clay :largeredcircle::mwcirlce::largebluecircle::trophy:
 
No sadder Bulldog household than ours today. Had to deliver the news to my son earlier today about Clay's retirement decision. Little bloke wears his number and has been a bit lost this year with the footy because Clay's body hasn't let him get on the park.

I will always have the memory of the 2016 PF watching Clay carve up the plastics who didn't even respect him enough to know that he preferred to kick on his left foot.

And I will always be immensely proud of the 11 tackles he laid in the 2016 GF. We don't win that match without that sort of pressure applied by Clay.
 
So mentally tough to come back from those knees and then have his mate pass, and then play that game in the prelim of 2016 a few days later.

Wrecking ball. Will miss him.
 
BRWB said:
So mentally tough to come back from those knees and then have his mate pass, and then play that game in the prelim of 2016 a few days later.

Wrecking ball. Will miss him.
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Watched that reserves game when he was on fire and had The Bombers team just looking around for him.
He dead set had them frightened ! Then the second knee , literally had a tear in my eye standing next to him at the 3/4 time huddle.

Going to miss you champ !

But how good will the reunions be ? Libber and Smithy - wow.
 
Probably not much left of his knee. If you cant run and train the house down, you cant play modern footy. No camping in the forward pocket like the good old days.

Still, there would be plenty of blokes who would gladly swap their careers, including knee recos, for that premiership.

Interesting note : Dal wanted Crozier, Macca wanted Smith. We ended up with both! (and as it turns out in the exact order we needed them)
 
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