VETERAN defender Will Schofield has overcome both personal and football adversity to be a driving force in West Coast's remarkable premiership triumph.
Schofield was overlooked by Adam Simpson to play Collingwood in the Eagles' qualifying final victory on September 8, but following a hamstring injury to Brad Sheppard, got a reprieve.
He didn't need a second invitation.
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Not only is the premiership a reward for 12 seasons of toil at the Eagles, but also capped an emotional year for the 29-year-old.
"I lost one of my best mates this year in a bike accident," Schofield said post-match.
"That rocked me pretty hard, and my close friends back in Melbourne.
"I lost my dad three or four years ago, pretty suddenly.
"I know they'll be up there, watching on, having a chat, pretty proud.
"Both were really big influences on my life."
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The former Geelong College student said he had no choice but to dust himself off after being dropped for the first final.
"It was incredibly disappointing to be left out," he said.
"(I'm an) experienced player, you want to be there when finals come around.
"I couldn't really drop my bundle, there was no point in doing that.
"I'm in the team now and we've won a premiership, so I'd say it's a 360 (degree turnaround)."
Schofield was given one of the toughest assignments on the biggest stage, responsible for minding Collingwood match-winner Jordan de Goey in the forward 50.
The prodigiously talented Magpie kicked a brilliant early goal after evading tackles from Jeremy McGovern and Jack Redden and launched two more long-range bombs from outside 50m when playing in the midfield.
He finished with three goals and looked like stealing victory, but in their one-on-one contests, Schofield took the points.
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"I did a lot of work on stopping his influence," Schofield said.
"To be honest he's a better player and better athlete than me, so I had to go about it a different way.
"He jumps higher, runs quicker, probably further as well. I tried to take away his strengths and his influence on the game as best I could and try to get him off his game.
"When he was forward I nullified him as much as I could.
"He got away from us a little bit in the midfield and kicked a couple of goals.
"It's a backman's worst nightmare when you see the player you've kept to not much in the forward line, and he goes into the midfield and the bloody midfielders let him off the leash.
"I thought I played all right."
That's an understatement. Schofield can fondly look back on his 176th career game as one of his best and the one that finally nabbed him a richly deserved premiership medal.
