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• 10 things we learned from the Grand Final

CLAY Smith's first premiership beer was one to savour, and he needed just one word to describe it.

"Unreal," he told AFL.com.au in between swigs.

Saturday's Grand Final upset of the Sydney Swans capped a remarkable season for the Western Bulldogs, and ended a difficult fortnight for the tough 23-year-old.

Smith has faced adversity before – his comeback from three knee reconstructions is testament to his character – but when a close mate tragically lost his life in the lead-up to the Dogs' preliminary final win over Greater Western Sydney, he faced an enormous challenge.

Ignoring his personal grief, Smith was inspired to a four-goal first half against the Giants, and he carried that emotion into the biggest game of his life against the Swans, when he laid 11 tackles, and kicked an important third-quarter goal.

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A mid-week six-hour round trip to Bairnsdale in country Victoria, where he and Dale Walkinshaw grew up, helped fuel Smith's Grand Final heroics.

"I was able to go home on Tuesday, celebrate his life, and say goodbye with his family and friends," he said.

"That probably put me at ease a little bit, and I was then able to come back and get into training, which is what I wanted to do to get my head back into footy.

"I'd give it all back if I could get him back, but I know he would have been looking down and he'd be proud."

Smith played 30 games in two years after debuting in 2012, but managed just four more in the subsequent two seasons because of his cruel luck with ACL tears.

The no-nonsense forward didn't come into the side until round 15 this season, but played the last 13 games of the season, including four outstanding finals, in which he kicked eight goals and laid 38 tackles.

It's a sign of mental toughness that Smith has even made it back to the highest level let alone played a massive role in a premiership win, and even the man himself admitted that he hasn't always believed he would be able to have an impact at senior level.

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"I'd be lying if I said yes,' he said.

"I knew I could get back and play footy, (but) to what level I didn't know.

"I've always treated every game as if it's my last, I put everything on the line, and you can't take it for granted because you don't know what's around the corner.

"I always back myself in, but to play this many games and a row, play well in finals, and win a flag, it's moments like this that makes it all worth it.

"Fairytales come true."

The Bulldogs' 22-point victory ended an extraordinary 62-year flag drought, and they had to do it the hard way after finishing seventh at the end of the home-and-away season.

Outside the footy club not many gave the Dogs a hope against West Coast in Perth, and it was a similar story against Hawthorn and the Giants, while they were again outsiders in Saturday's Grand Final.

Coach Luke Beveridge the architect of a history-making finals run.

"You can't write us off, we were the underdogs for every game and came out on top," Smith said.

"It's just a belief this group has, that the coach has instilled in us, and internally we knew that if we played our footy we could beat anyone.

"We did that on four separate occasions in the finals and it's got us a flag."