The 26-year-old had the season-ending operation after hurting his knee against West Coast in round 17 that year when he planted his leg and got bumped at the same time.
He tore his anterior cruciate ligament and damaged his lateral meniscus, which saw him undergo a traditional reconstruction in July.
"It was pretty hard but it was a good challenge," Gwilt remembered this week, on the eve of a century of games as a Saint.
"It was difficult, trying to adapt to not being around the boys so much and training by myself and just putting in the hard yards, especially because I was doing it when the boys were on their eight-week break."
He didn't play again until round nine, 2012, after needing five games at VFL level to rediscover his confidence and ensure he could do all the agile things he had done before.
Once he was back in the seniors, he played every game for the rest of the season.
During a pre-season highlighted by the Saints' altitude venture in Colorado, Gwilt didn't miss a session across the summer.
Then, in round one against Gold Coast, he hurt the same knee in the second quarter.
He played out the remainder of the game but the knee blew up in the days following and it was decided he'd benefit from an arthroscopic clean out.
"There was a bit of cartilage floating around in there and they thought it was best to do it then, rather than wait," he said.
"It was more just frustrating that I had been injured again. I hadn't missed a session in the pre-season so it was frustrating."
Gwilt's absence was keenly felt by his teammates.
"Jimmy is very important to the group. He's really well liked around the club and he's one of those guys you always know when he's not playing," Jarryn Geary told AFL.com.au.
"He's just a big, imposing figure out on the field and when he's not there, we really miss him.
"When you lose someone like that, a key position player who can play on a big forward, he always puts in a big fist or takes a big mark or does a big penetrating kick and always lifts the team."
Gwilt's popularity among his fellow Saints is obvious. They couldn't be happier to see the backman reach his 100-game milestone after watching him go through all the pain associated with a long-term injury.
"It's good to see him playing his 100th game because he's had to fight for a few things with his knee. He's a big part of our group," Geary said.
Gwilt, who signed a new contract in June last year that ties him to St Kilda until the end of 2014, is not only proud to have overcome his knee issues but also to have notched up 100 games at one club.
"It's taken me a while with the reconstruction and a few issues at the start of the year," Gwilt said.
"But I'm really proud of playing at the one club, 100 games, and just representing my family and Noble Park (in south-eastern Melbourne) where I come from.
"St Kilda gave me the opportunity when I was 18 and they've stuck by me throughout my career so I just want to try and repay them as well."
Jennifer Phelan is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenPhelan.
