Through all of the days and months spent in rehab since May last year, Clay Smith could never have imagined that his comeback game would look like this.

The Dogs pulled off a stunning victory over the Swans in Sydney last night, with Jason Johannisen slotting the winning goal in the dying seconds. 

It was on the back of a win over the same opponent, at the same ground, and by the same margin that the Dogs kick-started their 2015 campaign.

“To come back up to Sydney after last year when we beat them, it’s sort of surreal.  

“It’s awesome to be back.”

And Smith was beaming post-match when asked about his good mate’s game-winner.

“That’s JJ’s moment,” he said.

“He loves basketball, he loves Lebron (James), he loves thinking he’s clutch and he’s just proved it. 

“I think there was only about 20 seconds to go and he put it straight through the middle and… that’s the best, that’s why we play footy.”

The fact that Smith was even out there to enjoy it is a testament to the iron will of the Gippsland product.

While 16 disposals was a solid return, it was the 88% of game time that was the perhaps the most telling stat, Smith saying he’d done the work and felt good back out on the park.

“I’ve done 13 months of rehab so I’d hope that’d nearly get me ready,” he said.

“I had a couple of games in the VFL and, then we got a bye, so I got a good break on the body and Bevo and the team were ready to bring me back in.

“It’s pretty special to be back.”