“It’s been a good ride.”

That’s the immediate reflection of Bulldogs small forward Arty Jones on his 2026 campaign, and it’s an assessment that’s hard to argue with.

This season proved a coming of age for Jones who, after two seasons of interruptions, enjoyed his most consistent run of games since arriving at the Club in 2021.

A career-best outing against Collingwood in the Dogs’ Wildcard Final win, in which Jones kicked four goals, captured the attention of the wider football world as it showcased the energy with which he plays and the excitement he’s capable of generating on the biggest stage.

While the season didn’t come without its hurdles, the 23-year-old was excited to have the opportunity to showcase the hard work he had been putting in behind the scenes.

“I finally got a good taste of AFL footy – finally got to show what I can do,” Jones told Western Bulldogs media.

“I’m just glad I could piece it together and show it on the finals stage.

“I did a hammy early on which set me back a couple of weeks. But once I came back to the team, I realised this is where I want to play my footy and this is where I can leave my mark.

“Last year, my body wasn’t quite up to it and then I got a little bit of a taste for it in Round 24.

“I attacked the pre-season and the off-season with a bit of a chip on my shoulder.”

That chip on his shoulder proved to be the perfect motivation, with his drive to continually improve remaining strong throughout the year.

Jones and the Dogs’ ‘mosquito fleet’ of small forwards, made up of Cody Weightman, Rhylee West, Josh Dolan and Luke Kennedy, energised the forward line, especially in the latter stages of the season.

From the sidelines, the group brought electricity to the game.

Feeding the ball from the bottom of packs, kicking goals on the run, flying high over opposition defenders, and bringing what quickly became trademark pressure to every contest.

The energy was infectious throughout the group, with each player spurring the others on to keep getting better.

“It’s the first time we’ve had a lot of smalls to work with,” he said.

“You’ve got your Josh Dolans, your Luke Kennedys, Cody Weightman, Rhylee West, myself – it was quite fun to have a small forward line to hunt.

“It was a fun forward line to play with.

“We just built so much continuity and belief that we could do it for so long. We just had a good group that we were all willing to buy in.”

It was this sense of fun and connection that ultimately drove Jones’ decision to stay.

Despite interest from rival clubs, it was the West Australian’s desire to continue building something special with his teammates, and give back to a fanbase that has shown him nothing but love, that influenced his decision.

“I’m excited to stay in the red, white and blue for another three,” he said.

“There’s a lot of excitement. I think as a group we’ve got so much more to offer.

“The relationships that I had here, it didn’t really sit well to leave just yet.

“Personally, I feel like there’s so much more that I can give back to the Club.

“I’m a small kid from a small country town - you dream of playing on these stages and playing these games.

“I was very fortunate to be in a position that I am where I’m very lucky to do this for a job and get to do this for a few more years.

“The Dogs faithful, they come in, they make a huge impact. You know what you’re always going to get and you love and appreciate all the fans.”