In his first AFL match since tearing an ACL in July last year, Smith received a heavy knock to his right shoulder in a marking contest against Gold Coast on Sunday, but played out the game.

The Bulldogs confirmed Smith would have surgery to repair his AC joint on Tuesday afternoon and he will miss up to two months of football.

Western Bulldogs medical services manager Andrew McKenzie said Smith would undergo an AC repair, like teammate Jordan Roughead before him.

"Clay will have surgery this afternoon after scans yesterday revealed some damage to his right AC joint," McKenzie said.

"The procedure is not dissimilar to Jordan Roughead’s, who was able to make a fairly swift recovery, with some meticulous rehabilitation.

"Clay is a determined young man, and will approach his recovery with the same professionalism he did with his recent ACL injury."

Smith was the Bulldogs’ first round selection (pick 17 overall) in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft.