EIGHT years, three knee reconstructions, only 43 games, one premiership medal.
Max Bailey's journey has been one of pain and frustration, but as he stood in the Hawthorn change-rooms after Saturday's Grand Final win, with a premiership medal around his neck and a smile stretching from ear to ear, it was all worthwhile.
"It's highly satisfying," the Hawks ruckman said.
Click here for full match coverage
"It just makes everything I've done valid, and I can't thank this club enough for what they've done for me.
"I've just really got to thank Alastair Clarkson for sticking fat with me and keeping the faith.
"It's paid off now."
The 15-point win was all the more satisfying for Bailey given the role he had played in the match.
Against giant Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands, he had not won his battle, but he had not been badly beaten, either.
And that was the main aim.
Although Sandilands amassed an enormous 44 hit-outs, and Bailey only nine, the Docker hadn’t dominated the match.
In tandem with his midfielders, Bailey had restricted Sandilands' influence through well thought-out tactics, and the Hawks emerged ahead 42-34 in clearances.
"Aaron is a great player, so it was always going to be hard," Bailey said.
"But our midfielders just did an awesome job of picking off his hits, and making it hard for their mids.
"Coming up against him, you're probably not going to win too many hit-outs.
"It was about making it predictable for our mids.
"So wherever they're hitting, we're going to hit there as well.
"If you let them get out the back, which they're pretty good at, they can cut you to ribbons.
The Grand Final was the West Australian's first at any level, but he was not over-awed by the occasion.
"Waking up this morning, it was [different to other games]," he said.
"But getting here, from the guys playing, to the staff, the people not playing, they just made it feel like a normal game.
"This group has been there and done it before, so that experience really helped.
"I'm one for one in Grand Finals now, so I can't complain about that."
Bailey is now out of contract and a free agent.
But what will happen in 2014 is, for the time being at least, not on his mind.
"I'll enjoy the next week, and then work it out after that, I guess," he said.
"I'm keen to play on.
"I want to play for as long as I can, because I've missed so much.
