If karma plays its part in football, then Michael Braun deserved plenty of it in 2006. Good karma, that is.

Standing on the dais with his premiership medal around his neck after the West Coast Eagles claimed its third premiership in front of more than 97,000 people, it was a moment the gritty wingman may have questioned would ever arrive.

In all of the support he heaped on his teammates in the lead-up to last year’s grand final - while coming to terms with a knee injury that had ruled him out of the game - Braun prepared himself for the possibility of being a spectator to celebrations.

Consoled upon announcement of his  injury 12 months earlier, he was also congratulated, repeatedly, for the manner in which he handled himself. People from all corners acknowledged his wonderful character.

For someone who had seen active duty in every match of the season to that point, he wore a brave face. Only 32 players in the game’s history had been in that position.

“Given anyone’s situation, to be a senior player and play all of the games and to miss out on the grand final and have someone else have your  spot,  understandably  because  it’s a team game, it’s always going to be hard to go out and celebrate with the boys which is what I would have done,” Braun said early this year.

“I dare say I wouldn’t have felt as part of it because there are 22 players out there and even though there’s a squad of 44, those 22 players are going to have that for the rest of their lives. Even though everyone contributed throughout the year, those 22 players would have represented our club and brought it home. It would have been tough but I would have been behind the players 100 percent.”

It came back around for Braun in a much- preferred position.

Throughout this year’s finals series, the various messages that decorated the West Coast Eagles’ change-rooms included  a punchy statement of “from adversity comes strength.” It was one the club had used within its brand campaign throughout the season, complemented by images of champion jockey Damien Oliver and Australian cricketer Justin Langer, who have both ridden the highs and lows of their professional sporting careers. Though it applied to the team as a whole, certainly in light of 2005’s defeat, it was equally apt for Braun individually.

So when West Coast defeated Adelaide at AAMI Stadium in the preliminary final, Braun was in the thick of the preparations, enjoying his first grand final week with the knowledge that nothing could prevent him from being selected to play.

There was genuine excitement in the air.

From the last training session at Subiaco Oval – the forum where he and Rowan Jones addressed the media 12 months earlier – to boarding the plane and joining good mate Darren Glass for the grand final parade through the streets of Melbourne, each formality was another step towards realising his dream.

Understandably, throughout the  parade  he “felt a bit embarrassed because I didn’t know who to wave to, but it was great to see all of the support.”

Sentiment even for those players who experienced it last year, the masses of West Coast Eagles supporters in Melbourne this year was overwhelming.

Then there was the final run at the MCG on Friday afternoon, putting the finishing touches in place.

Braun trained well before heading down the race into the change-rooms, perhaps ticking another box in his mind. MCG training. Done.

Come game day Braun was ecstatic, recalling that he “couldn’t get out on the ground quick enough and it was just a dream come true to play in a GF.”

He played like it, too. Raised in  Victoria,  he had grown up believing the MCG on grand final day was a stage for heroes.

With family and friends in the outer, many who had organised to make the trip last year, the 28 year-old’s performance was one that was good on the day but very good in replay and on the stats sheets.

He wasn’t flashy, just got the job done.

His 17 kicks, a team high shared with Beau Waters, included six in the  last  quarter.  But his most convincing contribution was to West Coast’s attack; sending the ball inside 50 on 11 occasions.

The next best efforts were four apiece from captain Chris Judd and on-baller Daniel Kerr.

A sweeping handball to set up Andrew Embley’s running goal in the third quarter showed remarkable vision while it was Braun who kicked West Coast into attack before Daniel Chick’s heroics created a match-winning goal for Adam Hunter.

“A few of us were jumping around on the ground, a few of us were carrying on, getting around and hugging,” Braun said of the emotion of the final siren. “It was a great feeling, sensational feeling.

“Sydney are a great side and they were going to come out stronger than ever (after half- time). To their credit they gave us a really good shake and we were lucky to hang on by one point.”

Compared to last year’s grand final side, West Coast had six new faces and Braun was one of them, sharing in the ultimate joy of an AFL premiership as if he was always meant to be there.