Richmond ruckman Troy Simmonds says his selection for Victoria has special significance in the wake of the blood clot which threatened his career and potentially his life last year.

One of the best ruckmen in the game in 2006, he barely made an impact on the AFL last season, with an ankle injury ruining the first half of his year, then the blood clot in his lungs bringing it to an early end.

The 29-year-old said being picked to take on the Dream Team at the MCG on Saturday night was welcome recognition of his return to top form after that setback.

"Obviously with a life-threatening condition it put a lot of things into perspective," Simmonds said.

"I just wanted to make sure whatever happened, that if I got back to footy I'd give it 100 per cent and have a real crack and I've just worked on certain things over the pre-season.

"First of all I'm rapt to be back playing footy and feeling lucky and to get a reward like this I'm just rapt."

Simmonds was a late addition to the squad on Sunday night, on the back of a superb performance against St Kilda the previous night, the culmination of a month of strong form.

"It's an absolute honour, very excited, obviously back in November (the match) was talked about, you thought `gee, it would be great to play in,'" he said.

After being taken off blood-thinning medication in January and cleared to resume contact sport, Simmonds said he was now back at full fitness and feeling no lasting effects.

"I suppose if I do get another (clot) ever again that's the end of it," he said.

"But it was just a once-off thing, all the tests came back, it's not genetic or anything, a once-off thing and I've just put it behind me now.

"I worked hard in the pre-season and it didn't affect my breathing any more, or anything like that, I didn't have any more pain, I got the ankle right and just worked hard."

Simmonds felt his form now was as good or better than at his peak in 2006.

"Definitely, I've actually tried to take another step, work on a few things, work on speed and power a bit more and I'm feeling 100 per cent," he said.

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