THE BROWNLOW Medal won’t change laidback Adam Cooney, says his coach, Rodney Eade.

Bulldogs coach Eade said Cooney, 22, has the perfect disposition to be a league best and fairest as he will not get caught up in the hype his new-found status will create.

"He's one player that will be unaffected by winning the Brownlow," Eade said after the count on Monday night in Melbourne.

"A lot of players might be affected, get ahead of themselves or not cope with the pressure.

"He is one that I would think will be unaffected by it.

"He's laidback, and that masks a bit how much he cares about his footy and how well he wants to do.

"But he won't get ahead of himself. He's got an inner confidence and an inner belief that probably doesn't get fractured too easily, but at the same time, he doesn't get ahead of himself.

"He's got a good balance."

Eade said Cooney's improved season has come as the result of hard work and some luck in regards to injuries.

He expects his gun midfielder to attract more attention in 2009, but believes he has the capacity to deal with it.

"All players mature, and he's probably come from a long way back with his maturity," he said.

"When he arrived, he wasn't sure what was required and he turned up in an average state.

"I remember my first year, which was his second, he was getting tagged at a young age and he had to get fitter, and he'd look at you and say, 'Yeah I'll be okay'.

"That was his attitude. But once he experiences that, then he remembers the words you've spoken and he's proceeded over the last couple of years to get himself fitter each year.

"He's been unfortunate up until this season that he's had interrupted pre-seasons, and I think he's realised the hard work that has to go in.

"Now he's going to be targeted even more, but he's going to be able to cope with that."

Cooney is the first player Eade has coached to a Brownlow Medal, which has left the Dogs’ coach just a little bit chuffed.

"I'm certainly very proud. To know someone so young that's been there for four or five years … I'm just pleased for him and I think he's as equally pleased for the group.”

"He acknowledged his teammates and they're such a tight bunch. The players that have turned up now are just so rapt for him.

"They were all at a pub [celebrating Mad Monday], and they didn't take it seriously until about round 19, and then he got those votes in round 21 and they reckon they were doing back flips and cartwheels.

"It's a very popular win."