THE SIGHT of Adam Cooney on stage accepting the 2008 Brownlow Medal was one to gladden the hearts of Bulldogs fans and football followers, but it nearly didn't happen.

The 22-year-old left the ballroom at Melbourne's Crown Casino for a toilet stop with three rounds to go – when he was four votes behind Brisbane Lion Simon Black – and wasn't allowed back in because the count had restarted.

With the event being broadcast live, the doors were locked.

Fortunately, he was allowed to return in time to claim the club's first Brownlow since Scott Wynd in 1992, but Cooney admitted he wasn't too worried about being barred from the room.

"I went to the toilet with about three rounds to go and they locked me out, but was lucky enough to get back in before the end of the count, which was good," he said after the win.

"I was talking to (Lion) Michael Rischitelli outside, and we were both pretty flat that we couldn't get back in."

Black finished second, while pre-count favourite Gary Ablett took third after finishing second last year, polling 22 votes, along with Tiger Matthew Richardson.

Cooney, who finished with six best-on-ground performances, said he thought he would start well but then fade out of contention.

"It definitely hasn't sunk in – I've never been so in shock in all my life, to be honest. I definitely wasn't expecting anything like this.

"To be honest, I didn't have any expectations. I thought that I might poll a few votes early in the season, and then I thought I faded out a little bit and had a few down weeks in the mid-season, which I thought would obviously not help my chances.

"I didn't really give myself any chance at all."

And he admitted he wouldn't have minded sharing it Richardson, the veteran who produced one of the best seasons of his 16-year career.

"I suppose in a way a tie would have been alright, maybe with Richo, who I think was the sentimental favourite.

"I played in the Dream Team with Richo earlier in the year [in the Hall of Fame Tribute Match] and we got along really well when we went out for a beer after the game, so it would have been nice to share it with him."

But Cooney did want to correct one minor admission from his acceptance speech.

"I probably should thank Rodney Eade," he said. "They said to me after I got off stage that I forgot to thank the coach, but I don't think he'll be too mad about that.

"Me and Rodney usually get along pretty well, except match day when he doesn't really get along with anyone," he added with a laugh.

"So me and Rodney get along really well – so thanks to him for the support and everything that he's given me this year."