Adam Cooney says he’s embarrassed by 2008 Brownlow win

Adam Cooney has revealed he’s now embarrassed by his Brownlow Medal and worries his career was “a bit of a waste”.

Cooney and partner Hayley react to his victory at the 2008 Brownlow Medal count.

Former footy star Adam Cooney has made the sad admission he feels embarrassed he won a Brownlow Medal and at times considers his career was a waste.

Cooney won footy’s most prestigious individual medal in 2008 and retired six years later with a 250 game career at the Bulldogs and Essendon.

“I sort of think my career was a bit of a waste to be honest,’’ Cooney said.

“I had one really good year where I won the Brownlow. I played well in 2009 and I played pretty well in 2010 as well. The early days I was unprofessional, then when I was younger I was OK, a bit inconsistent. Then I had that one year where I was really good.

“Then I got injured and the expectation was there for me to go on and be a great player and I never got anywhere near it. So I just feel like it was, not a waste, because I played 250 games, you’d take that (but) I feel embarrassed that I’ve won a Brownlow.”

Cooney on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!. Picture: Supplied

Cooney with the award that now embarrasses him.

In a discussion with Peter Helliar and Woody Whitelaw on I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! airing Sunday night, Cooney said he was often reminded he was lucky to win the Brownlow.

“That was the reality, I wasn’t favourite,’’ Cooney said.

“I had a good year, then I dropped away a little bit, people forget and they’re like how the f... did you win a Brownlow?

“All I hear is, ‘Gee you were lucky. Richo (Matthew Richardson) should have won it’. That’s all I hear.”

Radio host Whitelaw said it was devastating to hear Cooney talk like that.

“To hear him say that one of the greatest achievements of his life, winning a Brownlow Medal, one of the greatest achievements an AFL player can win, is something he feels embarrassed about it, actually tore me,’’ Whitelaw said.

“There are a 1000 footballers playing every single year and he was the best one for a year and to have people make nasty comments about that and then take away the sheen of that for him is devastating.”

I’m a Celebrity airs Sunday-Thursday 7.30pm on Network 10.