Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney is confident he can play some of his best football for Essendon after joining the club on the final day of the trade period.
Cooney has joined the Bombers in search of a fresh start after 209 games with the Western Bulldogs.
The 29-year-old speedster said he was expecting to play a key role right across the ground for the Bombers.
“I would like to keep it pretty versatile, sort of half forward, through the midfield and maybe half back at times if I’m needed,” Cooney told BomberTV.
“Flexibility is a big part of my game that I can add to the team.”
It was a meeting with coach James Hird at the True Value Solar Centre earlier this week that convinced the All Australian midfielder Essendon was were he wanted to continue his career.
“I met James and sat in his office for about an hour to chat about the club, where it was heading and where I thought I wanted my footy to go,” he said.
“What we talked about matched up really well so I built a great rapport with James over that and have been speaking to him over the last week."
The Bombers coach is excited about what Cooney will add to the team for the 2015 season.
“It has been no secret that we needed some outside speed and he is a guy that can deliver the ball really well,” Hird said.
“He can deliver the football when he needs to but also kick goals so I think he will fit into our team really well.”
Cooney said the appeal of playing at a big club in front of big crowds was a key factor in his decision.
"It is obviously a huge club and the lure of playing in big games is something that attracted me to the club straight away,” he said.
“You have ANZAC Day, Dreamtime at the G and plenty of Friday night games so it is a huge club and I am just honoured to be a part of it now."
The elite midfielder has no injury concerns and said there were no worries about his knee injury from 2008.
“It was just the right knee in 2008 where I injured it so I passed all my medicals and the last couple of years I haven’t missed a game through an injury to my knee.”
“It has been blown a little bit out of proportion the injury and I feel like I can play some very good footy for the Essendon Football Club.”
