Western Bulldogs midfield star Adam Cooney says the negative attitude he formed last year in response to his chronic knee injury prompted his dumping from the AFL club’s leadership group.

The 2008 Brownlow Medallist is hoping off-season surgery will help him find more consistency this year, although he admits the knee will never be 100 per cent.

The 26-year-old said he felt embarrassed at times last year, as soreness stemming from the kneecap fracture he suffered in 2008 left him unable to sustain his best form.

He said that frustration flowed into the way he acted with team-mates, which was why he was left out of the club’s five-man leadership group in November.

“I was pretty down,” Cooney said on Friday.

“It’s embarrassing when you can’t play as well as you think you can and your body’s not holding up.

“Probably my attitude dropped off within the group and my leadership dropped off there.”

Cooney aims to maintain a more positive approach this season and said the demotion gave him more time to concentrate on his physical condition.

But he hinted at a possible future return to the leadership group, saying: “If I’m playing some good footy, you never know what happens down the track.”

He said he talked frequently with new coach Brendan McCartney, who reassured him that he was not expected to go out and dominate matches on a weekly basis.

“It’s probably not going to be 100 per cent,” Cooney said of his knee.

“In saying that, what I had done in the off-season has taken a little bit of the pressure off the kneecap.

“It seems to have worked pretty well.

“It’s just a management thing.

“I’m not the only guy who’s played with injuries.”

Cooney said he would have to assess how he was feeling throughout the season to determine how many matches he played and how much of each he spent in the midfield.

“As long as I’m playing my role for the team, I’m going to be happy with that and (McCartney’s) going to be happy with that.”

Cooney said he did not expect to play in the opening round of the pre-season competition, but hoped to feature in at least two pre-season games to build match fitness for the start of the home and away season.