Adam Cooney's hard work finally pays off Adam Cooney gets the ball off depsite pressure from Dayne Zorko. ADAM Cooney admitted he had been "touch and go" early in the week to take on the Brisbane Lions yesterday, but he couldn't have been happier that he was able to prove his fitness to play. Cooney was hospitalised during the week with an infected right knee, but worked diligently to get himself up for the season opener. He was rewarded with the club's first home-and-away win since Round 12 last season, and the way in which the Bulldogs achieved it makes him think there could be quite a few more in store this year. Dogs got the Goodes "I was pretty confident that I was going to play, even though it was touch and go for a little bit," Cooney said. I did everything that I could to get up for Wednesday training and trained really well. I pulled up well from there, so I was rapt to be involved in this game. Cooney was a strong performer for the Bulldogs in the 68-point win, having 21 touches, kicking a goal and playing consistently through the middle and across half-back. "It was really good to get the win," he said. I think we had a pretty even spread. Everyone just did a really great job. It was a long stint in the second half of last year. I think we lost 11 (games) after the (mid-season) break, so it is good for the boys to get a win here. Cooney reserved praise for Nick Lower -- in his first game for his third AFL club -- as he effectively shut down Brisbane's dangerous midfielder Daniel Rich, who was limited to only eight touches. "Nick was fantastic -- he shut out Daniel Rich for the day," he said. The 2008 Brownlow Medal winner said the players had great confidence in what 29-year-old debutant Brett Goodes brought to the team. "We knew he was going to give us great drive . . . he locks down on the forwards and then runs off them," he said. The Dogs meet Fremantle at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, which Cooney said represented a big challenge. "It is going to be tough," he added. We played Freo in a practice match and they belted us by more than 100 points. Hopefully we can get one back on them.