New Western Bulldogs cult hero Barry Hall has warned the club's delirious fans not to expect him to maintain his stunning pre-season form throughout the entire 2010 home and away season after the former St Kilda and Sydney bad boy led the Dogs to their first premiership in 40 years on Saturday night.
Hall had long-suffering Dogs fans in raptures at Etihad Stadium with chants of "Barry, Barry" ringing around the ground as Sydney's 2005 premiership captain kicked five goals in the final term and seven for the night as the Dogs claimed the NAB Cup with a 40-point win over last year's beaten AFL grand finalists St Kilda.
The performance earned Hall the Michael Tuck Medal for the best player on the night as he polled eight out of a maximum nine votes.
It was the Dogs' first piece of silverware since winning the old night series competition in 1970 with Hall now having kicked 17 goals in three appearances in the pre-season since his much publicised move from the Swans.
But while Hall appears to have given the Dogs' attack the focal point it so badly lacked during narrow preliminary final defeats in the past two seasons; Hall and his coach Rodney Eade are not getting carried away by the 33-year-old's stunning start to life at his third AFL club.
"I am going to have quiet periods and quiet games," Hall warned excited fans after the game.
"I guess I haven't done myself any favours in terms of (public) expectations but internally it's been great."
"They (the Bulldogs) don't expect me to kick seven goals every week and when I do it's a bonus."
But Hall, whose frustrations at Sydney in latter years often boiled over into on-field violence, made it clear he is a far more relaxed person at the Bulldogs with their much more attacking style of play compared to the Swans also clearly suiting Hall's game style.
"I guess it's important, after coming back and getting the chance to play footy again, that I wanted to concentrate on really enjoying my football and not put too much pressure on myself and it's working at the moment," he said.
"In Sydney I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform and I had a lot of good years there but in the end it was unhealthy for me, the high expectations I put on myself and it weighed heavily on me."
"But the Bulldogs gave me another chance and I just want to enjoy it and repay them for the faith they have shown in me."
Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade said Hall did not have to kick bags of goals every week to be a success at his new club this year.
"He only had two up to three-quarter-time tonight and yet we were three goals up," Eade said.
"And I was just pleased that A: he persevered and B: he was able to provide a target and put pressure on the opposition and his tackling was very strong."
"So if he can kick two or three goals a week and at the same time dish a few off (to teammates) and keep his pressure up then that is the sort of player we want."
Eade said he was confident both his team and Hall would cope with the increased expectations now certain to be heaped on the team by supporters - searching for a first flag since 1954 - as a result of their NAB Cup success.
"We have got no control over that," he said.
"We have got good leadership group and culture and those outside distractions I don't think will have an impact on the group."
The only disappointment for the Dogs on Saturday night was an injury suffered by tough forward Mitch Hahn, in an accidental collision with Hall in marking contest, with Hahn suffering a fractured eye socket.
Although he was cleared of any further damage and remains in contention for the season opener against Collingwood.