FEW PLAYERS across the competition seem to shoulder the burden of expectation more than dynamic Bulldogs midfielder Ryan Griffen.

Maybe it's because his tantalising bursts of brilliance leave fans demanding more. Maybe it's just because he was a top-three draft pick.

Whatever the reason, no-one expects more of Griffen than the man himself.

"I tend to just let that external stuff wash over me. Sometimes it does get to you a little bit with the pressure side of things, but I tend to just ignore it and get on with it," Griffen says.

"I think there are expectations on any player who comes into the AFL and if you don't put your own expectations on yourself I don't think you're going to get very far.

"I think I'm still learning as a player to be honest. I learned a lot about my capabilities and what I can do and what I can't do pushing into the midfield more last year."

Putting the disappointment of 2007 behind them to play a preliminary final last year, Griffen's teammates will feel the weight of expectation in 2009 as long-suffering fans crave premiership success.

"There is that expectation, but I think we've just got to stick to the basics and play our game," Griffen says.

"If we go outside of that I don't think we'll get far, but we've just to work as hard as we can, get some improvement from the younger guys and that will help the older guys which will see us heading in the right direction.

"To make a prelim was a good effort, but obviously the goal is to play in a grand final and win it.

"We were very, very, very disappointed after the prelim loss. We thought we'd played pretty good footy for most of the game, but just couldn't get over Geelong in the end."

Griffen missed just one game last year, a great result after his 2007 season was ruined by a serious knee injury and further soured by a twisted bowel.

His progress this summer under new fitness coach Bill Davoren has given him further reason for optimism.

"I haven't missed a session so far which I'm really happy about because this time last year I had a bit of knee soreness and didn't do much of a pre-season," he says.

"I still think I can improve massively on my endurance I just don't think I'll ever reach the capacity of someone like Crossy (Daniel Cross). He's just a freak with that type of gut-running.

"I am a burst player, but I can still improve on my endurance. If I can do that it will improve my game massively. For the last seven weeks I've been really working hard on that and hopefully I can use that better endurance to run out games better and, when I do put in a bit of a burst, I won't blow up as much and have to come off.

"The fitter I get the more bursts I'll be able to do and the more repetitive speed I'll be able to maintain. It'll also help me run back the other way defensively a little bit better because I know that's an area I need to work on."

Griffen has enjoyed having a familiar face at the club, knowing football operations manager James Fantasia before he was drafted.

Fantasia, then Adelaide's recruiting manager, was very keen to make the youngster a Crow – and Griffen admits that would have been just fine.

"Back then I really wanted to play in Adelaide being a young fella and not wanting to move," he says.

"But I'm into my fifth year away now and I'm just loving it here in Melbourne. I wouldn't go anywhere else."

While he still considers himself a work in progress, Griffen understands what's expected this year and is embracing his responsibilities.

"I'll be 23 in July, so I'm not a kid anymore. I've just got to step up and simply play better footy," he says.

"To be more consistent is probably the biggest thing for me and that's what I'm working towards."