AFL star-turned-boxer Barry Hall says he felt as nervous as a child starting school as he began life as a Western Bulldogs ambassador on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old, who co-captained the Sydney Swans to their 2005 premiership, led the Bulldogs’ goal-kicking in the final two years of his career, before retiring at the end of last season.

Despite having played 162 games with the Swans over eight years and spending six seasons with St Kilda before that, Hall’s heart lies with the Dogs.

The power forward said he wanted to repay the club who allowed him to end his AFL career on a happy note.

His time with the Swans ended abruptly, when the club punted him in 2009, because of on-field anger problems.

Hall will make appearances at functions for Bulldogs members and juniors and front video presentations for BulldogsTV on the club’s website.

“I’m excited to be back as an ambassador for the footy club,” Hall told reporters at Whitten Oval on Wednesday.

“I was a little bit nervous coming in today. It’s like my first day at school, my first day of official work, I guess.”

An amateur boxer before he joined the AFL, Hall is training hard as he prepares for his first professional fight, likely to be in April or May.

He said the boxing training was harder work than football.