WESTERN Bulldogs captain Brad Johnson believes there is no reason why fellow veteran Scott West can't play on beyond this year, despite the fact his decorated teammate had been restricted to just four games this season.

Johnson, 31, is confident West will return for a 17th season next year, and is even a chance to break Chris Grant's club games record of 341 matches if he plays into 2009.

"I think Westy will play again. I think he's certainly got another year left in him, easy," Johnson said, of the 33-year-old, 324-game player, who has been battling knee bone soreness.  

"He might get there [the club games record] one day but that's certainly not his motivation. His motivation is to get back into the side and play well for the rest of the year and then have an impact come finals time, and then next year."

"Without a doubt, he would be welcome straight back into the side as soon as he's ready to go."

Johnson has faced his own body battles this season, and although the skipper has played every game, he has faced many of them with leg soreness.

But, the six-time All Australian claims he has "felt a lot better" in recent weeks, and is nearing his fitness peak once again.

"The body is starting to feel pretty good, and my performances have started getting up to a good level again, which is where I want to be," he said.

"Being able to get a bit more training under my belt is really helping. I'm starting to nearly be 100 per cent again."

Johnson almost faced a setback from his bid to return to full fitness, last weekend, after being concussed against the Hawks down in Tasmania.

With a neat row of stiches above his right eye and an impressive shiner the only present evidence of the incident, Johnson laughed when asked if he'd seen the footage of his movements after the blow as he attempted to walk away only to collapse in a delayed onset of mild concussion.

"It was pretty funny," he said.

"I think my blood pressure just dropped a little bit, although some said a seagull might have come past and hit me, or I dropped at the sight of my own blood.

"But that wasn't the case; it was just an unfortunate thing that happened. I was able to play on, so there was no issue from that.

"I was a bit concerned that I might have had a bit more damage, but there was no worry whatsoever once the doctors checked me over and I was able to sit down for 10 minutes and refocus on the game."