WESTERN Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade says he will not walk away from the club before the end of the season if its fortunes fail to turn around.

Former club champion Chris Grant, who played 341 games for the Dogs between 1990 and 2007, suggested Eade might consider resigning ahead of his contract's expiration at season's end as he was "very, very honest with himself".

But Eade, whose team has won just three matches in his seventh season at Whitten Oval, says he isn't going anywhere voluntarily.

"No, I'm going to stick through," he said on Thursday.

"If the club think it's better that way and I get a tap on the shoulder, well, you do what's best for the club, but from my point of view, I'm going [to be] here for the long haul and I want to stick through."

Eade said he had spoken to Grant and didn't believe the former star had hinted on One Week At A Time on Monday night that the Dogs' coach would consider quitting as soon as this week if they lost to Adelaide on Friday night.

"I saw the thing and he didn't say that. It's the typical media maybe drawing a long bow that he said that," he said.

"Chris has been a very good support for myself, and he didn't say that, and I won't [resign if the Dogs lose]."

The Bulldogs will be boosted by the return of Adam Cooney on Friday night for their must-win clash after the Brownlow medallist was a late withdrawal last weekend.

Lindsay Gilbee will come into the senior side after spending last week in the VFL, Barry Hall trained on Thursday but will miss one more, while Brian Lake will spend another weekend playing for Williamstown as he attempts to build his confidence.

"[Hall] has trained very well this week and we're tempted, but we've had a plan all along and we'll stick to that plan and Barry will play next week," Eade said.

"Cooney will play. There's no drama with his [confidence]. Adam's playing in constant pain and last week he blew up a little bit so we just didn't take any chances.

"He's very keen to play so he'll be fine."

Eade said two-time All-Australian Lake remained comfortable with playing in the VFL.

"He's trained pretty well this week as well - Brian has slowly turned that corner with his confidence in his leg so hopefully that can continue on," he said.

"It's a week by week thing and I spoke to Brian [on Wednesday] and he's fine with it all."

The 14th-placed Dogs face the also struggling Crows, who are one rung below them on the ladder with three wins, at Etihad Stadium on Friday evening.

Eade believes the match will be won in the midfield, and on paper it appears the Bulldogs have the edge going in.

Despite their recent struggles and failure to win since round eight against Richmond, the Dogs are ranked ninth in the competition for contested possessions while the Crows are 15th, ahead of only Melbourne and Gold Coast.

They are also doing better work at the stoppages and are placed seventh compared to the Crows' 14th in clearances.

"We've just got to get our hands on it first," he said.

"We thought our midfield was okay last week - we just didn't take our chances - and the week before, the midfield was terrible. We just didn't get access to the footy.

"On paper they've got a reasonably strong midfield, so from our point of view, that's where the game is going to be won and lost."