THE WESTERN Bulldogs are confident they can re-sign Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney, classy midfielder Ryan Griffen and important defender Jarrod Harbrow before the Gold Coast launches a serious bid for them.

With all three players coming out of contract this year, the Dogs are expecting to encounter some sticking points during negotiations.

But coach Rodney Eade believes they will be convinced to recommit by season's end.

"I would like to think they would and I'm confident because of our environment and culture and the fact the team has been together for a while," he told afl.com.au.

"No club is going to be able to match the Gold Coast's money.

"But our team has been relatively successful in winning games and making the finals and we'd like to think that's going to be enough."

The club won't comment on the progress of specific negotiations because of the media scrutiny of full-back Brian Lake in the second half of last year.

However, Harbrow's manager Peter Lenton has declared that discussions with his client will wait.

General manager of football James Fantasia said he was always confident of retaining players and echoed Eade's sentiment that the prospective success of the side and the resources available to it should work in the club's favour.

On the back of three years' operating profits, the Dogs have also worked to maximise their player payments available within the salary cap.

"In this market, if any of the 16 clubs thinks they can compete with the Gold Coast, they're wrong. They get one player from every club with salaries we can't match," Fantasia said.

"But we're in a pretty good place right now. It makes us competitive against the other clubs, or at least equal."

Fantasia confirmed Harbrow, who grew up in Cairns, had spoken to Gold Coast but wasn't aware of any approaches to Cooney or Griffen at this stage.

Given most of the Dogs' current side was built by Gold Coast's manager of list strategy Scott Clayton, Eade conceded his players would be closely analysed.

"He will know the pros and cons of our individuals but at the same token, Scott is a life member here and is well regarded and has left a great legacy," he said.

"But he's got a job to do. There might be a bit of loyalty towards the Bulldogs but he's also got to do his job and build the best list he can for the Gold Coast."

He added that he had no issue with any of his players considering a move to the new franchise.

"You can be honest and up front and talk through that," Eade said.

"You can be professional about it. You want to do what's best for the club but at the same time you don't want a player to play poorly this year because of a distraction."

Griffen recently told afl.com.au he would leave his contract dealings until later in the year but was keen to be a one-club player.

"I love the guys and I love the footy club. I'm not planning on moving away too soon," he said.