WESTERN Bulldogs backman Ryan Hargrave believes he has teammate Jarrod Harbrow to thank for his reinvention as a running defender this season.

Hargrave, 27, is playing less as a key back this year and more as a creative possession-getter across half-back following the surprising emergence – and success - of Harbrow as a defender.

The Western Australian believes the shift in responsibility has made football more engaging, while prompting him to take on a more dominant role as one of the side's leaders.

"Dale Morris and Brian Lake have been playing more of the key position defender roles, which has helped, while Jarrod has definitely contributed to the move as well," he told afl.com.au ahead of round 17.

"He's taking the small defender, which means I'm getting the one in the middle whereas I used to be on a key tall or a key small and I've had to concentrate on them.

"It's left me with more of an attacking role from defence, which has been really good. I've really enjoyed it."

Hargrave said his change in role had come as a surprise, as no one initially expected Harbrow to become such an integral and responsible part of the Dogs' back half.

"Jarrod was struggling a bit for form playing in the forward line, and he went back to Williamstown and they threw him down back for one game," he explained.

"He came back into the senior side and started in the backline and he hasn't looked back."

Hargrave said running out of defence and often being left as a loose man in the back half had enhanced the creative side of his game.

He said the role had also seen him show more leadership out on the field.

"You've got to use your voice a lot more and you find yourself directing players when you've got to worry about everyone else and not just your man."

Hargrave is out of contract at the end of this year, but says he is in no hurry to lock away a new deal before the end of the season.

However, he confirmed he was not seeking to leave Whitten Oval, was not waiting on coach Rodney Eade to sign on, and was entirely confident a deal between the club and his manager Ricky Nixon would be reached.

"We spoke briefly at the beginning of the year and I said I wasn't in any hurry to sign," he said. "It was not due to any other fact other than I wanted to just play footy and not worry about my contract negotiations while I was playing.

"Nothing has really changed there. I'm putting it all off until the end of the year, and then I'll sit down and hopefully it all goes smoothly and I'll be at the Bulldogs for another few years.

"I'm not looking to leave. I'm really happy here, I really like it here, and the Bulldogs have indicated the same thing to me as well."