FORWARD Mitch Hahn has pleaded with the Western Bulldogs' missing members to sign up ahead of what he believes could be an exciting period for the club.

The Bulldogs currently have 23,564 match day members, down 3000 on the figure recorded at this time last year. While 2501 new members have committed for season 2008, an alarming 8000 have failed to re-sign.

Following a commanding 3-0 start to the season and the opening of the fancy new Whitten Oval facilities, Hahn believes the time is now for Bulldogs fans to support the club and purchase a membership.

"We'd like every supporter that hasn't signed up to really get behind us," Hahn said ahead of the Dogs' round four clash with Essendon. "It's a really exciting time for the club.

"We've just moved into the Elite Learning Centre, it's a great facility, and the season has obviously started really well.

"We're really not sure why supporters haven't signed up, but if you can get down there on Friday night, it's going to be a great game so come and sign up."

The club has contacted 2200 unrenewed members via email, who, in recent surveys, have admitted to thinking twice about purchasing a membership owing to "dissatisfaction with on-field performances combined with financial restrictions".

However, failing to recommit will actually hurt the club more, as the financial impact of the loss of 8000 members will be $1.2 million – funds the Bulldogs, a membership-based organisation, simply cannot afford to lose.

"It's not frustrating, it's more disappointing," Hahn said.

"As players, we love supporters and on Friday night the crowd really got behind us and it was great."

With 38,000 attending last Friday's win over St Kilda, around 9000 of the club's supporters at the game weren't paid-up members.

Hahn pleaded with supporters yet to take out membership to attend this Friday night's clash with Essendon and ensure the Dogs' home ground becomes an AAMI Stadium-like fortress.

"We'd like to have Telstra Dome, our home ground, as a little bit of a dungeon and daunting for other teams to play us there because of the crowd support we get there," he said.

"You go to Adelaide and you kick a goal and you hear silence."

If supporters needed any further encouragement to take out a membership, Hahn said the cracking start to this season indicates a strong year is on the cards for the Bulldogs.

"[Friday night's win over St Kilda] does massive things," he said.

"We haven't won four in a row for a long time, so I think three in a row was a big focus of ours and now it goes to four in a row.

"It gives our supporters a bit more passion and support to jump on board, because four in a row is a great start and it gives you a good opportunity to play finals football."

Friday night's clash with Essendon at Telstra Dome commences at 7.40pm.