Veteran skipper Brad Johnson spoke at the weekend about his frustration with dealing with major injury for the first time in career, while teammate Daniel Cross said the Dogs' were confused about how best to utilise their forward structure built around new spearhead Barry Hall.

Last year the Dogs led the league in scoring (15.4 goals a game), this year they are seventh, averaging 13.

The addition of Hall, who has kicked 20 goals after seven rounds, had supposedly been the panacea to their premiership aspirations. Instead, his acquisition, after a smooth start through the NAB Cup, has hit choppy waters.

After escaping with a four-point win against Melbourne on Friday night, Cross told Melbourne radio station SEN on Saturday the Dogs may have become "a bit Barry conscious", although Hall was held goalless by the Demons and a soggy night unfriendly to forwards.

A quick look at the statistics shows how things have changed from last year, when the Dogs fell just short of the grand final, to this year, when the premiership fancy has a wobbly 4-3 record and has slipped in the betting.

Last year eight Bulldogs kicked more than 20 goals and 15 players had double-figure tallies.

Former Dog Scott Welsh was the focal point, with the Dogs directing the ball to him 11 per cent of the time inside their attacking 50. The Dogs now go to Hall more than 25 per cent of the time.

Last year Jason Akermanis and Johnson combined for 80 goals. This year Johnson, although he has played only the three matches, has not had a shot at goal while Akermanis' single on Friday night was his first of the year.

"At times we are confused as to when to go long and when to hit the lead-up player," Cross said.

"Certainly over the last few years we have done that extremely well, not having the stay at home big forward there. We are training as hard as we ever have on that area of the game, trying to get those decisions right.

"Eventually it will click. It certainly happened during the NAB Cup. We just haven't got it quite right at the moment.

"Maybe we are a bit Barry conscious at the moment. We are certainly conscious of it during the week but during games we may be falling back into bad habits."

Johnson, despite being a small forward, had been the focal point in recent seasons. But that hasn't been the case this year, and not just because of Hall.

Johnson, 33, has dealt with on-going calf/achilles problems and his latest setback, which kept him out last weekend, has been a groin strain.

His woes weren't helped either when he was accidentally hit on his injured calf by a drinks cart driven by veteran property steward Noel Kinniburgh at training before the round-two clash against Richmond. Johnson initially winced in pain but maintains it hasn't impacted on his recovery.

It was during the round-six clash against the Saints that Tony Shaw, a former Magpies' premiership captain and now radio commentator, felt Johnson was struggling with the speed of the game and was going to ground a lot.

Johnson did finish with a relatively healthy 18 disposals that night but there was still a trickling of radio talkback callers starting to question his future.

Shaw told backpagelead.com.au he felt Johnson still had a role to play.

"At his best, yes, no doubt. He is just a dangerous match-up," Shaw said.

"If they realise they can still go to four or five different options, and not Barry 25 per cent, he would probably be the third option so he'll probably get a lesser player than he would have got.

"It looks like his body is not coping with the work to get up and play. It happens to all of us really. I think they will be using him sparingly.

"If you are coming up against sides that you should beat, I think they would look at spelling him. I think we'll see a lot more of that, not just with Brad but with senior players, the way the game is at the moment.

"If he can get back to being fresh and playing without injury, he would be in their best 22."

Dual Geelong premiership captain Tom Harley, now a commentator on Channel 7's AFL coverage, had similar frustrations as Johnson, albeit after major knee surgery, last year in his final season.

Harley didn't play until round seven, endured further knee and hamstring problems through the season but had a smooth September and, as we all know, was able to lift the premiership cup for the second time in three years.

The Cats needed Harley to play a calming role down back. He says Johnson is needed for similar reasons by the Dogs.

"He has played so much footy, been a stalwart and leader of the club, you can't put a figure on that. If anyone suggests he is not in the best 22, that's ridiculous," Harley said.

Coach Rodney Eade says Johnson will probably play about 12 games this season, which should be enough time to build chemistry with Hall.

"Johnno would have loved to have played more games with Barry," said Harley. "The whole chemistry, forward structure, is clearly different at the moment."

"Just this year, in weight of numbers, they are actually down in all their major front-half categories - inside 50s, goals - they have gone from a team that has really shared the load among inside 50 targets to one dominant focal-point. Johnno would love to be getting in amongst it but is only round seven."

The Dogs' games record-holder spoke publicly at the weekend about dealing with serious injuries for the first time in his career, detailing how odd it felt to be recovering alone in the gym while his teammates were preparing for a match later that night.

Harley sympathises, but says Johnson must look to the bigger picture.

"If Brad has some frustrations at the moment, he is smart enough to know that the end is probably in the next 12, 24 months," he said.

"He has achieved everything you can achieve as an individual. His focus should be solely for team success which can only be achieved in September.

"We are only in May, it's certainly not panic stations yet. He and all Western Bulldog supporters can take great confidence from the games that he has played in, he has been one of the best half a dozen players on the field."

As Hall prepares for his grudge match against the Swans this week, and Johnson looks to build fitness, the Bulldogs know there is a bigger issue that must be rectified if they are to press for that elusive premiership.

"Rocket (Eade) has spoken about it all along. We shouldn't rely on Barry to kick us a big bag," Cross said.

"Like Rocket said, he can play many roles and he is going to be a decoy at some stages. But it's hard to tell (where to kick) when you are out on the ground, I suppose.