Western Bulldogs great Doug Hawkins has ranked retiring captain Brad Johnson among the top five players in the club's history - and says unassuming defender Dale Morris would be the ideal replacement as skipper.

Johnson, the Bulldogs' club games record holder (362 games) and second on their all-time goal kicking list (558), will retire once the club's finals campaign is complete after announcing his retirement on Monday.

The veteran forward, 34, has battled a troublesome Achilles injury all year, a problem that no doubt restricted him during a forgettable performance against Collingwood on Saturday night where he finished the match on the bench.

Coach Rodney Eade has guaranteed Johnson of his spot for this Saturday night's cut-throat semi-final against Sydney at the MCG.

Hawkins, who played the one year with Johnson before leaving the club after the 1994 season, says the man nicknamed the "Smiling Assassin" deserved to be remembered on a level just below club legend Ted Whitten snr.

"Johnson has to be in our best five. He is one of the all-time greats of the Western Bulldogs and AFL footy," Hawkins told BackPageLead.

"It's a very hard one because Chris Grant, he and Scotty West were the greats of the ‘90s. In my time, it was (Kelvin) Templeton, (Gary) Dempsey, Brad Hardie won a Brownlow and best and fairest in three years but he was there and gone. Brian Royal was a great player for the club. Johnny Schultz is also a legend with five best and fairests."

And not to forget the Dogs' sole premiership captain, Charlie Sutton, George Bissett and Hawkins himself, the trio all named in the club's team of the century.

"Chris Grant was unbeatable for four or five years, Scotty West won seven best and fairests. If there wasn't a Scotty West playing, Brad Johnson may have won five or six himself, not the three that he did," Hawkins said.

Hawkins said Johnson would be remembered as the complete footballer, a man who started his career as an elite on-baller who transformed himself into the focal point of the Dogs' attack before Barry Hall's arrival this year. He sits behind only former full-forward Simon Beasley (575) for most goals.

"He could play anywhere. He could play on the forward line, backline, wing, centre, ruck-rove," Hawkins said.

"He was a true all-round footballer. His ability to kick on both sides of the body, he went forward as a goal-kicker. He was a complete player and a great role model."

Hawkins felt Johnson still had a year to give but had made the right call to retire.

"I think he has only retired because of injury. I reckon if Brad Johnson didn't have an Achilles injury, he could play another year," he said.

"The Achilles has really flattened him. If he had time to get that right, he could probably play next year.

"He is 34, there are some good kids coming through now. I think he made the right call."

The Bulldogs will have several captaincy candidates to replace Johnson, with the likes of Morris, Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross, Daniel Giansiracusa and Ryan Griffen topping that list.

Hawkins, a former captain, said Morris, the robust defender who is sidelined with a back injury, would be his preferred candidate.

"I would like to see someone like Dale Morris or Matthew Boyd or Crossy wouldn't be a bad choice - maybe Morris on top of Boyd and Cross," he said.

"Giansiracusa is a bit of a chance but I would rather see him just play footy. He doesn't need that extra responsibility. I would also probably just let Griffen play football."