Western Bulldogs veteran Scott West says the club is fed up with public criticism from past players.

West, who plays his 250th AFL game against West Coast on Sunday, said such outbursts were weakening a club "already on its knees".

And he rejected the notion the former players were speaking out only because they had the Bulldogs' best interests at heart.

West was speaking after former Bulldog star and Brownlow medallist Brad Hardie was dumped as a specialist coach at the Whitten Oval for labelling coach Peter Rohde as not firm enough and too slow to assert himself.

"It's happened pretty much regularly over the year that we've had past players and people that have been involved with the footy club come out in the media," West said.

"From a player's point of view - and I probably echo the thoughts of the group - for those people who say they love the football club and are only doing it to benefit the club and they want to help, then come down and help.

"Ring and give us your suggestions and do it in a private forum, not in such a public forum.

"What they're doing is they're fracturing the football club which is already on its knees at the moment.

"We need all the support and help we can get and to have your own have a dig at you, especially in a public forum, really does hurt."

West pleaded with the younger players, who Hardie said were in "a comfort zone", not to desert at the end of the year.

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