Veteran Scott West's bid to play finals football with the Western Bulldogs this season appears doomed.

West withdrew from a crucial game with the Bulldogs' reserves side, Williamstown, citing knee soreness.

The 33-year-old midfielder has been battling the problem for most of the year and has not played since round six.

However the club said he would resume training on Monday.

West lined up in a return game for Williamstown against the Bendigo Bombers last week.

He managed 28 possessions and played with a heavily taped knee, but his performance should be measured against the quality of the opposition, which managed only one goal in a massive 155-point defeat.

The decision to pull out of the clash with Box Hill means West would be unlikely to be picked for the first finals game on the basis of one further game in the reserves next week.

Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade said this week that sentimentality would not come into the selection process for the qualifying final.

"We can't afford to let emotion get involved in making what is the right decision for the footy club," Eade said.

"We've spoken to Scott about that and Scott's going to give it his best chance."

West, a seven-times best-and-fairest winner at the club, has played 324 games for the Bulldogs - third on the list behind Chris Grant (341) and Doug Hawkins (329).

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