Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade says talented forward Robert Murphy is a chance to return from injury to play against Brisbane on Sunday.

Murphy has missed the past three AFL games with a knee injury, but joined a very light team training session on Tuesday.

"He's a chance this week, so obviously we'll train the rest of the week, the worst-case scenario he'll play the week after, but he's certainly a chance this week," Eade said.

But he said captain Brad Johnson was likely to spend another weekend sidelined by an Achilles injury and defender Ryan Hargrave was a "less than 50-50" chance to return from an ankle complaint.

Eade also downplayed concerns about the Etihad Stadium surface, despite half-forward Shaun Higgins injuring his ankle against Collingwood on Sunday, seemingly as a result of unstable turf.

While the Bulldogs have taken up the issue with the AFL, Eade said from his point of view the incident was "just one of those things that happens".

"We like playing at Etihad, it's our home ground, we think it's okay," Eade said.

He dismissed a call by Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett for an independent body to be formed to examine the state of AFL grounds.

"Most of the grounds, actually all the grounds are pretty good," Eade said.

"It's obviously a bee in Jeff's bonnet."

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