The Western Bulldogs could send Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney overseas at the end of this season as they widen their search for ways to alleviate the effects of his chronic knee injury.

But coach Rodney Eade acknowledges the restrictions it has placed on the 25-year-old this year are likely to be with him for the rest of his career.

Cooney has endured inconsistent form and spent time out of the side this season, with the Bulldogs' fortunes to an extent mirroring those of their star midfielder.

His best patch came as the Dogs strung together crucial consecutive wins over Gold Coast, Melbourne and Carlton from rounds 14 to 16, to revive their finals hopes.

Eade said the downturn in the Bulldogs' form since then, with three straight losses, to all but extinguish those hopes, had largely been due to Cooney and fellow midfield dynamo Ryan Griffen tailing off, with knee soreness preventing Cooney playing against West Coast on Saturday.

"Our last two games Coons has played with a real sore knee, Griff's really gone off the boil a bit his last three games, so we just haven't been able to generate enough midfield football ... that's where the game's won and lost," Eade said.

But the coach dismissed the possibility of resting Cooney for the remainder of the season, even with finals a long shot at best, saying it was unlikely to help.

"If he has to have an operation, having it early is not going to make it any better and playing is not going to make it any worse, that's our medical advice," Eade said.

But he said they were searching for answers.

"We'll look at some alternatives overseas or something at the end of the year and we're investigating that at the moment.

"But from the information we've got, there's not a lot we can do to improve it, it's just management.

"There'll be some good periods and bad periods as far as playing, that's what we'll have to put up with."

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