Western Bulldogs veteran Will Minson faces an uncertain future at the club, with the emerging Ayce Cordy given the chance to "own" the frontline ruck position.

Minson, 30, has been dropped for Sunday's clash against the Adelaide Crows at Etihad Stadium, in which the Bulldogs have suggested they may target Patrick Dangerfield in the manner Demons' tagger Bernie Vince did last week.

Cordy impressed through the pre-season and has played in the past two matches alongside Minson. Now he has the chance to claim the role Minson, an All Australian in 2013 and a 182-game veteran, has enjoyed for a long time.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said Minson, having struggled at times last year and averaging 13 disposals per game this year, would need to regain touch in the VFL on Sunday.

"Will has been going okay for us. We just think this week is a chance to play Ayce in the ruck a bit more and go in with one less ruck basically," Beveridge said.

"That's not the way we'll go every week. It's Ayce's turn to have a real go in there so Will understands from week to week, depending on whether or not we are winning that position, it may not be him.

"This is a week for him to play in the VFL level and he has dealt with it as you expect with the character you are expected to. Now it's up to Ayce to do his best."

Minson is contracted until the end of 2016. However, he may look elsewhere if told at the end of the season he faces a fight to play regular senior football next year.

"The way he sees it, he may have lost it (the No.1 role) for this week but he needs to, and wants to, earn it back," Beveridge said.

"Now it's Ayce's turn to own it and take it as far as he can."

As they seek to rebound from a heavy defeat to Hawthorn, the Bulldogs have said they could try to unsettle the potentially match-winning Dangerfield the way Vince did at the Adelaide Oval.

Vince was prepared to be physical and grab and harass his former teammate, and restricted Dangerfield to 16 disposals. He pushed the rules, conceding two free kicks to Dangerfield. Crows coach Phil Walsh complained about the tactics.

Beveridge said the Bulldogs may employ the same tactics, having not done so because of personnel reasons against a dominant Hawthorn midfield.

"At different stages we might do that. We have done that in the first couple of rounds when we have needed to with players from the opposition ... we'll see how it unfolds," Beveridge said.

"If one of their big players is having an influence, we might do something about it.

"He (Dangerfield) is such a terrific player and he hasn't got many weaknesses but we'll need to cater for what his real strengths are. He, obviously, really penetrates with his run.

"The Demons played a really dour and aggressive contested game and that's normally a template for most weeks for us and, hopefully, we bring that and we are looking at doing that better than the Crows."

Marcus Bontempelli will return from a calf injury, while Clay Smith, 21, will line up in his first senior game since having a second knee reconstruction. His last senior match was in round 10 last year.