(Image: Getty)

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says veteran Matthew Boyd needs to fix "one or two things" to get his way back into the senior side.

The 290-game veteran was dropped this week, not even making the cut as an emergency.

Beveridge said it was a tough decision to make given Boyd's stature at Whitten Oval.

"It's a really challenging one," he said on Saturday.

"Of all the players historically to have walked the corridors of the Whitten Oval, he's one of the most dignified and respected characters at our football club.

"It's one of the hardest parts of the job, messaging that disappointment, and he's taken it as you'd expect. He's such a stand-up character and leader at our club. He understands why."

Beveridge said Boyd just needs to get a couple of things right.

"He just probably hasn't been anywhere near his best in recent times and it's the same approach for everyone, as far as our assessment of our performances," he said.

"He'll play tonight against Casey and once he gets on top of those one or two things … it's probably just the core phases of the game. Using it and defending, he's just been a fraction off his absolute best.

"It seems a bit strange that an All Australian from 2016 be omitted at this time of year, but it happens and we believe he'll play well at VFL level and get back into the team at some point."