TIME will tell whether Jake Stringer remains at the Western Bulldogs in 2018, teammate Mitch Wallis says.

It has been reported that Stringer and the Bulldogs are open to the prospect of exploring a trade for the 2015 All Australian in this year's player exchange period.

Wallis said the Bulldogs needed Stringer to "fully commit" to the club, especially in the way he prepared for training and games.

"I played golf with him the other day, but that was more of a friendship catch up thing, because I hadn't spoken to him in a couple of weeks," Wallis told SEN on Thursday morning.

"He's working through it. He wants to stay a Bulldog, [the club's] given him every opportunity for the last four or five years but it's still up in the air and he still has to really commit to the club.

"They want a full commitment from him and not one where he's unsure."

Stringer was limited by a number of soft-tissue injuries in 2017 and was well down on the output many have come to expect from him, booting 24 goals from 16 games.

Wallis said he hoped Stringer and the club were able to remedy the disconnect between the two parties.

"I want him to stay and he's a contracted player," Wallis said.

"They've still got some things they need to work through and Jake needs to be fully committed to want to play for the Dogs, and I think he is.

"But time will tell.

"If he decides to stay he'll stay for a long time, and if he doesn't then good luck to him."

Stringer was one of a number of Dogs players to have a down season, with the club becoming the first reigning premier to miss the finals since Hawthorn in 2009.