STAR Collingwood duo Taylor Adams and Jamie Elliott have been ruled out of the clash with the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

Both players had initially hoped to be available for the encounter with the Dogs but will now be sidelined for at least another week.

Meanwhile, midfield reinforcement Rupert Wills, who played successive games from rounds eight to 10, sustained a calf injury in the VFL.

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Tough onballer Adams damaged his left adductor in the round seven win over Port Adelaide and seemed set to return after just a fortnight on the sidelines, only to suffer another tear, this time in the scar tissue that connected the tendon to the muscle.

After being primed for a big year after burning up the track in the pre-season and improving considerably as a leader, Adams has played just five games. The 25-year-old missed the opening two rounds with a finger tendon injury.

Forward dynamo Elliott experienced hamstring tightness late in the Magpies' win over Carlton at the MCG in round eight.

Elliott is now set for his sixth week on the sidelines, despite the club initially saying the livewire's latest hamstring problem was "not a serious thing".

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He has kicked 12 goals in seven games this season after missing the entire 2018 season.

In better news for the premiership contender, medium-sized defender Flynn Appleby will return from an ankle injury in the VFL.