THE WESTERN Bulldogs look set to be without defender Dale Morris for Sunday's clash with Essendon at Etihad Stadium.

Morris, 33, has missed two of the past three weeks with a back-related hamstring problem and the club will take a cautious approach with him just two weeks out from finals.

Bulldogs football manager Graham Lowe said a decision on whether the 225-game veteran would face the Bombers would be made later in the week.

"(Dale) is continuing to carry some back-related hamstring tightness," Lowe told the club's website.

"He's an integral player for us so we'll manage and monitor him over this week with a view to confirming his availability for this weekend."

Key defender Marcus Adams is racing the clock to play any further part in 2016, with a foot injury healing slower than expected.

The first-year sensation was originally assessed to miss just a couple of weeks after sustaining the injury in the round 15 win over Sydney, but the club has now ruled Adams out for the remainder of the home and away season.

It's a big blow to the seventh-place Dogs as fellow key defender Kieran Collins won't play again this year after recently undergoing shoulder surgery.

"Marcus has had a slower recovery than we've hoped for, and we've taken a cautious approach (with his rehabilitation)," Lowe said.

"We're aiming to progress his training over the next few weeks with a view to him playing a role in our finals series."

In better news, the Bulldogs remain confident star playmakers Tom Liberatore (ankle) and Jack Macrae (hamstring) will be available for the first week of finals.

Ruckman Tom Campbell (foot) and midfielders Bailey Williams (knee) and Mitch Honeychurch (hamstring) will all resume through the VFL this weekend if they prove their fitness at training.