The Western Bulldogs are set for a boost ahead of their clash against Adelaide, with skipper Easton Wood and veteran hard man Dale Morris set to return from injury.

Wood suffered a minor hamstring strain in round six, while Morris is yet to play this season after suffering a partial anterior cruciate ligament tear in February.

The 35-year-old, who famously played in the 2016 grand final with a broken back, has undertaken a careful rehabilitation rather than undergoing surgery.

“Dale has ticked every box and passed every fitness test we could throw at him, and he’s now had two really solid weeks of footy training behind him,” Dogs medical manager Chris Bell said.

“So, if he gets through training this week as we expect he’ll return to availability this weekend.”

It remains to be seen if that will be at AFL level for Morris, but Wood should lead the side out against the Crows at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.

“He ticked full speed on the weekend, which is really important for us,” Bell said of Wood.

“He’ll come back into full training this week with the team and if he gets through, he’ll come back into availability this weekend.”

In further good news for the Dogs, full-back Marcus Adams will also be available after undergoing ankle surgery on the eve of the season.

But emerging defender Aaron Naughton will miss two to three weeks with an ankle injury suffered in the Dogs’ win over Brisbane.

In other injury news around the AFL, Collingwood are confident hamstring injuries suffered by Jamie Elliott and Darcy Moore at the weekend aren’t serious.

“As disappointing as it is for Darcy and Jamie to miss more football, the fresh injuries are not tears but relatively minor strains,” football chief Geoff Walsh said.

“Further assessments will be made in the coming days and it will be after those assessments and examinations are completed that their recovery programs will be mapped out.”

Elliott was playing his first game of the season at VFL level when he suffered his latest setback, which followed on from pre-season ankle surgery and a hamstring tear last month.

Carlton are set to regain skipper Marc Murphy for their clash against Melbourne after a five-game absence due to a foot injury.

West Coast are hopeful star defender Jeremy McGovern will recover from a calf niggle in time for the top-of-the-table clash with Richmond at Optus Stadium.

Essendon defender Michael Hurley is in doubt for Saturday’s encounter with Geelong with a hamstring complaint.