JAKE Carlisle has been ruled out of Essendon's elimination final against North Melbourne after scans showed the forward's hamstring injury had not improved quickly enough to play.





The 22-year-old missed last week's draw with Carlton after suffering the minor injury at training during the week.





But despite Carlisle's hopes it would only be a one-week concern, Bombers coach Mark Thompson said the club's leading goalkicker would not return to the team to take on the Kangaroos.





"He's had a scan today and I think they've decided that he's going to miss one [more] game, so he's not playing," Thompson said on Monday.





"[The scan showed] there's something there still, he's not aware of it, but there's some damage there. Once there was damage there we knew today if there was he'd miss out."





The Bombers were already planning for their first final in three years under the assumption Carlisle would not be fit.





"I pretty much knew it was going to be two weeks," Thompson said.



