TRIBUNAL hearings into the Essendon supplements scandal will continue into 2015.
Doping allegations against 34 past and present Bombers players from 2012 will begin being heard from December 15.
The Tribunal will then break for Christmas and resume from January 12.
The AFL is also searching for a suitably sized venue for the hearings, the regular Tribunal room at Etihad Stadium being unsuitable for such lengthy proceedings.
ASADA has issued infraction notices to the 34 players for alleged use of banned peptide Thymosin beta-4. A former Essendon employee has also been issued with an infraction notice.
A directions hearing held on Monday in Melbourne was said to be "productive" and resolved a number of matters.
"The hearing of the proceedings was confirmed to commence on December 15, 2014, to continue for a number of days prior to Christmas and then resume on January 12, 2015," Tribunal chairman David Jones said in a statement.
"A suitable venue for the hearing is being finalised."
It has also emerged ASADA will seek Supreme Court assistance in an attempt to force biochemist Shane Charter and compound pharmacist Nima Alavi to give evidence to the Tribunal.
Charter, who allegedly supplied the substances to sports scientist Stephen Dank, is ASADA's star witness.
It's understood lawyers for ASADA told Monday morning's directions hearing, held behind closed doors, that the pair won't attend voluntarily.
The tribunal is powerless to demand that they appear.
It is now expected that ASADA's legal team will approach the Supreme Court this week seeking subpoenas under the Commercial Arbitration Act.
There are fears, among at least some parties, that the court action could bring the AFL's Tribunal process to a halt until the new year.
Whenever the formal hearing does begin it is anticipated ASADA will present its case against the 34 players in one hit, outlining minor differences concerning each individual as it goes, before lawyers for the players respond.
An AFL Players' Association-backed legal team is representing 32 of the players. Two players are being represented individually.
A ruling on whether the hearings will be open to the media is expected by next Monday 8 December, when another directions hearing will be held.
Two of the 34 players have agreed with the AFL's request for conditional media access, but this is being opposed by the majority of the players and ASADA.
The AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal is chaired by former county court judge Jones, another former county court judge John Nixon and barrister and former Swans player Wayne Henwood.
