ESSENDON coach James Hird says he's shattered that the AFL has charged him with bringing the game into disrepute.

Hird, the Bombers and three other senior officials were charged by the League and will front the AFL Commission on August 26.

The commission has sweeping powers and can suspend Hird if it finds him guilty, as well as stripping Essendon of premiership points and taking away draft picks.

The AFL announced the charges on Tuesday night after a six-month investigation alongside the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority into the club's supplements scandal.

Hird, the joint 1996 Brownlow Medallist and two-time premiership player, is one of the greatest figures in Essendon history.

"I'm pretty shattered really - shattered to be charged for bringing the game into disrepute that I love and cherish and respect so much," he told reporters outside his home on Wednesday morning.

"It's terribly disappointing I've been charged for that, for the club and all of us."

The AFL did not specify the offences, other to say that the club and the four individuals were charged with engaging in conduct that is unbecoming or likely to prejudice the interests or reputation of the AFL or to bring the game into disrepute.

Veteran Essendon club doctor Bruce Reid, Bombers football manager Danny Corcoran and assistant coach Mark Thompson were also charged, along with the club.

The club announced the investigations on February 5, two days before the Australian Crime Commission unveiled an explosive report that linked organised crime with performance enhancing drugs and Australian sport.

"We'll support each other - it's interesting that the four of us have been identified as the blackest day in Australia sporting history now so we take that very seriously," Hird said.

"I think we have a look at our options, we're obviously going to defend ourselves vigorously.

"We've got to contend the charges, we've got to make sure we're proven not guilty, and we'll go from there."

The one piece of good news for Essendon came from the AFL who said on Tuesday night that for now, there were no anti-doping charges against players.

"It's great the players have been freed (and) I think they've got a great sense of relief over that," Hird said.

ASADA continues to investigate Essendon, with no time frame on when they will confirm whether they will issue anti-doping infraction notices.

The AFL decided on its charges after receiving an interim ASADA report at the start of this month.

Stephen Dank, the sports scientist who ran the controversial supplements program at Essendon last year, slammed the AFL's decision to lay charges.

Essendon sacked Dank last August and he has made some explosive claims over the last few months about what happened last year at the club.

But he has again offered his support to the Bombers.

"I just think the whole thing is laughable and ludicrous ... they'll sort it out," Dank said.

"We'll give them what assistance they need on this."