LAWYERS representing most of the players embroiled in the Essendon supplements scandal are still seeking more evidence from ASADA, as the case heads to the AFL's Anti-Doping Tribunal.

 

Almost 22 months after the Bombers' alleged peptide regime engulfed the AFL, the players' case will go before the League's independent anti-doping judiciary late on Tuesday.

 

A directions hearing, conducted by former County Court judge David Jones, will take place in the AFL's regular tribunal hearing room at Etihad Stadium around 5pm.

 

The players are not expected to attend.

 

The AFLPA has assembled a five-man legal team for the hearing headed by David Grace QC alongside Tony Hargreaves, Ben Ihle, Bernie Shinners and Brett Murphy.

 

The hearing follows AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon's decision to issue infraction notices last Friday after the players were placed on the Anti-Doping Rule Violation Panel's register of findings.

 

Most of the 34 past and present Essendon players are being represented by the AFL Players' Association. Two have secured separate lawyers.

 

Much of the hearing will focus on setting a timeframe for hearings going forward.

 

But AFL.com.au understands the players are still seeking more detailed evidence from ASADA relating to the cases against them.

 

Having initially refused to provide evidence with the first round of show-cause notices in June, a second batch following Essendon's failed court bid came with around 12,000 pages of evidence.

 

Despite 350-page dossiers on each player, the players' legal team still believes there are some key details missing.

 

The rest of the hearing will likely focus on procedural matters, including a timeframe for the future.

 

It's also likely that the issue of what information to release to publicly from the process will come up.

 

At the moment, strict confidentiality rules under the anti-doping code are preventing the AFL from providing fans and the media with basic information about the tribunal process.

 

"We've come a long way through the process but the incredibly important bits are still to come," AFL football operations manager Mark Evans said on Monday.

 

The League has been facing pressure to make the hearings open to the media like the regular tribunal but the Players' Association opposes open hearings to protect the players' privacy.

 

It's understood several media outlets are seeking to have their own lawyer make a submission to chairman Jones requesting access to report from the hearing room.