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ESSENDON will conduct another internal review in the wake of the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal's 'not guilty' verdict, and Bombers chairman Paul Little has suggested anti-doping protocols in Australia should also be analysed.
Little echoed the view of AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan when on Tuesday he hoped ASADA did not appeal the Tribunal's decision.
ASADA has 21 days to appeal the determination, while the World Anti-Doping Agency also has 21 days after that to lodge its own appeal.
Little said Essendon would follow the AFL by reflecting on its conduct throughout the process, and said the anti-doping body should also evaluate its systems.
"I don't really want to give ASADA advice. I remind everyone that there's still the possibility of an appeal that could occur and we certainly don't want to compromise that process," Little said.
"But in time I think it's healthy for all organisations to review how they performed with such an important matter as this investigation.
"The AFL and Gill has said today that he plans to do that in due course. We will also have another review on how we've performed. I think ASADA probably needs to and should, but whether they do is their call."
I'm so sorry, says relieved Hird
Coach James Hird said the players had questioned the confidentiality regulations surrounding the investigation after many private interview details were made public.
"I think the constant leaks out of the system and investigation and process would say the players don't have total trust in that system. I mean, how could you? You go to an interview and a day later almost your entire interview was in the paper," Hird said.
"Where that comes from, I'm not casting aspersions. Amongst the playing group, there is disappointment in the way this was run. There is disappointment in us as a club, there's no doubt about that in the things that happened.
"But there's huge disappointment in the fact that the process wasn't run as ASADA's rules say it should be run."
The Bombers have conducted a "broad review" of their business operation, and Little said the club continues to learn lessons from 2012.
"Importantly, our focus on sound governance for the good of our players will have no finish line and will be continually reviewed," he said.
Hird and Little also defended their court action last year, saying it had not caused a significant delay in the decision-making process.
