AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan remains hopeful the doping charges against 34 past and present Essendon players will be resolved before the start of the season. 

With the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal to receive final submissions by Wednesday, McLachlan said a timetable was now in place to determine the immediate future of the players who have received infraction notices.

The Tribunal is hearing submissions from players and the AFL on Tuesday, with the closing statements from all parties due to be completed by Wednesday, when Tribunal members will adjourn to consider their verdict.

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"We've all been praying and hoping and wishing for a speedy conclusion," McLachlan said.

"We've got a timetable established now that says it'll be in the mid to second half of March.

"Final submissions are today and then the tribunal said they'd need at least a month. All we can do is work to that timetable. 

"We're hopeful of a conclusion before the start of the season." 

McLachlan said Essendon and the AFL had to work together to bring the situation to an end, "whatever the outcome will be".

Despite about 18 current Essendon players serving provisional suspensions, forcing the Bombers to use top-up players to field a team for the NAB Challenge, McLachlan says the pre-season competition has not been compromised. 

He said the AFL had put contingencies in place for any outcome from the Tribunal. 

"Our supporters are incredibly well educated and they know what's going on, they understand the situation," he said.

"The reality is there is a possibility this plays out and Essendon fielding different players may apply to the home and away (season).

"I don't want to hypothesise ... we've put in contingency planning that contemplates every possible scenario."