McGuire was speaking ahead of a hastily scheduled meeting with the AFL and club presidents, and the Magpies boss says he expects the AFL to reveal the cost of the Essendon investigation.
Summoned to AFL House by commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick, the League is expected to explain to the presidents its actions until now, its plans going forward and how much money it will cost the game should proceedings with the Bombers end up in court.
McGuire said he expected the League to take the pulse of the room and to determine whether there is support at club level for its actions.
"In these instances, the AFL is pretty forthcoming," McGuire said on Triple M radio station.
"I'm thinking the AFL is calling us in to say this is where it is all going and this is how much it is going to cost the competition. What do you all think?"
McGuire said it was time for the clubs to have their say in what happens as the battle between the AFL and the Bombers becomes increasingly bitter.
He said it was shaping as a "death or glory" battle between the League and one of its largest clubs.
"It is time. It has been an Essendon-AFL investigation, but other people have been drawn into it.
"They'll want to say how it will affect this year's finals competition and you have to remember that every other club has skin in the game in this."
He added that it was important to know whether the Bombers will take part in the finals because most sponsorship arrangements at most clubs include bonus payments for finals played in and won.
"Do the North Melbourne players go on their 'mad Monday' after their last home and away game or do they need to prepare for a finals match?
"It's not a major issue, but it's an issue."
McGuire said he believed the AFL had much more information at its disposal than it released on Wednesday, but was unclear whether more details would be released to the clubs at the presidents' meeting.
