The Australian Football League has indicated to Essendon that it wants the Dons to "field a
weakened team in the NAB Challenge games at this stage," with the club
believing it will need as many as 20 "top-up" players from second-tier
competitions to field teams over the first two preseason games, according to Jake Niall of THE AGE. As
all 2012-listed players have "now withdrawn from the NAB Challenge games
to protect teammates' anonymity -- removing 25 players from selection
for those games" -- Essendon has estimated it will need up to 20
players to "cover the NAB Challenge games" against St. Kilda and Greater
Western Sydney. The AFL is encouraging the club to "source players in second-tier
competitions for these games, but Essendon also have questioned the
merit of playing games in such compromised circumstances" (THE AGE, 2/11). In Melbourne, Jon Pierik reported the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority has warned Essendon, Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs that "any player issued with an infraction notice will lose any chance of a suspension 'credit' should they opt to play in the NAB Challenge." The Western Bulldogs had been "weighing up whether to seek a lifting of the provisional suspension imposed on forward Stewart Crameri." An ASADA spokesperson said, "The policy also stipulates that if a provisional suspension is
imposed and respected by the player, then the player shall receive a
credit for such period of provisional suspension against any period of
ineligibility which may ultimately be imposed. Our view is any
athlete competing during their provisional suspension and prior to a
final decision by a sport tribunal, has not respected their obligation
under the World Anti-Doping Code and should not be entitled to a credit
for the provisional suspension" (THE AGE, 2/11). In Melbourne, Daniel Cherny reported Essendon GM of Football Operations Rob Kerr has "claimed that the Bombers players have 'bought into' an AFL proposal for all 2012-listed players to sit out of the NAB Challenge, however he could not guarantee whether the club would field a team in its pre-season opener, and if so, what it would look like" (THE AGE, 2/11).
