Essendon coach James Hird has decided against trying to take his legal action against ASADA to the High Court.

Hird lost his action in the Federal Court against the joint ASADA-AFL investigation into Essendon’s 2012 supplements scandal.

His Federal Court appeal also failed and his next step would have been trying to take the matter to the High Court.

Hird had until Friday to decide whether to attempt High Court action.

The AFL anti-doping tribunal is deliberating on 34 current and former Essendon players who are facing charges stemming from the 2012 supplements program at the club.

Hird remained defiant when he fronted reports at the club’s Tullarmarine headquarters on Friday afternoon, but said it was time to focus on playing football.

“It’s been very disappointing what’s happened the last two years and the way our football club has been treated and we hope we get the chance to get on and do what we do best and that’s play football,” he said.

“This decision is based in trying to give us the best chance in 2015 of winning as many games of football as we can.

“Fundamentally we still believe our players weren’t treated the way they should have been treated with confidentiality and certain aspects that the average Australian is given.

“Ultimately we hope the players are cleared through the tribunal process, which is about to be handed down very shortly.”

Hird and Essendon jointly took ASADA to the Federal Court.

When that action failed, the coach broke ranks with the club with his appeal.

Speculation was rife at the October 1 club best and fairest function that Hird was about to be sacked because he had decided to appeal.

Hird survived and last year’s caretaker coach Mark Thompson eventually left the club.

On January 30, three Federal Court appeal judges also ruled unanimously against Hird.

Like the original ruling, their verdict was decisive.