Essendon coach James Hird has hit back at talk that four players have broken ranks by playing in Saturday’s AFL pre-season match.

Nick O’Brien, Jackson Merrett, Elliott Kavanagh and Lauchlan Dalgleish were named for the round-one challenge cup game against St Kilda in Morwell.

They are among 25 current Essendon players who were on the club’s list in 2012.

It was widely assumed those 25 would not play until the AFL anti-doping tribunal handed down its verdicts on 34 current and past Bombers players.

“The whole club and the leadership group were happy with it,” Hird said.

“So talk about breaking from the ranks or whatever was said in the paper today – it’s a ridiculous comment.

“The group is united on that decision and, obviously, we want the identity of those (charged) players protected.

“But we also want the individual careers of players to go ahead.”

Hird denied the club kept it secret that the four would play.

It only became apparent when reporters checked the Morwell squad against the 2012 playing list.

He said the club had known for a week or two that the quartet would play against the Saints.

The others from the 2012 list are not playing to protect the anonymity of those among them who are facing the anti-doping charges.

Those charged players are on provisional suspensions and are sitting out the pre-season to protect potential backdated suspension if found guilty.

Hird is also unhappy six players, who were not at the club in 2012 and are not in the squad for Morwell, cannot take part in a special training session on Friday afternoon.

Essendon have arranged for the Williamstown VFL team to have an informal hitout at their Tullamarine headquarters.

But the AFL has stepped in, saying if Brendon Goddard, Adam Cooney, James Gwilt, Zach Merrett, Patrick Ambrose and Joe Daniher are not playing in Morwell, they cannot be part of the Williamstown practice session.

Friday’s session was organised to give the remaining 21 players from the 2012 list an extra hitout.

“We’re disappointed those (five) players aren’t part of that session, but it is what it is and the AFL run the competition,” Hird said.

“Every club should be allowed to pick their team for round one of the NAB Challenge and prepare for round one of the regular season the way they choose.”

Hird hit back at Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, who said St Kilda would be filthy if the five players did not play in Morwell, but had the Friday hitout.

Essendon’s pre-season campaign will feature 13 top-up players.

“I don’t really care what Eddie McGuire thinks,” Hird said.

And the Essendon coach remains upbeat about the tribunal verdicts.

“We’re not thinking they (top-ups) will be required in the regular season, because we’re very confident with the way the tribunal will go with our players,” Hird said.

“We’re concentrating on the fact we’ll have our best team out there in round one against Sydney and that’s our plan.”