The AFL is showing signs of strain over the Essendon supplements scandal, with the league’s deputy chief Gill McLachlan urging media and fans to be patient as the joint investigation with ASADA continues.

Amid criticism from football heavyweights including Carlton coach Mick Malthouse that the AFL should be more publicly pro-active on the issue, McLachlan says the controversy which first arose in February is due to be reach a conclusion in August.

In a case that could have a massive influence on the 2013 finals series, the AFL’s general manager of football operations Mark Evans said on Monday the third-placed Bombers could be stripped of premiership points if found guilty of breaching ASADA’s anti-doping code.

McLachlan fronted a media conference on Wednesday at Etihad Stadium to promote the AFL’s International Rules Series tour of Ireland in October and was in no mood to go into detail about the Essendon investigation.

An AFL spokesman stipulated that McLachlan would only answer two questions regarding the Essendon case.

“We’re committed to bringing this investigation to an end with ASADA in August and prior to the finals series,” McLachlan told reporters.

“It will come to an end and there’ll be a process which … you’ll be involved in, you’ll be there covering it eagerly along with a lot of other journalists.

“Just to close this down, there’ll be a number of questions on Essendon.

“I can see everyone leaning forward in their seats. The reality is this.

“There is an end in sight. It’s in August.

“We are not going to provide a running commentary. I know people want us to be making statements.

“Anything we could say would only raise more questions and potentially jeopardise the investigation.

“We’re here to get the right outcome and that is the facts that are going on out there and that’s why we’re committed to this disciplined process.”

Essendon captain Jobe Watson admitted last month he had been injected with the banned anti-obesity drug AOD-9604 during 2012, the year he won the Brownlow Medal.