AFL boss Andrew Demetriou has accused clubs of spreading scurrilous innuendo about under-siege Essendon.
Bombers players are expected to be grilled by Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) investigators next week over alleged use of banned substances during the 2012 season.
As allegations and counter-claims surface daily – the latest a question mark over advice former Bombers sports scientist Stephen Dank gave the club clearing the use of certain supplements – Essendon have kept focus on-field.
They are unbeaten in their five matches this season.
But Demetriou believes other clubs are throwing petrol on the firestorm, spreading rumours about what benefits the Bombers may have gained this year from previous use of the substances being investigated.
“There appears to be a small group, particularly amongst our clubs, who are taking it upon themselves to put about scurrilous innuendo about the fact that the Essendon football club has won five games and are they getting an advantage,” Demetriou told Melbourne radio station 3AW.
“I think this is really unfortunate … and I don’t think it is acceptable.
“It just might be that they’ve got some good players.
“It just might be that they’ve got some good tactics.
“It just might be that their coach is coaching well, they might actually just be playing well.
“The sooner some of our clubs – and this is not all, but a small few – stop this sort of scurrilous mongering, the better.”
Essendon coach James Hird doesn’t expect his players to lose on-field focus despite their looming ASADA grilling.
As anti-doping investigators prepare to go head-to-head with Bombers players, an internal review of the club’s governance during last year’s controversial supplements program is scheduled for release at the same time.
“I’m not sure exactly when these guys are going to speak to ASADA, but these guys have been so focused, so committed to their football, such a tight group of players, I’d be surprised if they do take their eye off the ball,” Hird said on Friday.
The club’s internal review, helmed by former Telstra chief Ziggy Switkowski, was expected to be released publicly this week but has been delayed to next week.
Hird said he had not seen the Switkowski report.
But he trusted the administration to release its findings – likely to find fault with some club officials – when the time was right and any legal hurdles were cleared.
“There’s reasons why (the report hasn’t yet been released) and the board will deal with that,” he said.
“The only thing I can concentrate on is coaching our football team to win games. That’s where my focus is.”
The Bombers play the winless GWS Giants at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
