It’s the supplements saga that keeps stinging AFL club Essendon.

The Bombers’ hands were tied by Paddy Ryder’s threat to take the club to the AFL grievance tribunal if they failed to trade him.

Ryder, having fallen deeply out of love with Essendon in a season that featured more ASADA angst and a legal challenge that was comprehensively dismissed, was granted his wish on Thursday.

The Bombers had asked for a high-profile talent in exchange for Ryder – Hamish Hartlett, Ollie Wines or Chad Wingard.

Port Adelaide called their bluff.

Ryder was among the Bombers’ best players and a game-breaking ruckman.

He is an immense loss.

The 26-year-old’s exit was not the only hangover from the “pharmacologically experimental environment” in 2012 that Ziggy Switkowski detailed last year.

List manager Adrian Dodoro was forced to dramatically rejig his approach this year and last, when the club was stripped of first and second round picks in the 2013 and 2014 drafts.

“You’re out of the cream of the draft,” Dodoro told AFL Trade Radio.

“We were heading down a path we were really comfortable with … then you lose those picks.

“You look more at guys that are value for money and can play at the level (now) … in some ways it’s a risk.”

The Bombers traded their way into the first round of the 2014 draft by snaffling Port’s No.17 pick.

But ready-made players have been their focus in trade period, as it was last year.

Geelong champion Paul Chapman was the high-profile veteran arriving in 2013, this time it’s 2008 Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney.

GWS ruckman Jonathan Giles and delisted St Kilda defender James Gwilt were also recruited alongside Cooney.

“(They see it) … as an opportunity to possibly play in finals and play on the big stage,” Dodoro said.

“I don’t think we’re that far away.”

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority is currently preparing to reissue show-cause notices to the 34 players embroiled in Essendon’s supplements saga.

Bombers coach James Hird’s appeal, against Justice John Middleton’s ruling that ASADA’s investigation was lawful, will be heard on November 10.

The club decided not to appeal the crushing verdict.

The players are also taking no part in the ongoing legal challenge against the probe.