Malthouse says the AFL must remain firm against Essendon. Credit:Pat Scala Marsh, who held talks with AFL executive Andrew Dillon, was due to meet Essendon bosses and players on Friday. Fairfax Media understands the view of the players' association is that the Bombers were obliged to field a team despite having some 18 senior players on provisional suspensions and potentially a further eight standing down in a bid to hide the identities of their teammates facing doping charges. While the AFL did not specifically outline possible punishments it is believed the club could lose premiership points for failing to play and potentially face draft penalties. Despite competition boss Gillon McLachlan determined to resolve the stand-off this week the latest Bombers' drama could remain alive until Monday's scheduled AFL Commission talks.

Earlier on Thursday, Malthouse implored the AFL to take a tougher stance on Essendon and force it to play in the NAB Challenge. With the prospect of all of their 2012-listed players sitting out the pre-season matches to protect the anonymity of players serving provisional suspensions as a result of the supplement saga, the Bombers are reportedly contemplating pulling out of the NAB Challenge altogether. Essendon has cited concerns about fielding teams consisting mainly of youngsters against more experienced and stronger sides. The Bombers' absence would throw the NAB Challenge into disarray and Malthouse is worried the league is at risk of being "hijacked" by the club. "This is a national competition. It can't be hijacked by one football club," Malthouse said at Visy Park on Thursday.

"This is a great test for the AFL and its administrators to be very, very firm and strong. "The tail cannot wag the dog and I don't think under the circumstances what's happened in the last two years that people can start dictating whether they're going to play or not going to play. "The rules are in place that there's a competition at stake and I would, personally, expect that there'd be nine games in the first round (of the NAB Challenge) contested by 18 teams." Buckley agreed with Malthouse's comments and said he wouldn't have an issue with top-up players from state leagues filling the void. "There won't be any doubt that they'll have enough players to field a team, and there's got to be a capacity to, if you need to find players from outside, well then allow it - it's an exceptional circumstance

"The AFL is an 18-team competition, the AFL need to be strong in the way that they enforce their regulations. "There are expectations on each and every one of the clubs, it just so happens that it's Essendon on this occasion and you'd expect strong leadership from the top." Buckley said that the football world wanted the saga to end as quickly as possible, but he appreciated why it was dragging on for so long. "The AFL aren't entirely in control of it, ASADA have clearly got the reins at the moment and the sooner those findings come back down, the better and then everyone can get on with business."