THE AFL has allowed Essendon captain Jobe Watson and defender Dustin Fletcher to play in Saturday’s International Rules Test despite their impending anti-doping hearing.

Watson and Fletcher flew to Sydney for a two-day camp, starting on Monday, before the one-off Test against Ireland in Perth.

The Dons skipper has spoken about being part of Essendon’s supplements 2012 program with Fletcher also believed to be one of 34 players served with an infraction notice.

AFL PUTS BOMBERS IN DOCK

The AFL’s anti-doping code says players with infraction notices must be provisionally suspended unless “otherwise determined by the AFL Commission”.

The AFL confirmed the Essendon pair would be in camp on Monday, but there was no explanation of why they are deemed eligible to play.

The AFL Anti-Doping Code restricts what the AFL can say about doping cases.

media_camera Dustin Fletcher and Jobe Watson are understandably keen to play in the International Rules Test despite their impending tribunal hearings. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Under the code, there appears to be two options in the Watson/Fletcher case: The International Rules Test has been deemed not to be an official AFL match, or the Commission has provided an exemption.

On Tuesday night the AFL’s anti-doping tribunal chairman David Jones will hold a directions hearing where a hearing date will be set and the ground rules for the case will be settled.

The Herald Sun understands Watson and Fletcher were extremely keen to play in the series and were told on Saturday it was their choice.

They were given the freedom to pull out given they will be training and playing under intense scrutiny as the anti-doping hearing nears.

But both made it clear they wanted in, with Fletcher in particular crucial to Australia’s chances given he will likely be the goalkeeper in the hybrid game.

The AFL Anti-Doping Code states: “Subject to clause 12.5 or unless otherwise determined by the AFL Commission in any case, a player will be ineligible to participate in any match”, upon receiving an infraction notice.

Clause 12.5 relates to substances that are not a “specified substance”, but the substance in the Essendon case, thymosin beta-4, is a specified substance.

Watson won the Brownlow Medal in 2012 and while he could technically lose it if found guilty of drug charges, the AFL has discretion to allow him to keep it.

If players receive a penalty less than the maximum two-year ban the AFL can decide to let them keep awards and prizemoney under its own code.

Former Essendon players Brent Prismall and Stewart Crameri have separate legal representatives to the 32 other players, with a ruling expected on the extent that all cases would be bundled.

Australia had assembled its strongest International Rules team in many years as it attempts to reinvigorate the flagging series.

The AFL expects to sell out the Patersons Stadium Test given strong support for the series in recent years in West Australia.

But the presence of Fletcher and Watson means some of the attention will be turned on the efforts of the Essendon pair as the fate of Bomber players becomes clearer in coming weeks.

Bomber Brendon Goddard is also in the Australian team but he arrived at the club after the 2012 season which is at the centre of the doping charges.