JAMES Hird broke down as he apologised for “anything that has been done wrong” to Essendon during the supplements saga.

Hird said he came “very close” to losing his job in September last year and described today’s not guilty verdict by the AFL anti-doping tribunal as a “huge relief”.

Hird shed tears as he thanked his wife Tania, his children, parents and friends for their support.

“I love the Essendon Football Club, it’s been part of my life since I was born, part of my father’s life, part of my grandfather’s life,” Hird said.

“I am so sorry for anything that has been done wrong to our players and our football club.

ROBBO: BOMBERS, HIRD HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE ANGRY

ROUND 1: WHAT WILL ESSENDON’S TEAM LOOK LIKE?

“I would never do anything intentionally to harm this football club or the game of Australian football.

“I love the game, I love the club and I just can’t wait for the rest of the year to play football and coach football.”

Asked if he deserved an apology from the AFL, Hird said: “Whether I believe I deserve one or not, I don’t think it’s going to come.”

Hird said he wasn’t certain what was given to Essendon players in 2012 but he was confident they never received a banned substance.

Bombers chairman Paul Little said the verdict was a turning point for Essendon.

“(We want) kids to stand up in their classroom and declare, ‘I barrack for Essendon’,” Little said.

“While the club is pleased with today’s verdict and hope it signals that these matters are now behind us ... we want to reiterate we will never shirk our responsibility for the events of 2012.”

Earlier, club captain Jobe Watson revealed Bombers players hugged each other after being told they had been cleared of doping charges.

“We firmly believed we had nothing to hide,” Watson said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the way this young group has conducted itself.”

Watson spoke of “heartbreaking frustration” as the prospect of doping bans hung over the playing group and said it would be “a little bit surreal” to no longer have that stress and uncertainty to deal with.

“We want to move on ... we want to play ... we want to go to bed at night and not have it be the last thing we think of and the first thing we think of when we wake up,” he said.

“Today’s decision fully supports the players’ belief that they are innocent.”

He said the moments before the judgment was handed down were “nervous” ones.

“It took a couple of moments to realise (the verdict was) not guilty ... we all broke into hugs and cheering. It was a really special moment.

“All we wanted to know was the truth. We hid nothing from anyone.”

He said the team were “physically” prepared ahead of their first game of the season against Sydney this weekend.

“I want to go to a game with the Essendon fans cheering,” he said.

The ruling means 18 players still at Essendon are free to play in Saturday night’s season-opener against Sydney.

Former Bombers Angus Monfries and Paddy Ryder, now at Port Adelaide, and Western Bulldogs forward Stewart Crameri have also been cleared of doping.

Ryder watched the decision at Port Adelaide headquarters.

“(It’s a) massive relief,” he told the club website. “I’m just looking forward to playing football.”

He said his new teammates lined up to shake his hand after the verdict.

“I just want to get out there and show them what I can bring to the team.”

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said he hoped ASADA would not accept the tribunal’s findings.

Asked if he would like to see an appeal, McLachlan said: “That’s a decision for ASADA - my personal view is no. There’s a decision that’s been made after a long, protracted period.

“I am pleased for the players and understand what a relief this is,” he said.

“I feel for the players over this long period of time - you could see the anguish on Jobe Watson’s face today,” he said. “It’s been a very difficult period for them.

“The players have had a terrible 26 months and I know they’re looking forward to playing the game.

“Judgment and evidence should give no-one any joy about what happened in our competition in 2012.

“It is the AFL’s view and the view of Essendon’s own internal report that the players were victims of a reckless program.”

The tribunal is yet to reach a verdict on former Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank and McLachlan said this is expected after Easter and the league was still reviewing the 133-page tribunal judgment.

FALLOUT: HOW ESSENDON PLAYERS AND FANS ARE REACTING

McLachlan acknowledged that Essendon had worked hard since 2013 to improve their practices at the club.

Despite criticism of how the AFL handled the saga, McLachlan was unrepentant.

“I am extremely comfortable with the process in general,” he said.

“I’ve been held to task for saying ‘you’d do things differently’ - I think in life, if you don’t learn from decisions and instances and nuances ... everyone should be learning every day.”

Tribunal chairman David Jones informed the players and their legal teams of the verdict this afternoon, 785 days after the drugs saga began.

The tribunal determined that there was insufficient evidence to uphold the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority’s belief that the 34 past and present Bombers were injected with the banned drug Thymosin beta-4 during 2012.

ASADA CEO Ben McDevitt said he was disappointed by the decision and insisted that Essendon’s behaviour in 2012 was “absolutely and utterly disgraceful”.

“It was not a supplements program but an injection regime and the players and the fans were so poorly let down by the club,” he said in a statement released by ASADA.

“While I am obviously disappointed that the charges in this instance have not been proven to the comfortable satisfaction of the tribunal, I am pleased that the tribunal was able to finally hear these matters.”

McDevitt will hold a press conference on Wednesday.

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan stood by the long-running investigation and requested the full 133-page judgment be made public. Ultimately that is a decision for the players.

“I’m pleased for the players and understand what a relief this is,” he said.

The AFL Players’ Association welcomed the tribunal decision, saying it had confirmed their belief the players had done nothing wrong.

However, it noted the judgment had not absolved the club of blame over its 2012 supplements program.

“Players were placed in an unacceptable position that put their health and careers at risk,” AFLPA CEO Paul Marsh said.

“For over two years these players’ lives have been hijacked by this issue through no fault of their own, and today’s decision brings a sense of overwhelming relief and vindication of the players’ consistent position of innocence throughout this saga.

“The players have withstood enormous uncertainty, public scrutiny and speculation over their health, their careers, and their reputations. This decision finally brings that uncertainty and speculation to an end.

“We are relieved this matter is now closed and we, as an industry, can get on with the footy. We believe this matter provides an opportunity for genuine industry reflection to ensure this type of situation never happens again.”

A statement released by the tribunal’s chairman confirmed the decision was unanimous.

Biochemist Shane Charter, who refused to appear as a witness at the tribunal hearing, said the saga was the “necessary evil the industry needed to become more accountable”.

Charter said Essendon did not have process in place in 2012 similar to those that allowed Collingwood to confidently declare positive drug tests last week were not connected to its diet and fitness program.

“They took a cocktail of amino acids and various substances, but this is where Essendon got into a little trouble in regards to their governance program,” he told SEN radio.

Pressed if the players had taken anything illegal, he said: “That’s not for me to comment, the due process has taken place and that’s how we want it to be.

“Ultimately it’s the right decision for the players.”

David Grace QC, acting for a majority of the Essendon players, said they would now be looking forward to taking the field this week.

“We’re going to see the players now and I’m sure all they’ll be interested in is playing on the weekend,” he said after the verdict was handed down.

“We mounted a very strong defence to the case and the result is here today.

“In the players’ favour, yes, it was a nice outcome.”

ASADA and the World Anti-Doping Agency have 21 days to appeal the decision.

GET ALL THE POST-VERDICT REACTION AND HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW

Essendon verdict

Former ASADA boss Richard Ings said an appeal was likely but would have to be carefully weighed by the anti-doping body.

“You’d have to think they are more likely to appeal,” he told SEN. “That is a big call.”

He said the high burden that ASADA had failed to meet at the AFL Tribunal would still apply at any appeal and that they had “lost comprehensively”.

“This is a very emphatic ruling,” he said.

Ings said ASADA would be in lockdown this afternoon as they digest the outcome.

The tribunal has not yet handed down a judgment in relation to former Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank, who was charged with several offences, including trafficking banned substances.

TIMELINE: KEY EVENTS IN THE SUPPLEMENT SAGA

Essendon verdict

FAST FACTS

PLAYERS

34 current and former Essendon players were charged by the AFL with using the banned peptide Thymosin Beta-4 during the club’s 2012 supplements program.

STEPHEN DANK

Former Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank was charged with several offences, including trafficking banned substances. The tribunal has not yet handed down a judgment in relation to Dank.

THE AFL ANTI-DOPING TRIBUNAL

— Independent panel made up of former county court judges David Jones (chairman) and John Nixon as well as barrister and former AFL player Wayne Henwood.

— Three parties — ASADA, acting as prosecutor, the players (being represented by two separate legal teams) and the AFL.

— Began sitting on December 15, for three days before Christmas

— Reconvened on January 12, and ran until January 29.

— Heard evidence from expert witnesses including, written submissions submitted in early February.

— Final submissions read to the tribunal on February 14-15.

— Panel has been deliberating since February 16.

- with Al Paton and Chad Van Estrop