With an ASADA investigation that has so far revealed nothing as scandalous as was first declared, there was a sense that the tide of public opinion was changing. How had a club that self-reported and cooperated every step of the investigation, found itself charged with bringing the game into disrepute, writes Tracey Holmes.

If Australia's Anti-Doping Agency (ASADA) and the AFL wanted blood, they most certainly have found it. The Essendon supplements saga is no longer a neat, clean, surgical incision to remove a cancer, it's fast heading towards a long, drawn-out battle that will leave parties from all sides permanently damaged by the ensuing legal minefield.

Picking through the mess, as it stands today, it seems the AFL has lost faith in ASADA's handling of the investigation, Essendon coach James Hird has lost trust in the AFL's ability to hear the charges objectively and confidential information from the ASADA/AFL report continues to be illegally leaked to journalists who appear to have picked their sides in this battle.

The media is also being used in a strategy designed to create an atmosphere of mistrust with the sole aim of flushing out testimony that can be used as evidence as Australian sport searches for its own 'Lance moment'.

With a finals series looming and a weary public demanding an end to a season of confusion, the AFL played its hand in Melbourne on Tuesday night. Given that there was not enough evidence in ASADA's interim report to charge athletes with breaking the anti-doping code, the AFL had two cards it could play - declare that until ASADA's final conclusions were made it would be inappropriate to take action, or, go for the kill. The AFL revealed itself to be a creature of habit.

Sports watchers have been waiting six months for evidence, not rumours and emotional hype, that sports 'blackest day' was in fact not just a politically motivated headline grabber. After reviewing a 400-page interim ASADA report, with more than 13,000 references and no evidence of anti-doping violations, the AFL stated that not a single player would be charged. However, the club and four of its senior officials, including high profile coach James Hird, were charged with bringing the game into disrepute.

On February 7, the ABC and almost all Australian media led with a story that claimed, 'The Australian Crime Commission's investigations have unearthed evidence of drug use and match-fixing in Australian sport'. On centre stage with the minister for sport, the home affairs minister and the head of Australia's anti-doping agency was AFL boss Andrew Demetriou and his counterparts from Australia's other highest profile sports.

Since then there have been newspaper lift-outs and broadcast media specials, including numerous high profile stories on ABC flagships like 4Corners and 7.30, building the case for one of Australia's biggest sporting scandals focussed almost entirely on the drug use allegations while the 'evidence of match-fixing' claim slid out the back door.

With an ASADA investigation that has so far revealed nothing as scandalous as was first declared, there was a sense that the tide of public opinion was changing. There was a move away from the initial February shock towards a circumspect view of a case with too many holes. Where was the powerful body of evidence? Why had no drugs charges been made? And how had a club that self-reported, assisted ASADA at every step of its investigation, while never buckling in its claims of not breaking any anti-doping rules, found itself charged with bringing the game into disrepute?

An AFL Commission hearing is set down for August 26 so the mess could all be sorted before the all important finals. The governing body shouted its orders, now the troops should fall into line. But the reaction was unexpected.

The new Essendon chairman, Paul Little, is a former head of the Toll Group and one of Australia's richest men. He is not afraid of bullying. He's already declared the club will 'vigorously defend' these charges. It seems the Goliath of the sport has met its David.

With nothing substantial, yet, from the ASADA investigation much of the angst evolves around the Essendon commissioned Switkowski report that found worrying lapses in governance and procedures at the club. Little referred to this in Tuesday's statement.

"...there is no doubt the Club and individuals have made mistakes and that our governance and people management had significant gaps.

"Over recent months, we have also implemented fundamental reforms of our internal governance practices and procedures, including reform of our HR and employee recruitment policies, medical protocols and lines of responsibility and accountability."

The club's recognition of such failings and its immediate work at remedying the situation is actually one of the positives to come out of the journey so far. No doubt the other clubs in the competition are looking at their own internal procedures, as much was admitted by the Collingwood president, Eddie Maguire, on his TripleM Melbourne radio show.

While the few facts we have continue to be flooded by an overflowing river of rumours it becomes increasingly important for observers to stand back and pick the facts from the fantasy.

Editor's note: The above copy has been updated to reflect developments in the case.

Tracey Holmes has focused her career in journalism on sport and its wider implications. View her full profile here.