THE extent of secret negotiations over Essendon players in the first days of the drugs probe is revealed by a dossier of more than 50 explosive emails.

The Herald Sun has obtained details of the chain of correspondence between the AFL, the Gillard government and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority in February and March last year.

They reveal how an agreement was brokered between the parties to make it possible for Bombers stars to escape suspension — and ASADA’s decision to back away from the deal two weeks later.

In other developments in the drugs saga:

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan said he was frustrated about being kept in the dark over what Essendon players were administered, what evidence ASADA used to justify the issuing of show-cause notices or the details of any offer of leniency.

BULLDOGS president Peter Gordon called on ASADA to withdraw its show-cause notices, saying the process had been “contaminated” and players are innocent victims.

BOMBERS star Brendon Goddard has labelled ASADA’s offer of reduced six-month bans for players who accept they took banned substances without their knowledge as “insulting”.

ASADA has cleared Melbourne midfielder Jack Trengove and confirmed no player will be prosecuted for using controversial anti-obesity drug AOD-9604 before April 22 last year.

ESSENDON players have been granted an extension until July 11 to respond to ASADA “show cause” notices alleging possible use of banned peptide Thymosin Beta 4.

The original period of 10 working days set by ASADA had been set to expire next Thursday.

The Herald Sun understands many of the emails in the chain of correspondence contain information that could be critical to the outcome of Federal Court actions by Essendon and suspended coach James Hird in which they assert that the ASADA-AFL investigation was unlawful.

Key figures involved in the email trails include then AFL deputy Gillon McLachlan, former AFL boss Andrew Demetriou, ex-ASADA chief Aurora Andruska, AFL legal counsel Andrew Dillon, and AFL integrity chief Brett Clothier.

Staff from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Sport, which oversees ASADA, as well as anti-doping legal chiefs and investigators, are also identified in the email trails.

The communications took place less than two weeks after Essendon “self-reported” to the AFL and ASADA on February 5 and the release of an Australian Crime Commission report into drugs in sport and organised crime on February 7.

Interviews with Essendon players and other figures central to the club’s 2012 supplements program had not commenced at the time of the behind-the-scenes negotiations.

The original agreement between the AFL and ASADA — finalised on February 20 — stated that “to provide an immediate level of comfort ... it will be explained to players that under a no fault or negligence defence a player can receive a complete elimination of sanction”.

The agreement is referred to in the emails as the “statement”.

But the email chain shows how ASADA changed its mind about the statement on March 5 — the same day ASADA counsel John Marshall, SC, quit his work for the anti-doping agency.

It is understood Mr Marshall had raised serious concerns with ASADA over the AFL arrangement.

The chain reveals ASADA sent an email to the Department of Sport that day headlined “clarification of statement”.

ASADA staff further discussed the new statement internally in emails on March 6 before the anti-doping body wrote to McLachlan on March 7 saying it had altered the document’s wording.

A staffer in the office of former prime minister Julia Gillard is also copied into the March 7 emails.

As revealed in Wednesday’s Herald Sun, McLachlan wrote back to ASADA on March 7 saying: “It is the AFL’s, Essendon Football Club’s (and its players and officials), and the AFL Players’ Association’s clear understanding that the Investigation and any subsequent actions will be conducted in accordance with your Original Statement.

Discussions between ASADA, the AFL and Department of Sport continued via email on March 8.

The AFL believes its dealings with ASADA were appropriate and in the context of putting in place a framework for the investigation, rather than fixing an outcome.

The original AFL-ASADA statement was distributed to the Essendon players on February 20 last year and will form a key plank in players’ defences to show-cause notices issued last week.