AFL boss Gillon McLachlan is hoping to see the end of Essendon’s long-running supplements saga by the beginning of the 2015 AFL season.

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority’s (ASADA) case against the Bombers officially closed with oral submissions to the AFL anti-doping tribunal on Monday.

ASADA’s counsel, Malcolm Holmes QC, completed his case against the 34 current and former Essendon players, as well as sports scientist Stephen Dank.

Lawyers representing the players made their final oral submissions on Tuesday, bringing the tribunal proceedings to a close.

Then the tribunal, chaired by former County Court judge David Jones, will start its deliberations, and while there is no timeframe on the tribunal verdict, it is widely expected within a month.

And McLachlan is hopeful that will be the end of the saga, which has dogged the sport for the past two seasons.

“We’ve all been praying and hoping for a speedy conclusion,” McLachlan said.

“We’ve got a timetable established now that it’ll be somewhere in the second-half of March.

But ASADA’s website notes that once the tribunal verdict is handed down, there is scope for further appeal.

McLachlan’s comments after the AFL commission granted Essendon the ability to top up its playing list.

Source: AAP