Editing Essendon Football Club (section)

=== ASADA/WADA investigation (2013–2016) ===
{{See also|2013 Essendon Football Club season|2014 Essendon Football Club season|Essendon Football Club supplements saga}}
During 2013, the club was investigated by the AFL and the [[Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority]] (ASADA) over its [[Essendon Football Club supplements controversy|2012 player supplements and sports science program]], most specifically over allegations into illegal use of [[peptide]] supplements. An internal review found it to have "established a supplements program that was experimental, inappropriate and inadequately vetted and controlled", and on 27 August 2013, the club was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute for this reason. Among its penalties, the club was fined A$2 million, stripped of early draft picks in the following two drafts, and forfeited its place in the 2013 finals series (having originally finished seventh on the ladder); Hird was suspended from coaching for twelve months.<ref name="result">{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-08-27/dons-v-afl-your-fiveminute-guide|title=Dons' D-Day: your five-minute guide|website=afl.com.au|date=27 August 2013 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> Several office-bearers also resigned their posts during the controversy, including chairman David Evans<ref>{{cite news|title=Essendon chairman David Evans quits|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/essendon-chairman-david-evans-quits/story-e6frg7mf-1226686845155|access-date=16 August 2013|newspaper=The Australian|date=27 July 2013}}</ref> and CEO Ian Robson.<ref>{{cite news|title=Robson quits Essendon|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/robson-quits-essendon-20130523-2k2ex.html|access-date=16 August 2013|newspaper=The Age|date=23 May 2013|author=Will Brodie|author2=Jake Niall}}</ref>

In the midst of the supplements saga, assistant coach [[Mark Thompson (footballer)|Mark Thompson]] took over as coach for the [[2014 AFL season|2014 season]] during Hird's suspension.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-10/mark-thompson-to-coach-essendon-while-james-hird27s-serve-afl-/5014754|title=Thompson to coach Bombers in Hird's absence|date=10 October 2013|website=ABC News|access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> He led the club back to the finals for a seventh-place finish but in a tense second elimination final against archrivals North Melbourne, the Bombers led by as much as 27 points at half time before a resurgent Kangaroos side came back and won the game by 12 points. After the 2014 season, Mark Thompson left the club to make way for Hird's return to the senior coaching role.

In June 2014, thirty-four players were issued show-cause notices alleging the use of banned peptide [[Thymosin beta-4]] during the program.<ref name="abcnotguilcup">{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-01/asada-considers-next-move-in-wake-of-afl-verdict/6363556|title=ASADA boss Ben McDevitt to front media in wake of AFL verdict clearing 34 past and present Essendon players|date=1 April 2015|access-date=3 April 2015|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref> The players faced the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal over the 2014/15 offseason, and on 31 March 2015 the tribunal returned a not guilty verdict, determining that it was "not comfortably satisfied" that the players had been administered the peptide.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Roar|first1=The|title=AFL Tribunal finds Essendon players not guilty|url=http://www.theroar.com.au/2015/03/31/not-guilty-reports-tribunal-finds-essendon-players-not-guilty/|website=The Roar|access-date=31 March 2015}}</ref>

Hird returned as senior coach for the 2015 season,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/james-hird-returns-to-essendon-after-suspension-20140825-107z55.html|title=James Hird returns to Essendon after suspension|first=Daniel|last=Cherny|date=24 August 2014|website=The Age|access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> and after a strong start, the club's form severely declined after the announcement that WADA would appeal the decision of the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal. The effect of the appeal on the team's morale was devastating and they went on to win only six games for the year. Under extreme pressure, Hird resigned on 18 August 2015 following a disastrous 112-point loss to Adelaide.<ref name="afl.com.au">{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-18/hird-bombers-part-ways|title=End of the road for Hird: Dons coach resigns|website=afl.com.au|date=18 August 2015 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> Former West Coast Eagles premiership coach [[John Worsfold]] was appointed as the new senior coach on a three-year contract.

On 12 January 2016 the Court of Arbitration for Sport overruled the AFL anti-doping tribunal's decision, deeming that 34 past and present players of the Essendon Football Club, took the banned substance Thymosin Beta-4. As a result, all 34 players, 12 of which were still at the club, were given two-year suspensions. However, all suspensions were effectively less due to players having previously taken part in provisional suspensions undertaken during the 2014/2015 off-season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-01-12/guilty-court-bans-the-essendon-34-for-2016|title=Guilty: Court bans the Essendon 34 for 2016|website=afl.com.au|date=11 January 2016 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/cas-verdict-essendon-players-to-miss-season-2016-20160107-gm18nq.html|title=Essendon CAS verdict: Bombers players to miss season 2016|first=Jake|last=Niall|date=12 January 2016|website=The Age|access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref>
As a result, Essendon contested the 2016 season with twelve<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-01-12/where-are-they-now|title=The Essendon 34: Where are they now?|website=afl.com.au|date=11 January 2016 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> of its regular senior players under suspension. In order for the club to remain competitive, the AFL granted Essendon the ability to upgrade all five of their rookie listed players and to sign an additional ten players to cover the loss of the suspended players for the season.

Due to this unprecedented situation, many in the football community predicted the club would go through the [[2016 AFL season]] without a win; however, they were able to win three matches: against {{AFL Mel}}, {{AFL GC}} and {{AFL Car}} in rounds 2, 21 and 23 respectively. The absence of its most experienced players also allowed the development of its young players, with [[Zach Merrett]] and [[Orazio Fantasia]] having breakout years, with [[Darcy Parish]] and [[Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti]] impressing in their debut seasons. Merrett acted as captain in the side's round 21 win over the Suns.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2016-08-14/merrett-seeks-out-selwood|title=Merrett seeks out Selwood|publisher=EssendonFC.com.au|first=Simon|last=Conway|date=14 August 2016|access-date=14 August 2016}}</ref> The club eventually finished on the bottom of the ladder and thus claimed its first wooden spoon since 1933.