Keep Essendon saga out of the courts: clubsBy Nathan Schmook
afl.com.au
5:35pm AEST Thursday, August 22, 2013THE 17 AFL presidents and chairmen – excluding Essendon's Paul Little – have called on the AFL and the Bombers to resolve their ongoing dispute without going to court.
Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon issued a brief statement after Thursday afternoon's meeting of all club chiefs.
"We resolved to unanimously express our support for the integrity of the AFL Rules and the need for those rules and the integrity of our competition to be preserved.
"In our view, it is of paramount importance that every effort be made to resolve these matters within the AFL industry."
All AFL clubs met with the League commission in Melbourne on Monday before the 17 other clubs met in the absence of Essendon and the AFL.
"We wish to unanimously express our confidence in the AFL Commission and AFL management," Gordon said on behalf of the 17 clubs.
"In the meantime, we call upon all parties to exercise restraint and discretion in any public comments about this matter and with the safety and welfare of players and their families and the integrity of the game as the paramount considerations."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-08-22/keep-it-out-of-the-courts