The devil is in the detail for the AFL as the Federal Government considers a national sports tribunal.
Minister for Sport Greg Hunt specifically referred to the league's handling of the Essendon supplements debacle on Monday when he floated the idea.
The minister was launching the government's national sports plan, which features a proposed integrity commission and tribunal.
"The notion of sports sitting in judgement of themselves is something that we should move beyond," Hunt said.
"That would allow us to avoid the situation where the AFL had to sit in judgement of itself in relation to the Essendon doping case."
One of the most contentious features of the Essendon saga was that the AFL and ASADA conducted a joint investigation into the club's disastrous 2011-12 supplements regime.
The AFL's handling of the saga continues to prompt fierce criticism.
Gillon McLachlan, AFL CEO and one of the key figures in the AFL's investigation, said the league was looking forward to discussing the tribunal idea with the government.
"We've said there's a lot of opportunity for improvement in respect to the way the WADA (anti-doping) code applies to team sport," McLachlan said.
"The areas we've talked to are around the appeal process, we talked to confidentiality, we've talked to a series of issues.
"At the macro level - that's all I have to work with - the thought of an independent tribunal has merit.
"It will be the devil in the detail and what that means and how that works, which we look forward to discussing with the Federal Government."
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