Former Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett says Essendon should be prevented from playing in the AFL next season if the fall-out from their supplements saga isn't resolved by the end of November.
With the spectre of court action looming, after the Bombers and four of their officials were charged with bringing the game into disrepute, Kennett says the AFL can't afford to let the saga drag on indefinitely.
The former Victorian premier says the AFL must put the reputation of the code first, even if it means playing with just 17 teams next year.
"I don't like courts," Kennett told Melbourne's SEN radio on Thursday.
"I do think there is a circuit-breaker.
"If I was the AFL Commission I would say to Essendon `You do whatever you like. But if this is not resolved by the end of November, you will not as a team be competing next year.'
"We are not going to have 17 clubs and the reputation of our code become the top priority next year when we're trying to play a competition.
"It's just too costly.
"The AFL and Essendon are dragging down the reputation of the code."
Kennett said the Bombers had failed their players.
The club, along with coach James Hird, assistant Mark Thompson, football manager Danny Corcoran and club doctor Bruce Reid were all charged on Tuesday night with bringing the game into disrepute over their roles in the Bombers' 2011-12 supplements program.
All of those parties are scheduled to front the AFL Commission on August 26, although there is speculation they will instead seek a court injunction.
The commission has the power to hand out suspensions and fines, and strip the Bombers of premiership points and draft picks, should the charges be sustained.
"Essendon, right from the word go, have failed in a duty of care to their players," Kennett said.
"For that whether the CEO knew or didn't know, the coach, the assistant coach, the football manager all should have been dismissed or stood down."
Essendon chief executive Ian Robson resigned in May and chairman David Evans followed in July, along with high performance manager Dean Robinson.
