Essendon captain Jobe Watson says the AFL club's players want James Hird back as coach.
Watson says the team doesn't feel Hird - who has been banned for 12 months for his role in last year's supplements saga - betrayed them.
"I don't think that's the right word," Watson told Fox Sports on Wednesday.
"In hindsight, people made mistakes. And I think people have accepted responsibility for that.
"I don't think anyone set out to intentionally cause the situation we found ourselves in."
The Bombers have lost draft picks, been fined $2 million and been kicked out of this year's finals series.
It means Saturday night's MCG clash with Richmond will be the club's last game of the season and the result will have no practical meaning for the Bombers who will place ninth on the season ladder.
But Watson said the players were still determined to put in a decent effort.
"We'll play that game, we owe it to our fans, to the supporters of the AFL," said Watson.
"We'll do that, and we'll go and plan and be ready for a good pre-season for 2014."
The Bombers have offered Hird a contract extension to return to the club after his ban and Hird wants to take up that offer.
Watson said the players would support that move.
"It's obviously up to him and the club what they want to do," he said.
"As a playing group, we'll sit down - we want James to continue as coach.
"He has to decide if that's something he wants to do.
"It's sort of an unprecedented situation for someone to sit out for 12 months and then return."
