The AFL has given at least two former Essendon players permission to play competitive games in the Northern Territory Football League despite them being issued with infraction notices.
Small forward Cory Dell'Olio, and utility Nathan Lovett-Murray have been cleared to play in the territory's top competition.
Fairfax Media understands that both players are among the 34 current and former Bombers issued with infraction notices on November 14.
Dell'Olio played a game on November 15 for Waratah - which is also based in the NT capital, having received clearance from the AFL on the morning of the game.
Lovett-Murray will play for his former club St Mary's for the first time this weekend, lining up alongside former Bombers-listed player Anthony Long.
Lovett-Murray's manager Peter Jess said the fact the players had been allowed to play suggested that the Australian Sports Anti-doping Authority's case was not on solid footing.
"I'm hypothesising, but that they are allowing this to happen is an indicator of the possible penalty regime," Jess said.
Forwards Alwyn Davey and Leroy Jetta were also permitted to play games on Sunday, November 16. Fairfax Media can not confirm whether Long, Davey and Jetta were among the 34 players issued with infraction notices.
Jetta and Davey have been playing for Darwin-based club Palmerston.
The November 16 game against Wanderers was Davey's 100th for Palmerston - the club from which he was recruited to Essendon. He kicked five goals and was among his side's best in a 54-point victory.
Jetta missed that game through injury, but returned to play in last Saturday's game against Waratah.
Dell'Olio's stint was always intended to be short-lived, coinciding with Davey's milestone match. The West Australian was only made aware of his infraction notice on the morning of Waratah's clash with the Darwin Buffaloes.
Representatives for the players involved checked with the AFL as to whether they could proceed and play in the NTFL games, with the AFL deciding not to stand in the players' way.
Players issued with infraction notices will generally step away from competition as part of provisional suspensions, however the sporting bodies involved have discretion which allows them to play.
Current Bomber captain Jobe Watson and veteran defender Dustin Fletcher were both granted dispensation by the AFL to play in last Saturday's international rules match.
Both Jetta and Dell'Olio were delisted by the Bombers at the conclusion of the 2014 season, and nominated for the national draft held on Thursday night.
Davey was cut a year earlier by Essendon after playing 100 games for the club, the same season Lovett-Murray retired. Long was axed at the end of 2012 after failing to play a single game for the club.
A specially convened AFL anti-doping tribunal will hear the cases against the 34 players. December 15 had been mooted as a possible date for the hearings to begin, however they may not commence until 2015.
The AFL, AFLNT and the clubs involved declined to comment, as did the AFL Players' Association - whose legal representatives are acting on behalf of 32 of the 34 players.
