Essendon

The 2018 best-and-fairest winner has had a strong start to 2021, including gathering 26 disposals and a goal in the club's massive win over St Kilda last week.

The former Giant crossed to the Bombers at the end of 2017 along with now Blue Adam Saad and former Bulldog Jake Stringer and had an immediate impact at the club.

His knee injuries saw him miss most of 2019 before he returned last year, but he couldn't recapture his best form that included a trial across half-back.

Just hours after Jobe Watson was officially stripped of his 2012 Brownlow Medal, the Bombers announced a massive $9.8 million loss for the 2016 financial year.

In a clash between last and second last on the ladder, the 17th-placed Lions were cleaner by foot and more efficient in front of goal as they ended a club record 12-game losing streak, 20.8 (128) to 12.19 (91).

Led by under-fire skipper Tom Rockliff (38 disposals, one goal), the Lions' senior players ran rampant.

The Daniher connection with Essendon began in 1977 when Terry arrived at the club from the old South Melbourne. Three younger brothers – Neale, Anthony and Chris – would later join him as the club rose to one of its most successful eras.

While decision-making and control were aspects of the Blues' game in short supply in their 60-point loss to Essendon at Ikon Park, Weitering was singled out by his coach after shining in his first competitive hit-out with the club.  

It was a performance that charmed the crowd of more than 18,000 and should all but seal the No.1 draft pick's place in the Blues' backline when they take on Richmond in round one.

The VFL/AFL coaching games record holder said training in isolation, as Saad did when suspended for an anti-doping violation, was risky as it could give players "a false dawn".

Malthouse told radio station SEN that Saad, who played just four senior games in 2015, could never return to where he was before his suspension because of his time away from the game. 

The CAS upheld the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) appeal of the AFL anti-doping tribunal's decision last year to clear the players of wrongdoing over the Bombers' 2012 supplements program.

The doping offences relate to the use of the prohibited substance Thymosin Beta-4.