Essendon chief executive Peter Jackson has urged the AFL Commission to be ""strong-willed"" in its bid to resolve the issue of Grand Final ticket allocation. Speaking at the EFC Annual General Meeting, Jackson re-iterated that Essendon had approached the AFL and asked that the allocation process be reviewed following the 2000 Grand Final. He said a sub-committee has now been formed and its recommendations will be presented to the AFL executive and commission. ""The recommendations will see the number of participating club members at a Grand Final jump from 40% to between 65 - 70%,"" Jackson said.

""The AFL Commission will need a strong will and a solution to the financial impact on clubs if it is to agree with the suggested changes to the allocation process,"" Jackson said. ""It can be done because the review group has seen it can be done. Essendon Football Club supports the recommendations - whether it eventuates only time will tell.""

In other news, Jackson told members that a difficult economic climate and the increased costs of running a football had seen the club budget for a profilt of $500,000 in 2002. ""The opportunities to increase revenue are limited, the MCG re-development will reduce capacity and therefore gate receipts and the corporate hospitality market will be as tough as it was in 2001,"" Jackson said.

Jackson also told members that the club expects to lose a protected sponsor in 2002. Voicenet, who also trade as SKAI (a computer supplies company with its office in Melbourne), is a publicly listed company that is yet to meet its contractual oligations to the club in 2001. ""This company has cash in the bank and we will be strenuously pursuing what is contractually ours,"" Jackson said.

Jackson also thanked retiring players Michael Long and Dean Wallis for their service and singled out Damien Hardwick, who was traded to Port Adelaide. Hardwick was at last night's meeting to accpet life membership. ""It is great to see Damien here tonight - that in itself is a measure of the man,"" Jackson said. ""Pond for pound he is the toughest footballer in the AFL. He is a great family man and a great Essendon player.""