AFL General Counsel Andrew Dillon today said the Essendon Football Club had been sanctioned $20,000 for breaching the AFL Player rules, in relation to unlisted players training at the club before the recent NAB AFL Rookie Draft in November.

Mr Dillon said the AFL’s Investigations Manager Ken Wood found that the club, through a procedural documentation issue, had breached the List Lodgement Rules by failing to lodge the lst of Unlisted Players training at the club, prior to the commencement of their training activities.

In relation to the sanction, $10,000 has been suspended until December 31, 2014.

Mr Dillon said the Essendon Football Club had fully co-operated in the investigation and this and other mitigating factors had been taken into account regarding the sanction imposed on the club.