The AFL players' union will summon as many as possible of the 34 past and present Essendon players issued with show-cause notices to a meeting within days.
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The players' three-man legal team, led by Tony Hargreaves, are all being paid by Essendon. While a significant number of the 34 remain out of Australia on leave, the plan is to put to them a range of options and discuss the key elements of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's case against them.
It remained unclear whether ASADA boss Ben McDevitt planned to approach the players with a proposed deal before the end of the month or whether individual players would approach ASADA.
Leading player manager Craig Kelly confirmed his Elite Sports Properties had engaged solicitors Holding Redlich to offer independent advice to any of his players wanting another opinion.
ESP manages at least six of the players facing bans. They include Port Adelaide's Angus Monfries, Essendon captain Jobe Watson and at least one retired Bomber.
"Certainly none of our players are looking to move away from group representation," Kelly told Fairfax Media.
"However, we have on standby a law firm to look after their needs should they choose to seek independent advice."
Kelly said ESP director and lawyer Susan Harper was overseeing the players involved and had studied the evidence put forward in the amended show-cause letters.
"Susan is very comfortable with their representation at this stage," he said. "But they can change their representation at any time if they choose to and we will support them."
Leading barrister Paul Ehrlich, who had been poised to represent Paddy Ryder had the former Bomber taken his case to the AFL's grievance tribunal, remains on standby should Ryder choose to negotiate with ASADA. Port Adelaide had encouraged both Ryder and Monfries to seek separate advice.
The AFL Players Association remained firm in its stand on Monday that its players remained united in their approach to the show-cause letters. However, the prevailing view is that the different circumstances of each individual could come into play before the end of the month.
The players had 10 days from last Friday to decide whether to respond to the briefs of evidence against them. However, if they do not respond, it would fast-track the process towards infraction notices being issued, where they would front the AFL's Anti-Doping Tribunal, which could give them the best chance to clear their names.
If the cases do head to the AFL anti-doping tribunal, it has yet to be decided whether the hearings are open to the media.
The parties involved are likely to be asked to provide submissions as to whether the cases are held behind closed doors but the final decision will be made by tribunal chairman David Jones.
Last year's case involving former St Kilda forward Ahmed Saad, in which Jones was also the chairman, was held behind closed doors.
That panel also included Wayne Henwood, a member of the AFL tribunal panel and former player, and Dr Susan White, a sports physician from the Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee.
