As 16 of the 18 participating AFL captains were directed on to the lush turf of Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, there was one man the media was ready to pounce upon.

As he had throughout this bruising supplements case, Jobe Watson handled himself with aplomb and good grace when peppered with questions.

Only so many questions about the issue that has clouded – and dominated – the football world for two years, and forced the Bombers to relaunch their brand, were allowed, but they were enough to understand how Watson and his teammates were thinking as they headed into the biggest day of their football careers.

Forget finals and grand finals, for better or worse Tuesday looms as the most important day the 34 past and present players will face when former County Court judge David Jones rules whether they are guilty of being administered the banned drug, thymosin beta 4.

The players, naturally, are nervous.

"There is a date set," Watson said. "Whether or not that is relieving or not, it does put something on the calendar for you. I would say there is an element and fair degree of anxiety.

"It affects the entire football club. Whether or not you have been there for 15 minutes or the entire time, I think everyone feels as if, obviously, there is a decision coming and it's a significant decision and it's going to impact the football club.

"I think my moods peaked and troughed throughout it. There have been different times where it's been more difficult to deal with. There have been other times where you can focus on football. Certainly, when there has been a date set, I think that has been a difficult period for the players."

Watson, who was issued with an infraction notice, did not wish to comment when asked if he knew what he had been administered as part of the club's 2012 supplements program.

That's likely to be left for another day.

It's been a "difficult period" in many ways for those players affected, not the least being preparing for the new season. As they are serving a provisional suspension, they have been unable to take part in the NAB Challenge and, should they be cleared, will head to Sydney's ANZ Stadium in round one without any meaningful match practice.

Yes, there was the practice session with the Williamstown VFL side, but that's no way to prepare for the season proper. Watson, to his credit, found some humour in this.

"It'll be an interesting test case because I am sure if we come out and play well, there will be a lot of players advocating a shorter pre-season," he said with a smile.

He then added: "But I think that we have trained really hard, we have prepared to play round one and we are looking forward to that. The players have been wanting to focus on preparing for themselves to play and represent the jumper and represent the fans and play well, and that's our focus."

There was, however, a spirited training session last week, so much so that tempers were tested.

"We had a 10-on-10 training simulation last week of an MCG-size ground. [It] can be pretty tough so, in the end, we decided we would have just an old school-yard punch on with each other, just to entertain ourselves," he said.

Perhaps it will be case of "watch out Swans" after all should they take to the field.

"I think the spirit of the players when it comes to football and preparing themselves has been good," Watson said. "I feel confident the list physically is in good shape to play AFL football."

If the players remain suspended, pending an appeal or a directions hearing to set a penalty date, those top-up types, youngsters and wise heads brought into the club such as Adam Cooney, Paul Chapman and Brendon Goddard, will take to the field. Watson took comfort in the encouraging win over the Demons last weekend after heavy losses to St Kilda and Greater Western Sydney.

"It was a great endorsement for the young guys," he said. "Obviously, there were a couple of weeks that were tough for them, then to come out and play that way.

"For the top ups, the way the club has included them, the playing group have included them, it was great for our supporters to see some of the young guys playing well and the level they are capable of playing in the AFL."

There was more humour when he joked his recent meeting with AFL chief Gillon McLachlan was about how his mother and three sisters were "concerned about the price of food at the footy".

Watson welcomed the return to Essendon in recent months of club greats Matthew Lloyd, Kevin Sheedy and Mark Harvey as part of plan of "rebuilding the brand".

"If you look at the club over the last few years, the brand of the club, it [the saga] has been impactful on the football club," he said. "They are all passionate Essendon people."

In the meantime, there is Tuesday to deal with. Watson suggested the 17 players would gather as a unit but would not reveal any specifics.

"There is something that will take place but we want it to remain private," he said.

Like so often through this saga, the Bombers will face a challenge, yet keeping it private.