Essendon Coach John Worsfold says the support offered by the Club’s fans since Tuesday’s CAS announcement has been ‘brilliant’. 

The cheers of hundreds of supporters rang out as the players returned to the training track today. 

“The support has been brilliant, the members that are sticking by us and signing up after the announcement,” Worsfold said. 

“This footy club is the fans and the supporters and that’s the strongest driver for us going forward.

“All of the support we’re getting has been really well appreciated.” 

More than 1500 supporters have signed on as members since Tuesday’s announcement. 

The Club is awaiting confirmation on what the suspended players can and can’t do while they’re away from the Club. 

Worsfold said it has been a tough period for all involved. 

“In terms of focusing on doing our job, that doesn’t mean you don’t have quiet times where you really feel sad for the guys,” he said.

“In talking to them, it’s very tough.

“When I’m here to do my job and the same with when the players are out there training, they can’t be thinking about other issues. 

“It affects more than just the 34 players.  It affects their immediate families and a lot of other people.

“It affects staff at this Club and at other clubs, but rest assured there is a lot of support out there for them. 

“No one is shying away from the fact this is a tough period and we’ve got the relative experts in their fields to assist in every way.”

Worsfold joined the Bombers last October and said his drive to make Essendon a power once again remained.

“I came to the Essendon footy club to help them with their vision of being a respected and inclusive and successful club and that hasn’t changed,” he said.

“The fans that want to stick together and have that success together – it’s not far away, we can rebuild I very quickly.”