Honestly, supporters and all those involved with the Essendon Football Club would want the last 18 months removed from the memory bank. 

It has been a horror few days for faithful red and black fans. 

Show cause notices were issued to players on Thursday, Federal action was launched on Friday and then when it came to the footy the Dees snatched victory by a point on Sunday.

The game was a chance for the players to put the off-field dramas behind them.

A chance to forget about what might come. 

But instead the game turned out to be an Essendon nightmare as Melbourne came from the clouds to win a game.

How ironic, that Christian Salem, who grow up barracking for Essendon, kicked the winning goal. 

It was a gripping last quarter.

But it was a loss that will compound the problems already hanging around at Bomber land. 

It will be very hard for everyone at Essendon to continue week-in-week out to play the level required to make the finals. 

The off-field issues will certainly come into the minds of those who were on the Essendon list in 2012 and for those who weren't, it may be a tough place to be around. 

It will take an emotional toll on everyone, if it hasn't already. 

The possibility of infraction notices suddenly got very real and the chance of players receiving bans from the game they grew up loving could come sooner rather than later. 

It is a disaster. 

Yes the ASADA and AFL investigation has been a lengthy one, but the magnitude of this drugs scandal has never happened in this code before. 

Performance enhancing drug taking is illegal and the investigation and subsequent consequences deserves serious consideration. 

What happened at Essendon in 2012 should not have happened at all. 

Having players sign confidentiality forms and having biochemist Stephen Dank run a shady program is concerning.

If the players were absolutely unaware of what was being injected into their bodies then the club and coaches should be charged by ASADA accordingly. 

James Hird and the club recieved the biggest penalty handed down by the AFL last year for bringing the game into disrepute. 

But was it enough?

Hird will be able to return to his job in about 10 weeks. 

He has had the year off, travelled to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower and has been paid by the Essendon Football Club. 

If that is what you get for letting players who put their lives in the hands of so-called professionals, then sign me up. 

Hird hasn't taken ownership of what happened in 2012. 

He hasn't shown any remorse for what happened. 

He shouldn't return as coach.