Essendon players were so angry about a mid-season meeting called by Bombers bosses to discuss illicit drugs that they took up their grievances with the AFL Players Association.
9News' Tom Morris reported on Tuesday night that Essendon chief executive Craig Vozzo, coach Brad Scott and football boss Dan McPherson held a meeting with players ahead of their mid-season bye in June.
Vozzo told 9News that the intention was simply centred on "care, support, welfare and education".
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But some players felt Vozzo had breached boundaries regarding players' confidentiality, Morris explained.
Some players also believed Vozzo was too "heavy-handed" in his approach to the meeting, and felt he implied there was a drug problem within the playing group.
In the contact players had with the AFLPA, they expressed their view that at least one of Vozzo, Scott or McPherson should have raised the contents of the meeting with the leadership group before addressing the wider squad.
"It's understood the AFLPA then contacted Vozzo directly to discuss the drug code and to educate him on the best ways to have these conversations with players," Morris said.
"I spoke to him [Vozzo] today and he accepted the feedback."
Vozzo is an advocate of the illicit drugs policy in its current form, Morris said.
He said club chief executives had access to data via AFL legal boss Stephen Meade twice per year at in-person meetings.
"But when directly asked, Essendon denied it revealed the number of players who'd tested positive in the previous window," Morris said.
The Bombers finished 15th on the ladder this season, with six wins and 17 losses.
