Public knows Bombers aren't cheats, says Henry Slattery

FORMER Essendon defender Henry Slattery says it is comforting for the public to finally know he and his old teammates are not cheats.

SOUTH Australian former Essendon defender Henry Slattery says it is comforting for the public to finally know he and his old teammates are not cheats.

Slattery played 96 games in eight years with Essendon before being delisted at the end of last season and this year returned to SA to play with Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL.

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In July he travelled to Melbourne to be interviewed as part of ASADA's investigation into Essendon's 2012 supplements program which has so far found the players have no case to answer.

"To be honest I haven't looked too much into it because I always strongly believed that the players would be fine," Slattery said.

"So it hasn't come as a relief as such but it's nice for the public to know.

"The players always felt pretty strongly about what would happen and their names would be cleared.

"But for the general public to know is good because there was a lot of talk."

On Tuesday night the AFL officially charged Essendon and four club officials including coach James Hird with engaging in conduct that is unbecoming or likely to prejudice the interests or reputation of the Australian Football League or to bring the game into disrepute.

But the players - for now - have escaped charges with the AFL revealing no infraction notices would be issued to players or other individuals under the AFL Anti-Doping code unless further information became available.

Until Tuesday night, Slattery and the Bombers had endured six months of speculation, innuendo and public shaming - which even reached Adelaide with a billboard outside a hotel on Port Road mocking them.

Slattery's comments to The Advertiser yesterday echoed Essendon captain Jobe Watson who said the players felt "vindicated" that they had done nothing to compromise the integrity of the game.

Hird, club doctor Bruce Reid, assistant coach Mark Thompson and football manager Danny Corcoran meanwhile will learn of their fate following a hearing at AFL House on August 26.

Slattery confirmed he had been interviewed as part of the investigation but yesterday declined to comment or go into detail about Essendon's supplements program.

Slattery is one of two Essendon players from last year now playing in SA along with Angus Monfries who has had a career-best season in his first year at Port Adelaide Power.

Monfries has so far kicked 35 goals for the year, surpassing his previous best of 31 with Essendon in 2011.

Slattery has been sidelined for much of the SANFL season and has managed only the last four league games with the Port Magpies.

He requires a hernia operation at the end of the season and while he hopes to continue playing at Alberton next year, it may hinge on time commitments for his Masters studies in oenology - winemaking.

"The main issue (this year) is fitness," Slattery said.

"I'm a bit disappointed I'm not playing at the level I would like to be at.

"But I'd like to have a good pre-season and have a good crack at it next year."

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