Suspended Essendon coach James Hird says he accepts some responsibility for the heavy penalties imposed on his club by the AFL.

Hird fronted the media outside his house on Wednesday morning and said he broke no rules but should have known more about what was going on in the Bombers’ controversial 2012 supplements program and should have done more to stop some things.

He promised he would tell his full side of the story in the coming days.

“I do take a level of responsibility for what happened at our football club in 2012,” said Hird.

“I think for the good of the game and the good of our football club and most importantly for our players and supporters, I’m so glad this has finished and our game can move and our players can move on.”

The Bombers were on Tuesday hit with the biggest set of sanctions in AFL history over their 2012 supplements program – among them Hird’s 12-month ban.

Essendon have been thrown out of this year’s finals despite having earned a top eight position, fined $2 million, stripped of draft picks for the next two years, and had key officials banned or fined for conduct unbecoming and bringing the game into disrepute.

MORE TO COME