AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has confirmed that Essendon have not yet asked for charges against the club to be deferred.
Bombers coach James Hird, assistant Mark Thompson, club doctor Bruce Reid and football manager Danny Corcoran will not appear before next Monday’s scheduled AFL Commission hearing after the AFL granted them more time to prepare their cases.
But it remains unclear whether the club will also seek an extension.
Essendon remain locked in negotiations with the league on the charges of conduct unbecoming and bringing the game into disrepute over the Bombers’ controversial 2012 supplements program.
“At this stage the only people who have requested the deferment have been the four individuals,” Demetriou said on Tuesday.
“So, as yet as I stand here, we haven’t heard if Essendon have asked for the matter to be deferred.
“The Commission meeting is still going ahead next Monday because … we believe Essendon will appear next Monday unless we hear otherwise.
“If they ask for an extension, of course, we don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t grant that.”
The Essendon charges are particularly important because the finals series is less than a fortnight away, leaving little time to rule them out if that is what is decided.
There has been widespread speculation that if the Bombers are found guilty, they will lose their premiership points and be forced out of the finals.
A week ago, the AFL charged Essendon and the four individuals after receiving an interim report on the on-going Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigation into the Bombers supplements scandal.
Demetriou also said on Tuesday that the league still hoped to make the charge details public soon.