Essendon are currently a 'rabble' and at a lower ebb than when the club was engulfed by the supplements scandal, according to ex-Bombers star David Zaharakis.
A report from Tom Morris on Monday suggested unnamed Essendon players contacted the AFL Players Association over their dismay on an illicit drugs meeting - which occurred prior to the mid-season bye.
It's been a rough few months for the Bombers, with captain Zach Merrett wanting to leave the club after it plunged to the lower reaches of the ladder in 2025.
Zaharakis took aim at his former club regarding their general situation before commenting on the latest drugs story.
MORE: Is Zach Merrett responsible for Essendon drug story leak?
"We’re a rabble at the moment. I don’t know what’s going on; you hear stories every single week," Zaharakis said on Triple M's Rush Hour with JB and Billy.
"I honestly thought my period at Essendon was a pretty rough period – especially 2015/16. Everyone thought we had hit rock bottom, but I honestly believe we are very close, if not further, to rock bottom than what we were then.
"The stories that have come out this year about players wanting to leave and the locker room divide; even with the CEO (Craig Vozzo) and the players are disgruntled… there’s too many stories happening at the moment at Essendon. As a past player, you’re pretty disappointed and shattered with where the club is at. It seems like we’ve gone backwards, rather than forwards."
The illicit drugs meeting - involving Bombers CEO Craig Vozzo, coach Brad Scott and football boss Dan McPherson - was designed to provide "care, support, welfare and education" to players, according to Vozzo.
However, some of the Essendon playing fraternity felt Vozzo breached player confidentiality in what was discussed during the meeting, including an implication there was a drug problem within the group.
The Essendon players suggested to the AFLPA that Vozzo should have discussed the meeting with the club's leaders before its commencement.