Essendon captain Jobe Watson has described his freedom, and that of 33 of his past and present teammates, from the ASADA investigation as a "surreal feeling", revealing he has forgotten what it's like to prepare for a game without the stress of the supplements saga.
Watson on Tuesday sat in front of a group of past and present Bombers players to field questions from the media just hours after learning that the AFL's anti-doping tribunal had found them not guilty of taking the banned substance thymosin beta-4 during the controversial 2012 supplements program.
At times emotional, Watson's voice quivered as he detailed the "heartbreaking frustration" of living through an experience "none of us should have been a part of".
But the 2012 Brownlow Medallist later beamed when speaking about the thought of playing in Saturday's season-opener against Sydney at ANZ Stadium.
"I don't know what it's going to feel like [running out against the Swans]," he said.
"I have not had that feeling since February 6, 2013," he said.
"I've almost forgotten what it's like to be an AFL player without having this hanging over our heads.
"When you live through something for 26 months, it becomes a part of you."
When asked if he knew exactly what the substance was that the players took that led to infraction notices, Watson would say only: "what I do know is that every player told exactly what they knew to the investigating officers".
"[Those] interviews were part of the evidence that the tribunal judged on.
"We were totally open books about the whole process. All we wanted to know was the truth and we were honest with everything we knew.
"We hid nothing from anyone."
He admitted the players had every right to be angry with the club, but said the overriding feeling among the group was a desire to move on from the whole ordeal.
"When you go to your employer and they can't tell you exactly what went on, that's concerning. And I think the players are well within their rights to feel anger about that," he said.
He claimed the players were unconcerned about whether ASADA planned to appeal the verdict.
The 30-year-old said he was also unconcerned about whether the nature of the tribunal hearing left other clubs and supporters dissatisfied with the outcome.
"I can't speak for how other people are going to feel," Watson said.
"We want to move on ... we want to play ... we want to go to bed at night and not have it be the last thing we think of and the first thing we think of when we wake up," he said.
"We think today's decision fully supports the players' belief that they are innocent.
"This is the toughest period of any club in the history of the AFL.
"I think a lot of other clubs would have perhaps fallen down, but the support we've had from the loyal fans and the strength of this playing group, we've held together."
He described the moments immediately after hearing the verdict as "special".
"It took a couple of moments to realise [the verdict was] not guilty ... we all broke into hugs and cheering," he said.
