JOBE Watson will be given the chance to show the AFL Commission why he deserves to keep his 2012 Brownlow Medal.

The commission will hold a meeting on November 15 where it will be decided if Watson is stripped of the game's ultimate individual accolade as a result of the 'Essendon 34' losing its appeal in a Swiss court on Tuesday.

AFL football operations manager Mark Evans told Melbourne radio station SEN on Friday morning Watson would have the opportunity to state his case.

"Jobe, if he wished to, would be able to make a submission," Evans said.

"We've got the commission in town for a couple of days and they would sit there and listen to any of the submissions and go through the code at commission level.

"There are provisions in the drug code that specify some things around suspensions and how they are to be treated."

Evans said Trent Cotchin and Sam Mitchell – who finished equal second behind Watson in 2012 – declined an offer at the start of the year to state their case as to why they should receive the Brownlow.

The Essendon players involved in the doping suspension may yet decide to submit another appeal.

"Every individual is entitled to do what they want inside the system. You would never take that away from them," Evans said.

Jobe Brownlow call delayed until mid-November

"It sounds like there have been some comprehensive defeats along the way, so it's best to get that advice from experts.

"It's one of those things at least it's now behind us and we're not too far away from being clear of the whole saga."

The AFL has also been forced to deal with claims its illicit drugs policy is too lenient.

Retired Collingwood star Dane Swan revealed in his book he used illicit drugs during his career.

"We made some significant changes to the illicit drug code a year ago and that was because our research and the things we were hearing was suggesting that it was evading further into AFL players' lives," Evans said.

"We made some very significant changes, to make it tougher and more punitive, but also to involve clubs where we could and to involve in-season hair testing and to guide what we do with a player.

"There are a number of triggers in there that have that player informed to their club."