• WADA announces appeal of Essendon's 'not guilty' verdict
• 'Shocked' Bombers set for another season of stress: Hird
• AFL CEO hopes for only 'a couple of days of noise'
ESSENDON players will use the skills gained in the past two-and-a-half-years to deal with the news that WADA is appealing the AFL's Anti-Doping Tribunal decision, according to leading sports psychologist Dr Noel Blundell.
Blundell told AFL.com.au Essendon players are likely to be fortified by a range of mental skills they had to draw on since the investigation began in 2013.
"[It's] very much up to the individual’s personality but I would think the stronger ones in the group would say 'look we've been through all this before. We know how to handle it, we can't change it [so] let's get on with it'," Blundell said.
Essendon was informed on Tuesday morning that WADA would appeal the decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Blundell said the players and the club were in a stronger position to handle the situation having been cleared of any wrongdoing by the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal decision in April.
"[They] would probably feel that they are able to deal with this from a position of strength rather than one of doubt and question," Blundell said.
He suspected that because public sentiment seemed to be with the Bombers now, the issue was less likely to be the spark of conversation than it had previously.
"Every Essendon player would be stronger and more fortified with a whole range of mental skills that will really assist them to not only deal with the WADA situation but assist them to become better players and more capable of handling pressure down the track," Blundell said.
The renowned sports psychologist's thoughts reinforce comments Bombers skipper Jobe Watson made on Tuesday after hearing the news.
"The players have handled this before. Unfortunately, the players know how to deal with it because we've been living through it," Watson said.
Blundell said however there would be times when players were tested.
He said he hoped the experience also enabled players to recognise warning signs and seek help when needed.
"Players become more astute at being able to pick up little danger signs that they are in a little bit of strife, that they are starting to think too much about it or they will pick up some physical signs of stress that suggest 'hey, time-out, I need to deal with this'," Blundell said.
"I'll either get some assistance from the club or I'll hopefully be able to use some of the strategies that the club psych has taught me."
