DOCUMENTS lodged with the Federal Court ahead of Friday's hearing involving Essendon, James Hird and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority point towards a possible August trial.
Essendon and Hird are challenging the legality of the anti-doping authority's joint investigation conducted with the AFL last year.
The primary purpose of Friday morning's directions hearing in Melbourne is to establish a timeframe.
All parties are in agreement that the case should be expedited.
It's suggested the trial could last one to two days in August, although there's no agreement on specific dates.
Essendon is also seeking an injunction to stop ASADA from proceeding with any action on players until the matter before the court is concluded.
It follows ASADA's decision to issue 34 show-cause notices to present and past Essendon players in relation to the club's 2012 supplements program.
Initially ASADA conducted a joint investigation with the AFL, which lead to an interim report and sanctions against Essendon and Hird last August.
The anti-doping body has been continuing it's own inquires since.
Justice John Middleton has permitted the ABC to have a camera in the courtroom for Friday's hearing, meaning pictures from the hearing are set to be beamed all over Australia.
