Essendon case no guide for Cronulla Sharks CRONULLA chairman Damien Keogh has warned against drawing any comparison between events at Essendon and the possibility of charges being laid against the Sharks and some officials. Keogh said he was hopeful the likely lack of action against the Essendon players would be reflected at his club, which is also the subject of an Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigation. The Bombers have vowed to fight the charges while a leading academic has questioned whether the AFL has any power to use evidence acquired by ASADA. Keogh doesn't think the Essendon case is a guide for what might happen to the Sharks. "I would say that where we're at in relation to the AFL and Essendon, it is too early to draw any conclusions or comparisons," Keogh said. I think the dynamics and the way it has unfolded have been significantly different and contrasting. There seems to be a sense that Essendon and Cronulla are the same - one in the AFL and one in the NRL. I think it's significantly different and significantly different in a whole lot of ways. It's too early to draw any conclusions at this stage. If it's right that the players aren't in trouble at Essendon, I would think that's hopefully not too bad for us. ASADA is continuing interviews with players from Cronulla and other clubs in the NRL, with the process expected to be finished by the end of this month. While the AFL has been involved in a slanging match with Essendon coach James Hird, there has generally been an air of cordiality and co-operation between the NRL and the Sharks. Martin Hardie, a lecturer in law at Deakin University, yesterday questioned whether the AFL would be able to use any of the evidence in the interim report against Hird or other officials at Essendon. Of particular concern for Hardie is the level of co-operation between ASADA and both codes. Representatives of both the AFL's and NRL's integrity units have been in the rooms during interviews with players from both Essendon and Cronulla. "There is no basis for there to be a joint investigation," Hardie said. All the legal problems about the report and the joint investigation undermine everything and could make it all null and void. I don't think they can use the interim report for the disrepute charges. The act says it can only be used for the purpose it is done - and the purpose was to provide a report on somebody other than the athletes or support people. I think the AFL have found themselves between a rock and a hard place. I think their lawyers have probably thought to themselves, 'I don't know about pushing ahead with this because it's going to be hard to stick'. Why any lawyer in their right mind would proceed with this case I don't know. If I am right about the joint investigation ... it could blow the Cronulla investigation out of the water as well. I don't think the NRL or AFL have the power to sit in the interview room. ASADA can only do what is in the statute. The statute says the sporting bodies aren't meant to get involved until the ADRVP (anti-doping rule violation panel) process is over.