Fears doping shadow will linger ARL Commission chairman John Grant has warned that the ASADA investigation could drag on into next season. With the code still basking in the afterglow of Sunday's grand final, which attracted a peak national television audience of 3.9 million, Grant's warning put a dampener on celebrations. When asked yesterday if he was concerned the investigation could continue into 2014, he replied: "Yeah, there is a concern. Yeah, it could. It would be unfortunate. We wouldn't want it to be that way but it could. We've had one season where early investigations have been the underpinning of a whole bunch of things, and we would like to remove that. The game is still waiting to learn whether any players have a case to answer for the misuse of supplements stemming from the 2011 season. The matter has been continuing since the Australian Crime Commission in February flagged there were drug problems across Australian sports. Speculation is mounting that ASADA may be near to delivering its final reports into both codes -- the AFL also has been under scrutiny for an illegal supplements program at Essendon -- now that both seasons have concluded. The AFL has received a preliminary report from ASADA which led to Essendon coach James Hird being suspended for 12 months and the Bombers fined $2m and cut from this year's finals series. Grant said ASADA's powers had widened since the AFL received its preliminary report -- the federal government agency can now compel any individuals to give evidence or face daily fines -- and the NRL therefore had asked for a final report only. Any player who is found to have a case to answer -- Cronulla is one club that has been identified as having a problem over a supplements program in 2011 -- would be served with an infraction notice and could face the code's drugs tribunal. "From our point of view, we've spoken to ASADA in terms of a final report because they've had their full powers, they've had access to all of the players from an interview point of view," Grant said. They believe, and we hope it's true, that they have all the information, so we should get a final report and on the basis of a final report we should be able to act. Our objective really is to make sure we do have all the information and we act once. There remains a realistic fear that the World Cup, to be staged in England, Wales, Ireland and France for six weeks from October 26, could be disrupted if ASADA strikes. There are 120 NRL players involved across the 14 countries taking part in the tournament. Grant said there were already guidelines in place should players have to drop out and return to Australia to face the music, including squads being able to apply for replacements. When asked if he was confident that the tournament would take place without disruptions, Grant replied: "I don't know. There's a whole bunch of assumptions behind that question that: a) we'll get a report; b) we've got issues for an infraction notice; and c) it will be a World Cup player. (It would be) no more (an embarrassment) than it's going to be an embarrassment if it surfaces ever. I don't connect the two. Everyone would like to conveniently connect the two. I think we've just chosen a rugby league World Cup side, it's a great side, they're going to perform very well and it's going to be a really competitive competition. Certainly, we've got an ASADA investigation in the backdrop and, if those two happen to coincide, we'll deal with it. This has been a very, very difficult time for rugby league and a very difficult time for certain clubs and certain players. Australia's coach Tim Sheens said he wouldn't let the threat of ASADA overshadow the Kangaroos' preparation to reclaim the World Cup after their shock loss to New Zealand in 2008. "I think it's one step at a time," Sheens said. All you do is prepare well to play football and that's my role and the team's role.