Essendon ruckman David Hille has admitted that the Bombers leadership group found it difficult to hand prodigious youngster Michael Hurley a three-match ban.
Hurley won't be available for senior selection until Round 4 as a result of his alleged assault on a taxi driver back in September.
The 19-year-old, who was initially suspended only for the pre-season, will re-appear in court on June 11 to learn of the magistrate's ruling in the matter.
Hille said the club and its leadership group, of which Hille is a member, were trying to support Hurley as much as it could during his ban.
"Of course it was," Hille said when asked if it was tough to out Hurley.
"It's a process that took a long period of time to come to which has been well-documented but we wanted to get it right and to take into consideration all the circumstances surrounding the incident."
"I think that's probably why we've been cautious in dealing with the issue."
Hille believed the situation would serve more as a distraction for Hurley than it would for the rest of the playing group.
"We're all professional, we want to get on with the job," he said.
"I think it's more of a distraction for him (Hurley) and it's a process that he has to go through and I'm sure he will in the course of time."
"I think he puts a little bit of pressure on himself but you can probably understand that with the situation that it is and the serious nature of it."
Meanwhile, Hille has almost fully recovered from a season-ending knee injury sustained on Anzac Day last year and the 2008 best-and-fairest winner is on track for the Bombers' season opener against Geelong on March 26.
"I'll play (against Richmond in a practice match) this weekend (then have a) weekend off and hopefully, all things being equal, I'll be able to play Round 1," Hille said.
The 28-year-old said the reconstructed knee was in the best shape it could be in.
"I have a great deal of confidence in my rehabilitation process and I would have thought getting through this weekend would be another step to playing early in the season," he said.