Hawthorn's Travis Tuck has been suspended for 12 matches by the AFL after his third strike under the League's illicit drugs policy.
Tuck, 22, confessed to using drugs when found unconscious in his car by police in Berwick on Friday and faced a ban of up to 18 weeks.
The closed hearing lasted nearly three-and-a-half hours with Tuck appearing in person before chair, former Victorian County Court Judge John Hassett, while drug experts Susan White and Andrew Garnham were also on the panel.
In a historic hearing, Tuck was also fined $5000 but that was waived given Tuck's battle with depression was deemed to constitute exceptional circumstances.
The panel took evidence from Tuck's treating clinicians and drug counselors who admitted his rehabilitation had been effective until his relapse on Friday, and this factor was taken into account.
The 12-match ban consisted of a six-match ban and a $5000 fine for Tuck's first two strikes, as well as a further six-match sanction for his third strike.
However, the tribunal cancelled the fine and agreed that Tuck could return to VFL football after serving the first eight matches of his suspension.
Tuck was not charged by police, who found drug paraphernalia at the scene and in another twist the club was not alerted to the incident until late on Saturday after the Hawks' three-point win over Collingwood.
"The orders made by the tribunal tonight were supported by the AFL, the player, the AFLPA, the Hawthorn Football Club and Travis Tuck-s advisers," said AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson.
"Travis Tuck has been suffering, as has emerged for some time, from clinical depression."
"The evidence given clearly established that Travis Tuck's drug use was not recreational but a severe by-product of clinical depression."
"Travis Tuck has been undergoing intensive treatment for some time and he has responded extremely well to that treatment, before his recent lapse."
Hawthorn were left disappointed that they weren't able to provide Tuck with support following his first strike.
"Firstly, our main priority is for the well being of Travis and we will be doing everything possible to assist him as he deals with time out of the game and his issues," said Hawks CEO Stuart Fox.
"The club is deeply concerned it now finds one of its players suspended from the game under the AFL Illicit Drugs policy, without having been able to offer him a comprehensive network of support, guidance or counselling, and this is not to discredit the significant role our club doctor has played in managing this issue."
"Whilst the club agrees that an Illicit Drugs policy is necessary, we are disappointed that we could not provide Travis with support after his first strike and just maybe we could have avoided this situation."
"But for now - and ongoing - the club's main priority is the welfare and well being of Travis."
Tuck, the son of AFL games record holder and Hawthorn legend Michael Tuck, has played 20 games since his debut in 2007, but none in 2010.