It started as a day of recognition for the 34 past and present Essendon players suspended over the club’s supplements program, but became a celebration of the 22 men who stepped into the breach on their behalf Saturday at the MCG.

The Bombers pulled off an amazing victory against Melbourne, after being tipped by many observers to go through the entire season without a win.

• Anti-Islamic banner overshadows Pies win
• AFL boss slams ‘insane’ zealots over drug code 
• Why Port Adelaide’s form is still a concern

The team of top-ups, kids and a smattering of stars simply worked harder than the Demons and won 11.14 (80) to 10.7 (67).

Key forward Joe Daniher, top-10 draft pick Darcy Parish and fellow on-baller Zac Merrett all showed they are Essendon’s future with impressive games.

Daniher’s goal-kicking was terrible – 2.4 and two out on the full – but he racked up 15 marks and was best afield.

Midfielder David Zaharakis also was huge in the last term and finished with 34 possessions.

Supporters standing firm

Before the game, an estimated 10,000 Bombers supporters marched from Federation Square to the MCG to show solidarity with the club.

Four-time premiership coach Kevin Sheedy led the way, and the walk began at 12:34, in reference to the 34 suspended players.

“[The turnout has been] unbelievable,” Sheedy said.

“The fans have had four years of frustration and this is probably an opportunity to let it out.

“The people are the game.”

Ex-ruckman and board member Simon Madden said fans needed to stick together until the “hard times” became “good”.

“It’s about getting together, solidarity of the supporters of the club,” he said.

“We’ve been through some hard times, we’re still going through hard times. But it’s the solidarity of the people together that keeps the club strong.”

Before the march, the spirits of Bomber supporters were further bolstered when Heath Hocking, one of the 12 present players serving a 12-month suspension, signed a two-year contract extension even though he won’t play this year.

The only sour note for the club on the weekend was an ABC interview by former player Brent Prismall who alleged a “massive deception” over the supplements saga that saw he and 33 others banned for taking a prohibited substance.

In a wide-ranging interview with ABC Grandstand’s Gerard Whateley, Prismall laid the blame for the scandal at the feet of sports scientist Stephen Dank and former coach James Hird.

Prismall, who began his career at Geelong before being traded to Essendon for the 2009 season, said there was a chance he was given the banned substance Thymosin Beta-4.

“It’s possible, yeah, I don’t think I did, but it is possible,” Prismall said.

“At the time I was told it was either amino acids or a vitamin injection.

“But obviously things have changed and the information’s come out that that might not be the case.

“I don’t know what I’ve been given.

“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t actually think about it.

“Hopefully I’ll get those answers.”

Prismall said Stephen Dank and Dean Robinson orchestrated a “massive level of deception” surrounding the program, and also put the blame on his former coach James Hird.

“I think that Stephen Dank is clearly one (a villain). For me, he administered all my injections and I see him responsible for the program,” Prismall said.

“The coach (Hird) at a football club knows everything.

“Ultimately he would make the decision as to whether the program would or would not run. So he’s certainly got a level of responsibility as well.

“It certainly feels like we were guinea pigs in all of this.”

– with AAP