The sharks also got discounts/backdating because they admitted guilt and also got ****ed over by the government trying to look after AFL, while the Essendon players never cooperated, the AFL tried to pressure the government into giving it special lenient treatment and then ultimately after being found guilty by ASADA appealed to their own league who by a shocking coincidence found that their players had done nothing wrong.
Personally I think the Sharks players should have gotten longer suspensions but that would have happened but for all the fumbling of ASADA. But screw Essendon, they should have all gotten three years (two for the drugs and another for being dicks about it) and the only back dating they should have received is the kind you get in the New Farm Park dunnies.