Essendon star Jobe Watson is considering his AFL future after being stripped of the 2012 Brownlow Medal.

Watson was one of 34 past and present Essendon players banned this season for anti-doping code violations arising from the club’s 2012 supplements program.

The veteran was last week stripped of the 2012 Brownlow by the AFL Commission, having already decided to hand back the medal.

Bombers coach John Worsfold on Tuesday raised doubts about Watson’s future after the furore surrounding the medal.

“I can’t say what his mood is but it’s challenged him more than where he was at six weeks ago,” Worsfold told News Corp.

“We will support him taking his time with that decision, if and when that passion comes back. I am confident it will and I have told Jobe I will assist him and hopefully he can find that.”

The uncertainty surrounding Watson’s future comes as Essendon agreed to pay settlements to 18 past and present players who lost earnings as a result of the supplements saga.

Law firm Slater and Gordon on Tuesday confirmed the Bombers had reached an in-principle agreement with the players but said the amount of money each would receive was confidential.

“These players were innocent participants in the supplements program,” class action lawyer Patrick Gordon said.

“They were given assurances that all supplements they were receiving had been approved from people who they thought they could trust.

“No player at any time intended to breach their obligations under the AFL Anti-Doping Code and any such breach that occurred was due to the players being misled about the nature of the supplements they received.

“They now hope to move on with their lives and careers, both within and outside the AFL.”

Former Bomber, now Bulldog, Stewart Crameri is set to receive a settlement.

Gordon said paperwork had been lodged in regards to the settlements, which were expected to be formally resolved in coming days.

Stewart Crameri, who now plays for the Western Bulldogs and has been publicly linked to Slater and Gordon, is among the 18 players set to receive a settlement.

It’s understood some of the remaining 16 players have sought independent advice and may still be seeking to reach settlements.

The Bombers last week revealed the supplements debacle had cost them almost $10 million over the last year.

Essendon said the net additional cost of player compensation claims and legal fees was $4.5 million.

Additionally, they had to fork out $1.5 million for short-term player contracts so they could field a team.

They also lost $3.1 million in reduced gate takings and other revenue and took another $806,000 hit as they wrote off assets at their old Windy Hill ground.

-AAP