ST KILDA CEO Carl Dilena says he wasn't aware of any issue between coach Ross Lyon and the Saints' Indigenous players until hours before a media report on Monday night, saying the fact the two parties were able to "sort it out harmoniously" shows the club is a "safe environment" for First Nations players.
On Monday night, Channel Seven reported St Kilda's Indigenous players were upset by a comment Lyon made at a training session several weeks ago, when he reportedly said: "I love the brother boy connection, but we all have to remember we are part of a bigger team here".
The players, including veteran Brad Hill and superstar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, later organised a meeting with Lyon to voice their disappointment at his comments, where Lyon became emotional, apologised and offered to consider his position as coach.
But the players were satisfied with Lyon's apology and moved on.
Hill, Wanganeen-Milera and Lance Collard all posted their support for Lyon on social media on Monday night, after the incident became public.
Lyon spoke to media on his way into Saints headquarters on Tuesday and addressed the story in person.
"Culture's really important and behaviour's really important, and I made an error, unintentionally, resolved it with my players and I'm thankful for their support," Lyon told reporters.
"As a leader of the club, it's important that you get it right every time.
"We're all only as good as our next moment and it's good to be held to account and for everyone in the AFL industry, we need to stay vigilant."
Dilena said he was only made aware of the issue on Monday evening, and praised Lyon and the players for sorting it out amongst themselves.
"The good thing in seeing how it panned out, and it was a pretty innocent oversight by Ross not meaning any harm," Dilena told SEN.
"But it shows that he's running a pretty safe environment with our First Nations boys where they were comfortable to raise it with him, discuss it and sort it out harmoniously. They sorted it out between themselves like any mishap.
"It was a positive outcome. Even though Ross says he was very emotional about it - because the last thing he wants to do is upset our First Nations players who he is very close with - it's a matter in the workplace that got resolved and didn't need to be elevated beyond that.
"I think everyone is pretty comfortable with where it's landed. The players obviously love Ross and came out in support of him.
"I don't think they're holding any concerns about the issue."
Asked if Lyon's comment constituted casual racism, Dilena replied: "You have to look at it through then lens of the person receiving the comment.
"There'd be people out there going, 'Really, was that very serious?', and Ross didn't think anything of it at the time.
"Yet it is very challenging and as we've seen in various instances it's how it's received more so than how it's delivered. That's always the challenge with casual racism or unconscious bias.
"People don't think of it but probably need to be more aware of it."
Lyon released a statement on Monday, apologising for his comments and saying he had "learned a lot out of what happened".
"I'm not here to justify or try to rationalise what I said," Lyon said.
"We are all only as good as our next moment and it was a moment I understand I misjudged. Was I being flippant? Could it be described as casual racism? I learned a lot out of what happened.
"It didn't land where it should have landed and I have to wear that and I take full responsibility for what I said. I was very emotional at the meeting and I offered to consider my position."