Three Indigenous players, including Bradley Hill and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, confronted the incident with coach Ross Lyon and left the meeting emotionally reassured that the issue was resolved, with Lyon describing his response as emotional.

Lyon said the matter was resolved internally after the players raised concerns the next day, and he received their support in subsequent discussions.

In a follow-up meeting, the Indigenous players told Lyon they were satisfied with his explanation and the intent behind his words.

St Kilda’s upcoming match is against Carlton at Marvel Stadium on the weekend.

St Kilda sat 12th on the ladder after seven games, with Lyon in his second stint as Saints coach since 2023.

Dilena described the issue as largely an innocent oversight that required assessment of whether the comments were racist based on how they were received, highlighting the challenge of casual racism and unconscious bias.

Lyon stressed leadership responsibility and did not shy away from the story, saying it was his duty to get things right.

Lyon expressed gratitude for the players’ support, asserted that culture and behaviour matter, and acknowledged the error was unintentional.

Lyon publicly confirmed the incident and its accuracy on Sunrise, reiterating the importance of culture and behavior and that the error was unintentional.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera reposted Bradley Hill’s message, praising Lyon and calling him ‘the GOAT.’