This has been a desperately grubby, sad and poorly handled affair from the time the incident occurred back in March 2004. Not long afterwards Saints chairman Rod Butterss set an unfortunate tone when he revealed details of a sexual assault investigation into Milne and Leigh Montagna stressing the club could not give much detail but still managed to outline the social behaviour of the two young women concerned. The missteps along the way saw club, police and in one notable on-field exchange, even then-Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse, commit serious errors of judgment. The AFL launched its respect and responsibility policy off the back of that investigation and that too has coughed and spluttered over the decade.

The paralysis of leadership continued last year when the three rape charges were laid against Milne. Club chiefs were out of the country and coach Scott Watters declared Milne would be playing without any correct authority. Crisis meetings followed, Milne was stood down for a period of weeks more for practical rather than any other reasons and the players threatened to revolt. Riewoldt was disappointed in the lack of consultation at the time and has held strong opinions regarding the impact the incident has had and the toll it has taken upon Milne's life and career. Right or wrong, he appears to have not wavered in his thoughts on the issue.

Given that he must have known there would be fall out, his supportive stand clearly showed leadership even if there remains a level of disapproval from the public that his stand was misguided. But surely the club should have been notified that Riewoldt would be in court given the significance of the event.

Club chief Matt Finnis is fighting to reshape the culture at St Kilda and is doing so with the strong support of the AFL and its new boss Gillon McLachlan - a passionate Saint who sees the reforming and rebuilding of the club as a top-order priority. Finnis supported Riewoldt and has said several times in recent days that to dwell on the captain's stand for Milne is to deviate from and trivialise the real issue.

He has said he had no problem in not being told about his club captain turning up in court because he knows the player well and it was a stand he would have expected. Finnis' view was reportedly reinforced by the Saints player welfare manager Tony Brown, who also attended court.