Carlton skipper Marc Murphy has angrily lashed social media commentary in the wake of an on-field sledge about his wife that St Kilda captain Jarryn Geary admits "probably over-stepped the mark".
Murphy released a statement via Twitter on Monday night in response to social media "hurtful" to his wife Jessie and their family.
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Wayne Carey responds to commentary linking him to the wife of Carlton's Marc Murphy, saying he's "never, ever, ever had a conversation" with her. (Vision courtesy 7mate’s Talking Footy)
— Marc Murphy (@marcmurphy3) May 15, 2017
The AFL Players Association is now considering introducing an on-field behaviour code.
Geary, in comments to some media on Monday, said he had contacted the Blues captain to make amends for the inappropriate behaviour.
Geary said he rang and left a message for Murphy after St Kilda players and coaches agreed they had gone too far with comments during the volatile match.
"I've left a message with Marc and will follow up in the next few days," Geary said.
"We've addressed it as a group and acknowledged that a couple of the back and forths from Saturday probably overstepped the mark."
![Carlton skipper Marc Murphy (centre) came in for some nasty sledging from St Kilda players.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170517145704im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/w/4/f/g/e/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gw5dkw.png/1495010462215.jpg)
"What was said will remain private and I know both clubs are pretty keen to move on and that's what we're focused on now."
An agitated Murphy angrily abused Saint Jake Carlisle as he lay on the ground injured on Sunday, a move that prompted a melee.
Murphy is understood to have approached St Kilda leaders Leigh Montagna and Nick Riewoldt during a break in the game and said the sledging was not on. Riewoldt and Montagna were the only players that Murphy shook hands with after the game.
St Kilda boss Matt Finnis said the leadership group and Richardson had addressed the issue with the players and pointed out that the attacks were not acceptable. St Kilda did not call a press conference to address the matter.
These comments are untrue, hurtful to my wife & family and show a lack of respect to women.
Marc Murphy
But speaking on Channel Seven's Talking Footy program, reporter Tom Browne said the sledging was "a two-way street".
"I understand Murph made some references to Carlisle in regards to the supplements and drugs issues which he has experienced recently," Browne said.
"Carlisle then chimed in again and that was pretty much it."
Browne said Carlisle, a former Essendon player who was caught taking drugs during a holiday in the US, was understood to be receiving the sledges about the drugs and supplements "almost weekly".
Also on Talking Footy, Wayne Carey responded to social media commentary linking his name to the sledging.
Carey told Channel Seven's Talking Footy that although there had been an old rumour about Murphy and his wife, his name was not brought up during the weekend's sledging.
Carey said he had been in contact with Murphy about the rumour for more than a year, but both decided to not to worry about the "trolls".
"I have actually never, ever, ever had a conversation with Marc Murphy's wife," he said.
"I don't even know her."
However, Carey said he was concerned how social media's attempt to revive the rumour was affecting Murphy's wife and family.
"Marc and I have been on the phone all day today, he is really distressed," Carey said.
"I am more worried about Jessie, her mum and dad, their grandparents, friends, family."
AFLPA boss Paul Marsh said he would put the question of sledging to his players board with a view to canvassing all players regarding a new code of on-field verbal conduct.
"I think the majority of players know where the line is and don't cross it," said Marsh. "I'm not sure what a code actually looks like and what is deemed acceptable and not acceptable but by it's very nature it's got to be a code that the 820 players agree to.
"And is it a code of honour or is it a code which has sanctions attached? I'm not sure how it would work and how it would be applied."
Marsh, in his third season as the players' chief executive, said the St Kilda verbal attack on Murphy was only the second incident that had come to his attention in his time in the job.
Last year, Fairfax Media reported details of an internal dispute at Geelong after former Cat Mitch Clark directed a crude sledge at Hawthorn's Teia Miles regarding Miles' sister in a VFL game.
Miles' sister is the long-term partner of Clark's then team-mate Mitch Duncan.
The AFLPA has spoken with both Murphy, who is the brother of union executive Brett, and players from St Kilda and stressed that neither playing group wanted to pursue the issue.
"That's one part of it," said Marsh. "The other part is whether the players see a need to put an on-field code of conduct in place and we will look at that."
The AFL also did not separately pursue the matter as there was no complaint made.