The AFL Players Association knew of Jake Carlisle’s alleged drug use and told his manager to keep it from St Kilda, according to reports.

Footage of Carlisle snorting a white powder, thought to be cocaine, was purchased by A Current Affair and broadcast earlier this month.

Fairfax Media reported that Carlisle’s manager, Anthony McConville, was advised by the AFLPA not to inform St Kilda, which was only hours away from signing a multi-million dollar deal with the defender, despite knowing the footage had been circulating and Channel 9 was threatening an exposé.

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AFLPA head Paul Marsh admitted to dispensing the advice, but said the timing had been unfortunate.

“Whilst the timing could not have been more unsatisfactory for the club as it turned out, the agent would have been breaching his obligations to the player if he was to act on the limited information he was aware of any earlier,” he told Fairfax.

The incident has allegedly resulted in bad blood between St Kilda – whose deal with Carlisle is worth $2.4 million – and the players’ union.

In a meeting with the AFL’s integrity department on Thursday, Carlisle reportedly admitted to lying to his manager when McConville first quizzed him about the drug allegations.

McConville’s actions are covered by the AFLPA’s jurisdiction and not the AFL’s, and the AFLPA has cleared him over the matter.