AFL COMMUNITY engagement officer Jason Mifsud has been revealed as the person who told Grant Thomas that Melbourne coach Mark Neeld treated his indigenous players differently to their non-indigenous teammates.

Mifsud has issued an apology to Neeld over the false accusation. He has also received an official warning from the AFL over his conduct and he will be counselled.

A blog by Thomas on the ninemsn website claimed Neeld addressed the Demons' indigenous players as a group during the pre-season, but met all other players individually.

Mifsud has admitted to making the incorrect claim to Thomas and offered his resignation to AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou, but it was not accepted.

His unreserved apology came after an AFL investigation which included an interview with Neeld.

"It was an unacceptable conversation notwithstanding the fact it was not supposed to appear in the public domain," said Demetriou of the conversation between Thomas and Mifsud.

"I have explained to Jason that the standards we apply in this organisation apply to all employees, our management team and the AFL Commission. Those conversations must remain confidential."

He also met with Demons chief executive Cameron Schwab on Tuesday.

Demetriou said Neeld was entitled to feel hurt by what Thomas wrote and there was "not one scintilla of truth" to the claims.

He also encouraged Neeld to seek redress from Thomas, perhaps even through the legal system. "I know what I would do," he said.

It is understood that Mifsud received incorrect information about Neeld from a source within the AFL industry, which Mifsud then relayed to Thomas - with whom he worked at St Kilda as an assistant coach - in what he thought was a private conversation about the recent Matt Rendell case.

Neither Demetriou nor Mifsud would identify the person who provided the wrong information about Neeld, although the strong suspicion is that the person is either employed by, or has an association with Melbourne.

When it was suggested to Demetriou that Thomas and Mifsud's reputations had been sullied but that Mifsud's source had got away without any sanction, the League boss said this might not yet prove to be the case.

He said this person had been presented with a series of facts that were then misconstrued and incorrectly relayed to Mifsud.

"The person is hurting and knows the error of his ways. Let’s make it clear that that person is not getting off scott free. I don't think you should assume the person is getting away with it."

Earlier on Monday, Melbourne called on the AFL for an investigation into the source of the accusation, which Neeld said was "a complete and utter untruth".

The first-year coach had contacted Thomas to express his anger over the column, which led to the offending section of the article being removed.

"I took offence; it was very hurtful and it made me angry," Neeld told Fox Footy's On the Couch on Monday night.

"The club have contacted the AFL at my request and I am certain that the AFL will follow it through."

Asked what he wanted the AFL to do, Neeld said: "There is someone who has come out with that story. Someone provided Grant with the information.

"It's untrue. I would just like to speak with that person and ask, 'Why?'

"It's a blight on my character, it's a blight on the way the Melbourne Football Club deals with indigenous players, and it's simply untrue."

This episode comes less than a month after Rendell lost his job as Adelaide's recruiting manager following comments to Mifsud and AFL multicultural officer Ali Fahour that he was likely to only recruit indigenous players if they had a white parent.

Rendell and Mifsud are friends who worked together under Grant Thomas as assistant coaches at St Kilda in 2005 and 2006.