MELBOURNE coach Mark Neeld has thrown his support behind senior player Aaron Davey after he was accused of being the source that implicated Neeld in a race furore.

Leaked allegations made against Neeld by AFL community engagement officer Jason Mifsud, that he treated indigenous players differently, were later found to be false.

Mifsud's accusations were made public in commentator and former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas' ninemsn column.

Both Mifsud and Thomas have since apologised for implicating Neeld in the situation.
 
However, rumours have continued to swirl that Davey was Mifsud's informant, something he has strongly denied.

On Sunday, Neeld told 3AW Davey had his unconditional backing.

"Absolutely. I've met with Aaron a number of times over the last few weeks and he has my 100 per cent support," Neeld said.

Neeld defended himself for making the issue public on Fox Footy's On the Couch program, saying he wanted to remove himself from any such association.

"What I was doing on Monday night [on the program], I found out on that day that this rumour had actually reached some higher levels in the AFL and had been around for a few weeks," Neeld said.

"I was really keen to say, 'hang on, this is a non-event', and I just wanted to clear my name.

"And whoever is giving this information to the AFL: Stop it."

Neeld said an intense and confidential meeting between himself, Mifsud and Melbourne chief executive Cameron Schwab last week had eased his concerns and he wouldn't be taking the issue further.

Former Collingwood coach and now media commentator Mick Malthouse, who Neeld was an assistant to at the Magpies, backed his protégé for making the claims public.

"There wouldn't be one man in football with any intestinal fortitude that wouldn't want to clear his own name regardless of circumstances, because you cannot allow those sorts of stories to permeate through your football club and have that hanging over you," Malthouse said.

"I think he handled it absolutely magnificently, he didn't lay blame on anyone, all he did was set it up to say I need to have this clarified, you don't want your name out there under these circumstances and this is the only way you can clear it up in getting it to the pointy end.

"I think Mark Neeld now needs to just, like he's doing, drop it, get away from it and it doesn't need to be resurrected by newspapers or anyone else."

The Melbourne coach said he would not be in attendance at a mediation session between Davey and Mifsud slated for this week.

Mifsud's anonymous source is still yet to come forward.

Ben Guthrie is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter - @AFL_BenGuthrie