ST KILDA will try to do what it has been incapable of for months and keep silent on the personal and legal rift with former coach Grant Thomas.

Conceding that passions had overtaken thought in the past week, Saints president Rod Butterss yesterday vowed to keep his dispute with Thomas private.

"Passion is the greatest resource that a club has, it is the very thing that has seen us through the tough times. The events of this week can remind us that it can also make for a tough companion at times as well," Butterss told the pre-match president's lunch.

"While we all want what we think is best for the St Kilda Football Club, sometimes we can differ on the path that we choose.

"The one thing that I can assure you and assure all of our loyal supporters, is that matters relating to myself and our former coach will from this moment onwards remain private. Not another word in public about that matter."

Coach Ross Lyon said after yesterday's loss to the Kangaroos that he was confident the players had been able to insulate themselves from the public brawl between their president and former coach.

"I don't think the week, the outside influences … it had no impact on our performance today from what I know," Lyon said.

Kangaroos coach Dean laidley, who was pleased his own club had settled its off-field squabbles this year because it was affecting the players, said he was uncertain if the difficulties that beset St Kilda had unsettled them.

"I can't really comment about the Saints," Laidley said. "It does become tough as a coach but I suppose that's the test of your mettle whether you can keep your charges focused."

Butterss used the president's lunch to defend the club board's performance after a challenge was raised last week by radio comedian Steve Bedwell.

Chief executive Archie Fraser took a similar tack to Butterss, saying he had backed the president in his public comments about Thomas, but enough had now been said.

"I think moving forward we just need to move past what's taken place this week with Grant and Rod and get on and focus on the things we're doing as a football club," Fraser told Southern Cross radio.

Thomas on Saturday responded at length to Butterss' and Fraser's allegations of undermining the club. Neither Butterss nor Fraser would reveal how he was allegedly doing so.

But the former St Kilda coach denied maintaining regular contact with Saints players or interfering in contract negotiations between the club and star forward Nick Riewoldt.

"I've given a fair bit of time to that club and I'm extremely passionate about it — I want only one thing for it to be and that's successful," Thomas told SEN radio.

"I don't ring players, I do not make contact with players and in fact they very sparingly, if ever, contact me.

"The contact, I've got no idea what they're talking about … it is all innuendo, it hasn't been stated by anyone at the football club that I'm aware."

With AAP