VICTORIA'S Chief Police Commissioner Christine Nixon has contacted the AFL Players Association and insisted that she did not contravene Ben Cousins' right to privacy.

Nixon, who was reportedly contacted by the Collingwood Football Club to clarify Cousins' situation to seek advice regarding drafting the self-confessed drug addict, is believed to have emailed association chief executive Brendon Gale two days ago to satisfy the players' concerns.

Gale told The Sunday Age he had contacted Nixon after reading reports that the Magpies had chosen not to pursue its previous interest in the Brownlow medallist following a discussion with the chief commissioner.

"I thought we were obliged to seek clarification over whether Ben's privacy was respected," Gale said yesterday.

"Christine Nixon responded and made it clear that never would she put in jeopardy any individual's rights to privacy.

"As far as that issue is concerned, that is the end of it."

Gale said it remained unclear as to whether the Magpies had contacted Nixon, an allegation that angered Cousins' manager Ricky Nixon.

The association boss added that he found it "slightly unusual" that Collingwood had chosen to assign a private detective to the player as part of its research into whether it should draft Cousins.

"I'll just call it unusual," Gale said. "From a broad point of view, it doesn't send a good message to players."

Gale said that while the reports regarding the Chief Commissioner and the Magpies did not detail any discussions, the inference was that Collingwood had been strongly interested in recruiting the troubled 30-year-old but had changed its mind following discussions with Christine Nixon.

"She made it clear she would never breach an individual's right to privacy," Gale said. "I accepted that and I have absolute respect for Christine Nixon. Whether or not any conversation took place, I do not know."

Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert was not available for comment last night.

Now that Collingwood has lost interest in Cousins, St Kilda remains favourite to throw him a lifeline should the AFL Commission clear his path to a comeback when it meets in Sydney next month.

Coach Ross Lyon, football operations manager Matthew Drain and recently retired footballer Fraser Gehrig — a former teammate of cousins at West Coast — met the former West Coast captain in Perth on Thursday in talks sanctioned by the St Kilda board.