The AFL will monitor the use of sleep medication among players after the latest scandal to hit St Kilda in the club's off-season from hell.

League operations manager Adrian Anderson told AAP the league would use samples taken under their illicit drugs policy to see how often players were taking sleeping tablets.

But the AFL also stressed it would only be for statistical purposes, not to potentially sanction players.

Anderson said the AFL's understanding was that use of sleep medication among players was low.

Late on Monday, the Saints suspended four players for several indiscretions last Thursday night during a New Zealand training camp, including the misuse of sleep tablets in combination with alcohol.

"The club doctors have advised us they don't believe it's a major issue," Anderson said.

"But what we're going to do is monitor the level, via the illicit drug policy tests as well, to confirm that information is correct."

Anderson added that under the anti-doping policy, which is separate to the illicit drug testing, a tested player had to declare what medication he had taken in the previous week.

Anderson said those player declarations had also suggested the use of sleep medication was low in the AFL.

The Saints' six-week suspensions and $5000 fines handed out to Zac Dawson, Jack Steven, Rhys Stanley and Paul Cahill meant a dramatic Tuesday for the club where:

* St Kilda coach Ross Lyon dismissed an NZ media report that four unnamed players also urinated in public and were involved in scuffles outside a Queenstown nightspot.

* Lyon blasted AFL Players' Association development manager Steve Alessio for comments about the Saints, saying the club had taken "great offence".

* The Saints announced an overhaul of their development program for first- to third-year players, while denying there was an off-field culture problem at the club.

Lyon said St Kilda had been in contact with Queenstown police after a person had contacted the club with allegations of players publicly urinating and being involved in scuffles.

"Once that person's name was mentioned, the police said 'look, we're aware of this person, leave it with us and we'll take care of it if we need to speak with you again," Lyon told SEN.

"As we sit here today, we're very confident we're in a pretty good position here."

But Lyon was furious with Alessio, who said over the last three years that the Saints had not taken up a development program offered by the association.

"We're here to help them if they want to, but in the past it's probably been a little bit difficult," Alessio said.

"In the last few years, it's been increasingly difficult."

Alessio's comments prompted a sharp response from Lyon.

"I thought it was opportunistic, it was clearly inaccurate, we (have participated) in all the development activities in regard to induction over the past three years," Lyon said.

"It was really disappointing from Steve Alessio and it was inaccurate.

"Really, we've taken great offence from that."

Lyon was also blunt about the four suspended players, calling their actions on Thursday night "stupid behaviour and reckless behaviour".

He said the Saints would overhaul their player development and make it more focussed on "earn or learn".

"It's the bigger issue in the AFL - young men, first- and third-year players, who aren't studying full time or working," Lyon said.

The four suspensions came in the wake of the nude photos scandal that has rocked St Kilda during the off-season.

But Saints chief executive Michael Nettlefold strongly defended their off-field culture.

"If you've got cultural problems you don't deliver what this group's delivered on the field in the last three years - it's impossible," Nettlefold said.

The Saints have made the last two grand finals, drawing with Collingwood last September before losing the replay.

Anderson also confirmed the Saints had given the AFL a report on the circumstances surrounding the punishment of the four players.

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