St Kilda and Melbourne great Carl Ditterich has been charged with multiple offences following allegations made against the 78-year-old dating back to 1985.
Ditterich was charged with three counts of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency by Victoria Police's Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team, with the charges alleged to be related to one victim, perย NCA Newswire.
Ditterich was due to appear in court in Melbourne on Friday but was absent.
A best-and-fairest winner with both the Saints and Demons, the alleged 1985 Heatherton incident occurred five years after Ditterich called time on his 285-game career.
St Kilda released a short statement on Friday.
"St Kilda Football Club is aware of historical charges laid against Carl Ditterich relating to an alleged incident after his playing career," the statement read.
"As the matter is currently before the courts, the club will not provide further comment."
Ditterich had multiple stints at both St Kilda and Melbourne and was hired as a player-coach for the latter from 1979-1980.
The Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee captained St Kilda in the 1970s and famously missed out on the club's sole premiership in 1966 due to suspension.
