Former AFL footballer Jake King is concerned he will lose his job when his employer learns he has been charged with possessing steroids, despite the more serious extortion offences he faces already having been made public, a court has heard.
The 33-year-old faced the Melbourne Magistrates' Court charged with allegedly threatening to shoot a man and break his legs and those of his family if he did not pay him $150,000 within a month.
It emerged the former Richmond footballer has also been charged with possessing testosterone.
Mr King's lawyer Geoffrey Steward asked the court not to release the drug possession charges to the media because of Mr King's concerns it would "impact adversely" on his employment.
But Magistrate Franz Holzer said it would be illegal for Mr King's employer to sack him over the charges which, at this stage, were "no more than allegations".
It is unclear where Mr King is currently employed.
He was charged in July after being arrested at the South Melbourne tattoo parlour he co-owns with former outlaw motorcycle gang member Toby Mitchell.
Mr King is facing numerous offences, including extortion, making threats to kill and inflicting serious injury.
The charges relate to an alleged dispute between Mr King's ex-teammate at Richmond, Ty Vickery, and Vickery's former business partner at a restaurant in Melbourne's east.
Mr Steward told today's hearing that Mr King may plead guilty to some of the charges but would not admit to the steroid charges and was hoping to have them withdrawn.
If the case does result in a plea hearing, Mr Steward said he proposed to tender 30 character references from various people vouching for Mr King's standing, reputation and character.
Mr King will return to court in March.
