Alastair Clarkson copped a significant penalty for his quarter-time outburst at St Kilda players.Credit:AFL Photos/ Getty Images
Another St Kilda footballer,Dougal Howard,was also involved in the interaction with Clarkson.
Clarkson,who has accumulated a lengthy rap sheet across his coaching career,said this was a “significant reflective moment” for him. He has also apologised to Saints coach Ross Lyon,Webster and Howard for his behaviour.
Clarkson accepted the league’s sanction in a snap press conference on Friday,away from North Melbourne headquarters after the penalty was announced.
“I’m probably going to have to reinvent myself a little bit as a coach,” he said.
“That tribalism and passion,which strangely enough is what our game’s built on,that’s been a key part of my coaching for a long,long period of time. Usually,I get embroiled in these situations when there’s a significant amount of emotion,or I’m trying to protect either a club or a player or myself or my family.
“I’ve been involved in these sorts of things before,we know that,there’s a history sheet of that,and each time it’s happened I’ve pulled myself just below the line again.”