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The AFL is set to rule on a possible sanction for North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson over his expletive-laden exchange with two St Kilda players.
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson is set to learn what penalty, if any, he faces from the AFL over his "inappropriate" outburst towards St Kilda players Jimmy Webster and Dougal Howard.
Clarkson has apologised over the expletive-laden exchange of words, during which he reportedly used the term "c*******er".
The incident came when an incensed Clarkson approached Webster at quarter-time after the Saints defender's high and late bump on Kangaroos co-captain Jy Simpkin during Sunday's practice match.
Webster was handed a seven-match ban for the bump, which put Simpkin in concussion protocols, while Clarkson was issued with a "please explain" by the AFL regarding the exchange and the alleged homophobic slur.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon confirmed the league's integrity and legal teams had received an official response from Clarkson on Wednesday.
Dillon forecast the league would make a decision on Thursday regarding Clarkson's possible sanction.
In a statement on Monday, Clarkson said he was "deeply disturbed" by the Webster bump on Simpkin, who has a recent concussion history.
"At the quarter-time break I voiced my displeasure to St Kilda players Jimmy Webster and Dougal Howard as they made their way to the quarter-time huddle," Clarkson said.
"This was an exchange that was emotional in defence of our captain, but unnecessary, and the language I used was inappropriate.
"I have reached out to (Saints coach) Ross Lyon and both the St Kilda players to apologise."
Former Hawthorn coach Clarkson has a lengthy history of fiery moments, including needing to be held back from Matthew Lloyd after the Essendon champion broke Brad Sewell's cheekbone with a bump in 2009.
In 2012, Clarkson punched a hole in the MCG coaching box wall, and also admitted to swearing at a junior club official during an under-age football match.
Clarkson lashed out at a reporter at a press conference the following year, and in 2017 he was fined $20,000 by the AFL (with $15,000 suspended) after he said he could not comment on "disgraceful umpiring" in Hawthorn's loss to Gold Coast.
In February last year, Clarkson apologised for making a threatening comment to a television reporter during an altercation.
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley is among the commentators to have voiced their belief that Clarkson needs to be punished for his latest indiscretion.
"Yes, I definitely believe there needs to be a penalty - because (he) apologised 12 months ago and we're getting a similar red-mist vitriol in the moment," Buckley told SEN Radio on Tuesday.
"Now yes, it defends his team, it defends his player, it defends his club - I get that.
"But the way that that has happened has been consistently inappropriate."
Dillon on Monday said he didn't want senior coaches or officials approaching players at breaks in play.
"When you overlay what's been reported, it's language that Alastair has already come out and said is inappropriate, it's something I don't like, and we don't need it in our game," Dillon said on Fox Footy's AFL 360.
