HAWTHORN Senior Coach Alastair Clarkson has received a sanction of $20,000 for his comments regarding the umpires following Saturday’s Round 12 match against the Gold Coast Suns at the MCG.

It has been determined that $15,000 of the sanction will be suspended until the end of the 2018 AFL season, barring any future breach of the AFL Rules and/or Regulations, and $5000 will be payable now.

Clarkson will donate his $5000 sanction to the Freeze MND fundraising campaign after making the request to further support the work of Neale Daniher, and this was agreed by the AFL.

Clarkson made a public apology regarding his comments made in the post-match press conference during Sunday’s broadcast of the Carlton / GWS Giants match.

AFL General Manager Football Operations, Simon Lethlean said the AFL had spoken to Hawthorn and Clarkson today and had taken action under AFL Regulation 15.1 - Public Comments on Umpires.

“The AFL took into account the public apology from Alastair on Sunday afternoon, and also the fact he made direct contact with AFL Umpiring Director Peter Schwab to speak to him personally,” Mr Lethlean said.

“Alastair relayed to me that he regretted his comments in the aftermath of his post-match conference and was aware they had crossed the line beyond what was acceptable in how umpires are treated and spoken about, and hence he organised to be able to apologise publicly during Sunday’s broadcast of the Carlton / GWS Giants match.”

"As a senior figure in our game, and one of our leading coaches, Alastair is well aware that such remarks are extremely serious in regard to the professionalism of the umpires and our ability to continue to attract officials to our game at all levels.”

“The Umpiring Department and the AFL were appreciative that Alastair and the club moved quickly to apologise for the statements made,’ he said.