North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has been fined $20,000 and two-wholly suspended matches for an incident involving St Kilda players at RSEA Park last weekend.

Clarkson, who has since apologised for his actions, reportedly confronted Saints players Dougal Howard and Jimmy Webster during the quarter-time break of last week's practice match between the two sides after the latter bump with Kangaroos player Jy Simpkin, leaving the Roos' co-captain with a concussion.

The well-documented collision has since seen Webster handed a seven-game suspension by the AFL Tribunal.

The fallout of the incident has since placed Clarkson in hot water, with his use of language toward opposition players admittedly "unnecessary" and "inappropriate".

The AFL has punished the four-time premiership coach, with the league on Friday revealing the rule Clarkson had breached.

If found in breach of AFL Rule 2.3(a) (Conduct Unbecoming) again before the end of the 2025 AFL Premiership season, the Kangaroos coach will immediately be suspended for two matches and an additional sanction for the further breach.

In a statement released by AFL General Counsel Stephen Meade, the league stands firm against Clarkson's actions and will not tolerate it going forward.

โ€œAlastair'sย conduct does not represent behaviour acceptable to anyone in our game and not what is expected of a Senior Coach, especially someone of Alastair's experience," Meade said on Friday.

โ€œWhile we understand there are emotions attached to the heat of the contest, engaging with an opposition player during the quarter time break and then using language that is both unacceptable and highly inappropriate is something the AFL does not want in the game.โ€

Clarkson will also undergo pride in sport training, which has been approved by the AFL.

The punishment won't see Clarkson miss the start of North Melbourne's 2024 campaign, which will commence next Saturday against GWS at Engie Stadium.