HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson wasn’t in the mood to talk about the $5,000 fine he copped for criticising umpire Justin Schmitt following his side’s defeat to the Cats on Friday night.

After the match, Clarkson said: "He's a good player for the Cats that No. 17, wasn't he? He's a ripper.”

Schmitt had the No.17 umpire's shirt on. There were no No.17s on either team.

Talking at Waverley on Thursday, Clarkson did not want to clarify the comments but did admit that both he personally, and the club, had issued an apology to the AFL.

“I should have handled it in the same way I’m going to handle it now and that’s to not make much comment about it,” Clarkson said.

“The regulations are there and I stepped over the line. I know that regulation and I was out of line so we’ve made a formal apology to the AFL and we copped a whack and we move on.”