Clarkson says action must be taken on domestic violence

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Alastair Clarkson before addressing the violence issue after North's loss to St Kilda. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Alastair Clarkson has again evoked the memory of Jill Meagher, calling on government and the law to do something significant in combatting domestic violence.

The AFL has used the weekend's games to highlight the issue, with players, coaches and umpires forming a circle in the middle of the ground before each match as a tribute to women victims.

Clarkson is among several coaches who have also used their post-game media conferences to speak passionately about the need for meaningful action.

The North Melbourne coach noted the issue has particular meaning at his club, with their player Tarryn Thomas sacked earlier this year after repeated conduct breaches, including threatening a woman.

Clarkson also referred again to Meagher, an Irish woman living in Australia, who was raped and murdered in 2012 while walking home from a pub in suburban Brunswick.

A few days after her death, Hawthorn lost the grand final to Sydney and Clarkson said at the time it put their disappointment into true perspective.

"Men right around the world, and particularly in this country, just need to be better," Clarkson said after Saturday's match against St Kilda.

"But I also don't want it just to be tokenism, because I can remember 12 years ago, Jill Meagher being murdered, that was a tragic event that shocked the whole state, if not the country.

"Yet the same things are still happening."

Clarkson praised the AFL for the weekend's initiative but said proper action needed to follow.

"Hopefully this is a stance that's being taken by the game; a stance needs to be taken by government," he said.

"A stance needs to be taken by the law, to make the deterrence a lot stronger, to protect those who could be victims of domestic violence, and actually, genuinely, do something about it.

"This is a terrific stance, it brings awareness, but if there's no significant follow-up then it's a waste of time.

"I will be really interested to see just what everyone actually does about it, because everyone has to roll their sleeves up ... rather than sit here in 12 months' time, or two years' time, and government once again will apologise to the community for these tragic events that unfold and we'll just be reminded that we've done very little about it again."

He added Thomas' sacking made the issue very clear to the Kangaroos.

"Our footy club has had to confront a pretty significant issue in the last six to 12 months, which has been difficult," he said.

"We're very aware of it."

Australian Associated Press