Self-confessed sore loser Damien Hardwick accepts he overstepped the mark and warranted a pointed phone call from AFL football operations boss Greg Swann.
Mired in a three-game losing streak, the Suns have problems on several fronts ahead of Friday night's critical home game against Hawthorn.
They will go to the tribunal to challenge Daniel Rioli's fine for umpire contact and if that fails, it will trigger a much larger financial penalty from the league.
Hardwick also conceded on Monday night that constant speculation about Bailey Humphrey's AFL future beyond this season was impacting his form.
The Suns coach, no stranger to airing his frustrations in public, earned the ire of the umpires and Swann for his comments after Friday night's away loss to Geelong.
