Roosters coach Trent Robinson says he would still "deliver the same post-match media conference" even though he and the club have accepted $40,000 in NRL punishments for criticising and abusing referees.
Robinson's scathing comments after last Friday's Roosters-Rabbitohs spiteful clash – in which Latrell Mitchell's high tackle ended both his and Joey Manu's season – were deemed to have claimed a "bias against the Roosters" and "exposed individual match officials to personal ridicule", according to the NRL.
Speaking in the lead-up to Thursday's final-round clash with Canberra, he said the two former teammates' relationship "will be mended" and called for Mitchell's critics to move on.
Robinson himself has now accepted a $20,000 fine for his comments as well as a previously suspended $10,000 punishment for a similar post-game spray.
He called the Bunker "an absolute farce" over the Manu incident. The NRL conceded the following day that Mitchell should have been dismissed for the rest of the match.
Mitchell accepts suspension of six matches for Manu tackle
The Roosters will also wear a separate $10,000 breach for alleged abuse of on-field officials from the sideline, while the Integrity Unit's investigation of an alleged altercation between Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and a Nine network cameraman continues.
Robinson said he understood the NRL's position and that the club could have handled various aspects of the drama-charged night better, but ultimately he "stands by" his comments.
"I accepted the breach myself and the club the other day, so I understand that the stuff that I've said in the game, I stand by what I said in that game post-match, and my views on that," Robinson said.
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"But I also understand that the NRL has to act on some things that I said. That's the balance of our game. I'm going to give my opinion on that.
"I fully understand where the fine comes from, I know there was language you can’t use.
"But I would sit in there and deliver the same post-match press conference that I delivered and that doesn’t mean any disrespect to the NRL.
"I understand their decision, but they also have to understand my position. And I stand behind that."
Robinson was front and centre for several of Friday night's flashpoints as he coached from the sideline, with footage showing him to be angry when Siosiua Taukeiaho was caught in a hip drop tackle - Souths forward Liam Knight was eventually suspended for two games for the incident.
The Roosters coach has denied suggestions he called Rabbitohs back-rower Jaydn Su'A "a thug" and said he would continue to coach from close range if he thinks it will provide a tactical advantage.
Bunker official Henry Perenara has been dropped from duties this weekend for his role in the drama, but Robinson said he does not feel "slighted" by still being fined over the incident.
"We know that we need to be better in that area," he said.
"We felt there was an injustice and we reacted towards that, but I understand we need to be better.
I think the way people have reacted towards Latrell has been way too much.
Trent Robinson
"I don't feel slighted. Opinions are always going to be mixed. There was a lot of things that I was really proud of in the way that we handled things and there's also some lessons there."
Manu has returned to the Roosters' camp after successful surgery, with Mitchell understood to have reached out to his old centre partner in recent days.
"I know Joey and Latrell and of course [their relationship] will be mended," Robinson said.
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"I think the way that people have reacted towards Latrell has been way too much as well.
"Joey got injured and it wasn't an incident that we wanted but they'll mend their fences and so should everyone else. Let's move on."
Longtime Roosters chairman Nick Politis told the Roosters Radio podcast that watching the confrontation between the pair left him with "tears in my eyes".
"He is positive and putting it behind him and looking forward to next year," Politis said of Manu.
"He is such a wonderful guy. [The tackle] wasn’t necessary.
"When you see that scene on TV that he went back to Latrell with tears in his eyes and his face busted, and he didn’t go back with any animosity or to have a fight he went back and said, ‘why, why, what’s the matter with you’, and probably used a few other words. ‘We’re good mates, we won two premierships together, we won two grand finals together. Why did you do that?’
"That to me just broke me up. I had tears in my eyes."