"I looked at the vision that the MRP look at and I can understand why it's not a good look and it's not a good thing for the game," Mitchell told Hawthorn's website.
"Although it's not my intention in that situation to hurt the other person – it's purely just to protect myself – I guess the game has given me the feedback that I need to change the way I go about doing that.
"I'll work on some techniques over the coming weeks and do it differently. But it's just an instinct thing that I've done for a long period and something that I now need to change.
"I have to do it differently, I need to find a new way to protect myself and get out of that habit, if you like, of putting my knee up. I need to turn to the side or whatever."
If Mitchell thinks anyone believes he put his knee up to protect himself, then WADA need to get involved with him. He blatantly raised his knee and used it to hit Fyfe, no need to do it as he was already taking a line that would miss Fyfe. The fact that has been alluded to earlier about Hodge and Mitchell being investigated or accused of this tactic in the past should see a bit more effort by the MRP to stamp it out. At least back in the bad old days before video replays, players like Mitchell would think twice about the on field justice they may receive before making such sniping attacks. Now they are able to hide behind "retaliation is no excuse" replay deterrents and incompetent or worse MRP decisions.