Kelly to contest high bump charge

James Kelly ... Cats hoping midfielder will get off two-match suspension. Source: JOE CASTRO / AAP

Geelong midfielder James Kelly will head to the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night to challenge a two-match ban for a high bump on Essendon's Brendon Goddard.

Coach Chris Scott said the Cats decided it was a risk worth taking, even though Kelly will have more than 80 carry-over points added to his future disciplinary record if he is unsuccessful.

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Geelong	7	7	0	0	121.43	28
2	Essendon	7	6	0	1	151.47	24
3	Hawthorn	7	6	0	1	131.16	24
4	Port Adelaide	7	5	0	2	122.93	20
5	Sydney	7	5	0	2	121.26	20
6	Fremantle	7	5	0	2	114.95	20
7	Richmond	7	4	0	3	107.86	16
8	Collingwood	7	4	0	3	95.06	16
9	Adelaide	7	3	0	4	119.97	12
10	West Coast	7	3	0	4	112.56	12
11	Carlton	7	3	0	4	111.16	12
12	North Melbourne	7	3	0	4	109.46	12
13	Gold Coast	7	3	0	4	98.61	12
14	St Kilda	7	2	0	5	95.59	8
15	Brisbane	7	2	0	5	72.79	8
16	Bulldogs	7	1	0	6	71.10	4
17	Melbourne	7	1	0	6	55.03	4
18	Greater Western Sydney	7	0	0	7	57.41	0

"The system is stacked against you in that regard,'' Scott said.

"It's a big risk for a player of James' quality to be carrying 80 or 90 carry-over points into the last part of the year.''

If the tribunal upholds the match review panel's finding, Kelly will miss upcoming matches against Collingwood and Port Adelaide.

Scott said he was somewhat surprised Kelly had been charged with rough conduct in the first place.

"It's as close as I can imagine to there being a fair bump,'' he said.

"If it's not fair, then I think by extension we're saying that you can't bump.

"I was a little bit surprised but with these things you learn not to be too shocked or outraged, because the rules are so grey.

"You're talking split seconds and millimetres between perfectly legal and well executed, and illegal and punishable.

"It's extremely difficult on the players.''

Collingwood defender Heath Shaw will definitely miss Saturday's big clash with the Cats after accepting a one-match sanction for striking Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne.

Melbourne utility Colin Sylvia has accepted a three-match ban for striking Gold Coast's Jared Brennan.

But Demons teammate Chris Dawes is free to play in Sunday's MCG clash with Richmond after accepting a reprimand and 93.75 carry-over points for striking Suns defender Thomas Murphy.

Port Adelaide full-forward Jay Schulz, Western Bulldogs defender Liam Picken and GWS midfielder Rhys Palmer also all pleaded guilty to striking and were reprimanded for incidents from round seven.

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