TOM Hawkins is set to come under the scrutiny of the Match Review Officer with what he described as "accidental" contact with an umpire on Friday night.
The Cats forward appeared to brush umpire Dean Margetts' hand away after he awarded a 50 metre penalty against Hawkins for a late knee to the back of Nick Haynes in the second quarter.
If Match Review Officer Michael Christian finds that Hawkins made intentional contact with Margetts he will be referred directly to the Tribunal.
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"I actually thought initially it was an opposition hand," Hawkins told Channel Seven post-match.
"I didn't mean to make any contact with him, but apologised to him after, but obviously accidental. That's what happens in footy, heat of the moment."
Late to spoil Haynes, Hawkins drove his knee into the Giant's lower back before his fist came across Haynes' shoulder.
Then involved in a push and shove with Giants co-captain Phil Davis and Ryan Griffen, Hawkins made contact with Margetts who came in to talk to him.
Margetts could be heard saying, "Hey, don't touch me either," to Hawkins after the incident.
Coach Chris Scott said he felt Hawkins would have little to worry about.
"It's a good observation that the umpire was really clear that it didn't even warrant a further 50," Scott said post-match.
"If he had a problem with it he would've paid another 50. I think that part's pretty clear isn't it? Common sense should take over at some point."
Speaking to Melbourne radio station SEN on Saturday morning, Scott said sending the case to the Tribunal was a reasonable idea.
“It’s not a bad process sometimes just to put it up (at the Tribunal) — not even put a case forward to say 'We definitely think this requires suspension', but just to say 'Maybe it requires a little bit more investigation'," Scott said.
"Contact with umpires is a serious matter and we shouldn't be flippant about it, but not withstanding what some people would interpret from the vision, I trust Tom implicitly and if he says he didn't deliberately do it, I believe him."
Christian's decision is set to be handed down on Saturday as a result of earlier match review findings introduced in 2018.
If the contact is deemed to be careless, Hawkins will escape with a fine like five other players across the competition received last week.
Christian said last week he sent a memo to clubs at the start of April to highlight the contact players had been making with umpires.
