THE OPPOSITION player involved in the incident that left South Australian footballer Tai Martin-Page at least temporarily paralysed has received a three-match ban.

Martin-Page suffered dislocated vertebrae in two places and spinal damage, and faces up to six months' rehabilitation and the possibility he may never walk again.

The 27-year-old was playing for the Darwin Buffaloes against Wanderers in a Northern Territory Football League match a fortnight ago.

Martin-Page was running towards the ball when Wanderers footballer Mitchell Taylor, coming from the other direction, collided with him.

Fundraising begins for paralysed NTFL player

The NTFL Tribunal members found Taylor guilty of forceful front-on contact, but reclassified Taylor's conduct from intentional to careless and kept it as high impact and high contact.

Taylor, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, served the first of his three-game suspension last weekend before Wednesday night's hearing.

Wanderers president Ben Cocker said he was disappointed in the outcome, but there would be no appeal, and said his and the club's thoughts were with Martin-Page and his friends and family.

"Whether or not Mitchell received a suspension tonight would not have changed the unfortunate reality of things," Cocker said in a statement.

"Tai would still be seriously injured and Mitchell would still have to come to terms with being involved in a collision that has had such a devastating effect on Tai's life.

"However, we are disappointed that the tribunal imposed a penalty for Mitchell. Mitchell is a fair player whose intentions were solely to contest a loose ball and he contested that loose ball in a reasonable fashion.

"In contact sports such as footy, there is scope for such unfortunate incidents to occur where nobody is at fault."

Cocker encouraged everyone to donate to the Go Fund Me page in Martin-Page's honour, which has already raised more than $76,000.