PORT Adelaide midfielder Andrew Moore's appeal against his three-week suspension for touching an umpire has been thrown out by the SANFL Tribunal.

On Tuesday, Moore pleaded guilty to touching the umpire during a match last weekend, but told the SANFL Tribunal there was no malice in his action and he was simply demonstrating what had happened at a previous stoppage.

The umpire involved accepted his statement.

The Power were unhappy with the severity of the suspension, but their appeal was dismissed on Thursday night.

Moore was a chance to replace Ollie Wines in Saturday night's game against Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval.

The Power have named ruckman Matthew Lobbe and veteran midfielder Kane Cornes, with Wines (dislocated wrist) and Brendon Ah Chee (omitted) going out of the side.

AFL legend Leigh Matthews believed the SANFL Tribunal was right to judge Moore harshly.

Speaking to radio station 5AA, Matthews insisted the state league had no choice but to throw the book at the big-bodied midfielder, regardless of the circumstances in which the incident occurred.

"It has to be a seemingly very severe penalty – you can't touch an umpire, that's the point," Matthews said.

"You had to give a penalty that the football world thinks, 'Gee, that's severe'.

"A week's probably a fair penalty, but I think in this case it has to be seen to be a very severe penalty.

"It has to be a penalty we all think is much harsher than is deserved, as an example to everyone else that plays footy anywhere."