FREMANTLE backman Dean Solomon's poor disciplinary record continued, while inconclusive video evidence could not save Richmond's Cam Howat as both were suspended at the AFL tribunal on Tuesday night.
Former Essendon premiership player Solomon was given a two-match suspension, his failure to beat a rough conduct charge costing him a spot in the round-three derby against West Coast.
Howat was banned for three matches after attempting to have an off-the-ball striking offence downgraded.
Both could have spent one fewer match on the sidelines had they submitted early guilty pleas rather than taking their cases to the tribunal.
Carlton's Adam Hartlett did plead guilty, to striking Howat, and received a reduced penalty of a two-game sanction, rather than the three games he would have risked by visiting the tribunal.
Solomon was charged over making contact with his shoulder to the head of Collingwood defender Shane Wakelin during Saturday's match at the MCG.
His advocate, John Prior, accepted that the contact was made to Wakelin's head, but argued that the Fremantle hard man had no reasonable alternative under the circumstances.
He said Solomon had been trying to bump Wakelin to the body but the Magpie veteran moved his head into Solomon's path at the last moment.
That argument was not accepted and Solomon will now miss Saturday's match against Hawthorn at Subiaco and the following weekend's clash with arch-rival West Coast.
His penalty was greater than it would otherwise have been because of carry-over points from previous offences.
Howat was charged with striking Hartlett in an incident that occurred minutes before the offence for which Hartlett pleaded guilty, in the third quarter of Thursday night's season-opener at the MCG.
He admitted to striking but argued it should have been graded reckless, rather than intentional, which would have allowed him to escape with a one-match ban.
The tribunal was shown video tape but it did not give a clear view of the incident.
Howat told the tribunal Hartlett had been grappling with him and he had given him a shove to try to break free.
He said he did not recall striking Hartlett or making contact with his head and had tried to push him in the chest.
He said he pleaded guilty because of the medical evidence that Hartlett had concussion and because that was the match review panel's assessment.
But the jury did not accept that he hadn't intended to strike the Carlton player.
Howat, who was elevated from the Tigers' rookie list to play the Blues, will be ruled out for clashes with North Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday, Collingwood a week later and a round-four meeting with Fremantle in Perth.
