PORT Adelaide's Brad Ebert says the AFL's Match Review Panel system is frustrating but is optimistic the AFL will consider making changes to it at the end of the season.

Ebert expressed bemusement after the Tribunal ended teammate Kane Cornes' 13-year, 259-game good record for what Cornes described as "just an ordinary bump" on Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell. 

The premiership-winning midfielder received a week's suspension for the "rough conduct" charge despite the insisting on Tuesday night that he was "really surprised" Mitchell even went to ground.

Ebert said Cornes was the fairest player he'd come across.

"He's disappointed like all of us because he thought he had a pretty good case [but] the Tribunal didn't see it the same way," Ebert said. 

"The way he plays the game is as fair as I've seen.

"[The Tribunal's] a little bit frustrating but we can't really delve into it too much – I probably can't go saying too much otherwise I get in trouble.

"It's a tough one because they've tried some different ways in the past few years and there's always going to be some grey areas, there's always going to be some things that people don't like.

"You can't always please everyone, they're trying [to get it right] but I think they'll look into it again."

Port coach Ken Hinkley has refused to compare Cornes' hit to Justin Westhoff's against Essendon which also received a one-match ban.

"Kenny's always pretty disappointed when players get suspended and he made that clear [last week]," Ebert said.

"He said with Kane's incident it's probably not the same as Westhoff's where he actually made contact and you could visibly see it. I think with Kane's it wasn't as clear cut, the ball was around the mark…so he hasn't gone as hard as with Westy.

With Cornes out of the side, the Power lose their best run-with player for a crucial game against St Kilda this weekend.

Ebert said Andrew Moore or Matthew Broadbent would be capable of tagging Nick Dal Santo on Saturday night, as could former skipper Dom Cassisi, if he's declared fit to play.

Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.