GEELONG has until 11am on Tuesday to decide if it will challenge Patrick Dangerfield's suspension at the AFL Tribunal for a tackle that MRP member Jimmy Bartel deemed as 'careless'.

The superstar midfielder's bid for a second Brownlow Medal was dealt a blow on Monday when he was offered a one-match ban for rough conduct on Carlton's Matthew Kreuzer by the Match Review Panel.

Dangerfield's tackle on Kreuzer left the Carlton ruckman concussed and was rated medium impact to the head.

Bartel, who did not sit on the panel that decided Dangerfeld's penalty, said the Cats superstar's conduct was careless.

MRP bans Danger for dangerous tackle

"That was probably the discussion the MRP had yesterday; was it a careless act and unreasonable?" Bartel told radio station RSN927 on Tuesday.

"As soon as they decided, well, maybe Danger had a duty of care and could have done a little bit better, then it comes onto the table.

"I think we all agreed, it wasn't intentional. It was a careless act."

Dangerfield will play in Friday night's blockbuster against Sydney and keep his Brownlow chances alive if the club successfully has the charge thrown out at the Tribunal.

But the Cats are also at pains not to disrupt their preparations for the Simonds Stadium clash.

"We'd prefer it not to drag on and become a huge issue and take our focus off the game against Sydney which is obviously a big one," coach Chris Scott told Fox Footy on Monday night.

The MRP's assessment has been hotly debated and Scott admitted his initial thought was to go in to bat for his superstar.

"That's our instinct but we do have a duty to the team," Scott said.

"We've got big games coming up towards the end of the season ... we play two teams in contention for the top four."

The Cats risk a two-game ban if a Tribunal challenge fails.

Second-placed Geelong has two massive home games, against the resurgent Swans (sixth) and Richmond (fourth) the week after.

Dangerfield, who has enjoyed another stellar season, said chasing a second Brownlow was not part of his thinking.

"We'll make a decision that's best for the team, not the individual, and what's best for the rest of our season," Dangerfield told reporters on Monday evening.

"(The Brownlow Medal) is the last thing on my mind."

Geelong's legal counsel will scour the MRP's assessment of the incident that occurred during the third quarter of the Cats' 65-point win at Etihad Stadium.

Richmond star Dustin Martin is now favoured to win the Brownlow Medal.