GWS star Toby Greene has been handed a two-match suspension for his high fend-off on Geelong's Patrick Dangerfield, but will challenge the ban at the AFL tribunal.
Greene caught Dangerfield in the throat with his elbow as he attempted to avoid being tackled during the first quarter of Friday night's game at GMHBA Stadium.
Dangerfield had to be substituted out of the match and was taken to hospital for precautionary reasons, with coach Chris Scott saying the Cats ace had trouble breathing.
The midfielder was discharged from hospital on Saturday, with scans showing bruising of his laryngeal but no fracture or significant throat injury.
On Saturday, match review officer Michael Christian charged Greene with striking and assessed the incident as careless conduct, high impact and high contact, which draws a two-match ban.
The Giants immediately confirmed they would appeal the suspension, which if it stands, would rule Greene out of potentially finals-defining games against Richmond and Carlton.
"We firmly believe this was a football action and doesn't warrant a suspension," GWS football boss Jason McCartney said.
"As such, we will challenge the initial ruling at the tribunal."
Stand-in captain Greene booted four goals in the upset win over Geelong which lifted GWS back into the top eight.
Scott had played down Greene's actions post-match, saying incidents needed to be looked at in real time.
The Greene-Dangerfield clash was similar to Melbourne forward Bayley Fritsch's high contact with North Melbourne's Tom Powell earlier this season.
Fristch was offered a one-match suspension for striking but had his ban overturned at the tribunal.
Meanwhile, Geelong skipper Joel Selwood received a $3000 fine for a second offence of rough conduct, for a high bump on GWS defender Sam Taylor in the third quarter.
Selwood's indiscretion was considered careless conduct, low impact and high contact.
