'Shouldn't do it': Tom Hawkins slammed over 'stupid' act

A one-game suspension handed down to Tom Hawkins for a "stupid" act in Geelong's win over Fremantle, has divided the AFL community.

The Cats confirmed that they will head to the AFL tribunal to challenge the full-forward's one-match suspension for striking.

'DISRESPECTFUL': Jeff Kennett savages Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews

‘SO SAD’: AFL rocked by death of Collingwood legend

‘DEATH THREATS’: Shock fallout from infamous grand final moment

Hawkins' elbow on Fremantle's Luke Ryan in the final quarter of Geelong's 32-point win on Monday night was graded as intentional, low impact and high contact.

While Fox Sports' AFL 360 co-host Mark Robinson concedes Hawkins shouldn't be suspended over the incident, he says the veteran Cats star should know better by now.

“When you throw your arm back into the darkness, you run the risk of this happening, you shouldn’t do that. But that does not deserve a suspension,” he said.

“Fine him, he should not miss a game. You are stupid Tom, you get yourself in situations that you should not get into, but that is not a one-week suspension.

“I think Tom’s was a shrug more than an elbow, but again when you throw your arm back you’re entering stormy waters.”

If the suspension is upheld it will be Hawkins' seventh game lost to suspension in less than five years after missing last year's preliminary final loss for a striking charge.

Robinson says Hawkins' repeated cases of ill-discipline are becoming a liability for his team.

“Tommy, you’re a great person but you keep doing these brain fades on the field,” he said.

“He had to learn his lesson from last year, he just had to. He’s not just letting himself down he’s letting his teammates down.

“He must be sitting there thinking ‘what am I doing?’”

Essendon great Tim Watson agreed on SEN that Hawkins deserved a one-game ban for stupidity more than anything.

“It was on the lower end of the scale … if you throw your elbow back and you collect somebody head high, then if we’re going to be serious about that sort of stuff, then you give somebody a week for being stupid," Watson said.

Eagles star cleared to play Cats

While Hawkins may miss the Eagles clash, West Coast's Elliot Yeo is free to play after having his striking charge overturned at the tribunal.

The Eagles challenged Yeo's one-game suspension for striking Collingwood's Rupert Wills during the third quarter of Sunday's thumping 66-point win against the Magpies at Optus Stadium.

West Coast's legal counsel David Grace argued the contact was negligible and didn't warrant a reportable offence and, after a lengthy deliberation, the tribunal found him not guilty.

The premiership utility's strike was graded as intentional conduct, low impact and high contact.

Yeo told the tribunal he was attempting to push Wills away so he could focus on the nearby stoppage.

He admitted he may have have brushed the Magpies player in the neck after looking to push his chest, but believed any contact was minimal with Wills playing out the match.

"I hit him on the chest, with an open palm to get my separation," Yeo said.

with AAP