Geelong's instinct is to fight Patrick Dangerfield's suspension at the AFL tribunal, but his importance to the team could see the Cats err on the side of caution.
Dangerfield's bid for a second Brownlow Medal was dealt a blow when he was offered a one-match ban for rough conduct on Carlton's Matthew Kreuzer by the match review panel on Monday.
The club has until 11am on Tuesday to decide whether to go to the tribunal to contest the sanction.
The MRP's assessment has been hotly debated and Geelong coach Chris Scott admitted his initial thought was to go into bat for his superstar.
"That's our instinct but we do have a duty to the team," Scott told Fox Footy's AFL30 on Monday night.
"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 have two massive home games, against resurgent Sydney (sixth) this Friday night and the week after against Richmond (fourth).
Dangerfield will be ineligible to win a second Brownlow if he accepts the MRP's finding.
"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.
While admiring Dangerfield's team-first attitude, Scott admitted the Brownlow Medal had to come into his club's thinking.
"There's a little bit of a risk that our club, and me, are too flippant about it," he said.
"We want to respect that it's a prestigious award and it should form part of our consideration.
"(But) we always put the team first and we wouldn't let anything override that."
His tackle on Kreuzer left the Carlton ruckman concussed and was rated careless conduct with medium impact to the head.
Immediately after the MRP handed down its findings, TAB installed Richmond star Dustin Martin as the new favourite for the award at $1.18.
Dangerfield was narrowly ahead of Martin in the Brownlow betting until the MRP charged the Cats star.
No player has won successive Brownlows since St Kilda legend Robert Harvey in 1997-98.
In other MRP news, four-time Hawthorn premiership star Luke Hodge received a one-match ban for striking Sydney's Tom Papley in the second quarter of the Hawks' upset win at the MCG.
He will miss Sunday's clash against Richmond if he accepts the penalty.
Swans star Lance Franklin was handed a $1500 fine for making unnecessary contact with Hodge's face.
Collingwood's Taylor Adams also received a fine for rough conduct on Adelaide's Rory Laird.
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