Fremantle utility Nick Suban pleaded guilty on Tuesday to making unnecessary and unreasonable contact to the face of Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell and was banned for one match by the AFL Tribunal.
Suban appeared via a video link in Perth and said he had no recollection of the incident which occurred in the first quarter of Saturday's grand final won by Hawthorn at the MCG.
"Looking at the vision, I'd like to apologise to Sam Mitchell," Suban told the tribunal.
Suban will miss the opening game of the 2014 after being handed a penalty of 150 points, which includes 50 carryover points for next season.
Player advocate John Prior told the tribunal the 84-game veteran Suban pleaded guilty.
Legal counsel Jeff Gleeson SC recommended a one-game penalty and tribunal chairman David Jones also said a one-match ban would be appropriate.
"It was an unsightly act and a regrettable act but not one that seems on the vision to have any malice or potential for harm," Gleeson said.
"There's no indication that the player was scratched or torn at the face."
Vision of the incident showed Suban and Mitchell on the ground as Suban grabbed Mitchell by the cheek.
"It's easy to say 'I'm sorry'," Gleeson said, urging Suban to "back it up and miss a week of football."
Prior said he didn't disagree with Gleeson's argument.
Suban's clean record dating back to junior football with Bacchus Marsh in Victoria and his six seasons at Fremantle should be taken into account as well as his guilty plea, Prior said.
"He's grabbed the left-cheek area of Sam Mitchell. At the time Sam Mitchell was holding him," Prior said.
"There are much worse examples of misconduct than this case.
"There's no suggestion he deliberately put his finger or thumb in Mitchell's mouth."
A medical statement from Hawthorn said Mitchell was not treated for any injury and was not receiving any ongoing medical treatment.
"Mr Suban agrees that one game would be appropriate," Prior said.
The matter was referred directly to the tribunal, the first such case of 2013, and the table of set penalties was not applied. If a set penalty had been applied, with the double demerit points policy for grand finals, Suban could have been facing a six-week ban.
The tribunal panel deliberated for 10 minutes before foreman Wayne Henwood announced a 150-point penalty.
Hawthorn have been given until Wednesday to decide whether they will challenge bans to Brian Lake (three weeks for striking) and Cyril Rioli (one week for a chicken-wing tackle).
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