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West Coast have been successful in overturning star Elliot Yeo's striking charge with the tribunal finding him not guilty on Tuesday night.
West Coast star Elliot Yeo is free to play in Saturday night's AFL clash with Geelong 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.
AFL's legal counsel Jeff Gleeson argued it was "inherently dangerous" for Yeo to strike Wills the way he did and serious injury could have been caused.
The 26-year-old - a dual All-Australian and two-time club best-and-fairest winner - has missed just one match since the start of 2018.
Yeo has gradually built form this season and was one of West Coast's best players against Collingwood in a win that rocketed the Eagles up to fifth on the ladder.
While Yeo will line-up against Geelong, the Cats will be missing an important player.
Veteran key forward Tom Hawkins is facing a one-game suspension for striking Fremantle's Luke Ryan in the Cats' 32-point win on Monday night.
The final quarter incident was graded as intentional, low impact and high contact.
It is Hawkins' seventh game lost to suspension in less than five years after missing last year's preliminary final loss for a striking charge.
Elsewhere, Brisbane opted against appealing forward Daniel McStay's two-game ban for making forceful front-on contact with Melbourne's Neville Jetta.
McStay will miss the Lions' Friday night clash with Essendon and next Tuesday's match against reigning premiers Richmond.
Essendon midfielder Kyle Langford won't take on the Lions after the Bombers chose to accept his one-game suspension for making forceful front-on contact with Adelaide's Shane McAdam on Sunday.
