The West Coast Eagles will try to have Harley Reid’s sling tackle downgraded at the AFL tribunal, but even a victory will not be enough to keep him in the race for the Rising Star award.

Reid’s tackle on Darcy Wilson in the third quarter of Saturday’s 14-point loss to St Kilda was graded as careless conduct with high impact and high contact, resulting in a two-game sanction with no discount for an early guilty plea.

The Eagles will argue it should be deemed medium impact, rather than high.

West Coast coach Adam Simpson immediately after the game tried to argue his star rookie should not have a case to answer.

“I thought there’s nothing in it, that’s what I’ll say,” Simpson said.

“I spoke to him and it was like, ‘Mate, I didn’t think there was much in it, so keep going, keep working through the tag.’

“That stuff will work itself out. Whatever happens there, we’ll deal with it.”

A reduction in the impact grading would take Reid’s ban from two games to one, but he would still be ineligible to win the award for the AFL’s best first-year player.

If they lose at the tribunal, the two-game ban will be upheld and Reid would miss matches against North Melbourne and Essendon either side of the club’s bye in round 14.

Reid was also sanctioned for two instances of careless contact with an umpire, to which he pleaded guilty, leading to two reduced $1,875 fines.