Geelong is desperately hoping to have captain Patrick Dangerfield for a crucial clash with Essendon, as the club challenges his one-game dangerous tackle ban at the AFL Tribunal. Live from 6:30pm AEST!

The champion midfielder was cited for the incident in Friday night’s loss to Carlton, after taking opposing star Sam Walsh to ground in the opening stages of the contest.

The tackle was declared rough conduct with careless conduct, medium impact and high contact gradings after Walsh’s head hit the turf with both arms pinned.

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The incident has been divisive, and freshly-minted Australian Football Hall of Fame legend Jason Dunstall does not understand what Dangerfield’s alternative was.

“I’m not fussed one way or another if he keeps a week or not, but tell us what you expect him to do in this circumstance?” Dunstall said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“He’s got a player running away from him trying to accelerate, he has to dive to tackle him, his feet actually leave the ground trying to hang onto him, and now you’re saying ‘oh you can’t pin his arms’, so what, you want him to let go with one arm and just drive him in a one-arm tackle? In something that’s happened in a split-second, when you’ve got an athletic guy who’s trying to accelerate away from you?

“Again, I’m all about let’s protect the players, we know we have to do this and I’m OK with that. But explain to us what you expect Patrick Dangerfield to do, other than what he did do? Otherwise we’re gonna end up saying you can’t tackle from behind.”

Follow Patrick Dangerfield’s Tribunal hearing live below!