Ladder-leader Melbourne suffered its first setback of the season when midfielder Brent Moloney was suspended for two games for rough play at the AFL tribunal despite doubts he made high contact with Geelong's James Bartel.

Carlton received the same penalty, as onballer Carlton midfielder Heath Scotland was found guilty of misconduct for putting his hand in the face of former Collingwood teammate Tarkyn Lockyer at the MCG last Saturday.

Moloney was found guilty of a rough conduct charge against his former teammate, who was knocked unconscious at the MCG last Friday night and remains in doubt to play Essendon on Saturday night.

Moloney, who has impressed in Melbourne's first three wins of the season since crossing from the Cats, argued he made "minimal, a brush" contact with Bartel's head and had tried to avoid contact by raising his leg and hip as he approached his opponent.

High-profile sports doctor Peter Larkins also gave evidence on Moloney's behalf and said Bartel stumbled after overrunning the ball, and that the lack of backwards deviation from his head suggested there was no significant contact between the pair.

Larkins said Bartel's arms were stretched out before he hit the ground, which suggested he was still conscious, and that he was knocked out when he landed heavily on his head and neck.

However, the three-man jury - comprising former players Wayne Schimmelbusch, Richard Loveridge and Barry Stoneham - ruled Moloney's actions were enough to warrant the rough conduct charge.

It was unclear whether the jury considered Moloney's contact to be high or whether it took the advice offered by tribunal chairman David Jones, a retired County Court judge, who said there did not necessarily need to be any contact between players to warrant a rough conduct charge.

Melbourne football manager Chris Fagan said the Demons were considering an appeal.

Melbourne plays St Kilda and Sydney in the next two rounds.

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