Collingwood midfielder Paul Licuria has accused the AFL tribunal of sending mixed messages with its decisions, ahead of a vital appeal hearing for forward Alan Didak.

The Magpies are desperate to have the in-form Didak available for Saturday night's clash with Brisbane at the Gabba, a game Collingwood must win to keep its slim finals hopes alive.

The club has lodged an appeal against Didak's two-game ban for elbowing the stomach of Port Adelaide full-back Darryl Wakelin last Friday night.

The club argued the tribunal's decision was "so unreasonable that no Tribunal acting reasonably could have come to that decision having regard to the evidence before it".

The Magpies said both the classification of the incident as a level two striking offence and the two-game penalty were excessive.

Licuria said seeming inconsistencies with tribunal decisions meant players were confused about which acts would be penalised.

He said it was difficult to understand why Didak's elbow was considered serious enough for a suspension, whereas St Kilda's Fraser Gehrig was not even reported for a weekend slap to the face of Western Bulldogs' defender Brian Harris.

"Playing in the midfield, I cop elbows all the time and I probably give them back as well," Licuria said.

"It's been the case for a number of years now.

"Being a run-with player, it's something that I've gotten used to.

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