Hawthorn's Luke Hodge and Richmond's Mark Chaffey were each suspended by the AFL tribunal for one game for charging, but it was the Tigers who fared worse.

Gun midfielder Hodge was suspended for charging into the back of friend and contemporary Luke Ball of St Kilda during last Saturday's Wizard Cup game in Launceston.

Hodge will miss the Hawks' pre-season quarter-final against Collingwood on Sunday.

But Richmond was dealt a worse blow even though Chaffey pleaded guilty to the same offence and received the same penalty for charging into Melbourne's Matthew Whelan last Friday night.

But having been eliminated from the Wizard Cup, Richmond pays the heavier price of losing the defender for its first game of the home and away season, against the Magpies.

Chaffey remains eligible for Richmond's next three practice games, starting with Saturday's game against Fremantle in Geraldton.

Hodge, the first player chosen at the 2001 national draft, ran into the player drafted immediately behind him as Ball ran back to take a mark in the centre square during the third quarter.

Field umpire Derek Humphery-Smith told the tribunal Hodge made a late jump into Ball's back and knocked the Saint's head with his right forearm.

Humphery-Smith said the contact was late and "hard enough to injure Luke Ball".

Through player advocate Bert Gaudion, Hodge argued his run at the ball was slightly impeded by St Kilda's Steven Lawrence, who was directly behind him.

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