Hawthorn opted not to risk another game of suspension by accepting a two-game AFL ban against ruckman Brent Renouf.

Renouf pleaded guilty to striking West Coast's Adam Selwood at the MCG last Friday night and will miss games against Sydney and St Kilda.

The Hawks will at least have Renouf available for the eagerly-awaited round 17 game against Geelong, as the big man would have been suspended for three games had he challenged the match review panel's verdict and lost at the tribunal.

Renouf's suspension continues a bad run for the Hawks with the judicial system this season.

As well as starting the campaign without Luke Hodge, Shane Crawford, Jordan Lewis and Campbell Brown because of suspensions incurred in either last year's finals series or this year's pre-season, the Hawks also lost Lewis, Crawford and Ben McGlynn to suspensions this season.

Stars Sam Mitchell and Lance Franklin were also ruled ineligible to win the Brownlow Medal because of reprimands.

Franklin and teammates Mark Williams and Trent Croad, along with Eagles Darren Glass and Adam Hunter, all pleaded guilty to engaging in a melee and were fined $1,200 each.

Carlton full-forward Brendan Fevola also pleaded guilty to wrestling Richmond's Kelvin Moore and was fined $3,000.

But Hawthorn might be without Hodge for the round 17 game against the Cats, albeit for a much happier reason.

The star midfielder and his partner Lauren are expecting their first child around the time of the July 25 game and Hodge said he would prefer to be at the birth than play football.

"I'd sooner be at the birth I'd say," Hodge told the Nine Network.

"We've been waiting for this for nine months, so this has a little bit higher priority."

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