Andrew Welsh's low blow has cost the Essendon midfield dearly, the experienced Bomber suspended for four AFL games for kneeing Hawthorn's Xavier Ellis in the groin at the MCG on Saturday night.

The AFL match review panel came down heavily on Welsh, and assessed his third-quarter offence as intentional, to Ellis' groin and of medium impact.

Welsh can reduce his penalty to three games with a guilty plea on Tuesday morning.

The Bombers said they would consider their options and would make a decision on Tuesday morning as to whether Welsh accepted the penalty or would challenge at the tribunal.

West Coast winger Andrew Embley was also hit with a four-game penalty after ironing out Fremantle's Rhys Palmer in Sunday night's derby at Subiaco Oval.

Embley was charged with making forceful contact from front-on after his bump cleaned up Palmer, who had his head over the ball during the first quarter.

Embley can escape with a two-game ban if he pleads guilty, as his good record over the past five years reduced his 425 demerit points by 25 per cent.

Brisbane Lions defender Matt Maguire was also suspended for a front-on bump, for two games for collecting Sydney's Jude Bolton in the opening quarter of Saturday night's game at the SCG.

Maguire can reduce the penalty to one game with a guilty plea.

Bolton can avoid suspension for making similar contact on Lion Joel Patfull if he pleads guilty and accepts a reprimand.

The ladder-leading Swans play Geelong this Sunday at Skilled Stadium.

A good record helped Melbourne captain James McDonald avoid suspension, for striking North Melbourne's Andrew Swallow at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

McDonald can accept a reprimand and play the Western Bulldogs at the MCG this Friday night.

West Coast's Adam Selwood and Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne were both fined $1200 for wrestling each other in the second quarter, and can reduce their penalties to $900 each by pleading guilty.

The Eagles' Matt Priddis was charged with making negligent contact with an umpire and fined $1200, but he too can reduce the sanction to $900.

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