Western Bulldogs utility Dylan Addison walked out of the AFL Tribunal baffled on Monday night how his tap to the solar plexus of St Kilda's Sam Gilbert has led to a one-match suspension.

Addison could have accepted a reprimand and 93.75 demerit points with an early guilty plea but chose to contest the striking charge from the third quarter of last Saturday night's preliminary final.

The 22-year-old will miss the Bulldogs' round one match in 2011 after the Tribunal handed down a 125-point penalty.

"I'll keep playing the way I play," a defiant Addison said after the one-hour hearing.

"I just didn't think anything of it at the time when it happened.

"I still think that. But they thought otherwise."

Addison admitted he used his left forearm and a right semi-closed fist to "shove" Gilbert away in a bid to make position for the ball which appeared to be coming downfield from the wing to where Addison was in the goal square.

"I probably hit him with the palm of my hand," Addison said.

"It wasn't until I got hit in the back by (St Kilda's Zac) Dawson, I realised Gilbert was down on his haunches.

"Looking at the footage tonight, I guess I hit him right in the sweet spot, right in the solar plexus."

Gilbert staggered away after his contact and could be seen bent over three times as he tried to regain his composure.

He quickly recovered and club doctor Ian Stone said Gilbert did not require medical treatment.

Under questioning from legal counsel from Andrew Tinney, Addison admitted he aimed a deliberate blow at Gilbert.

"There was force in it but I didn't think there was massive force in it," Addison said.

Tinney it was a blow to a tender area of the body with deliberate effect.

Player advocate Mark Gibson said there was doubt whether the amount of force used was sufficient for it to be a reportable offence.

Goal umpire Chelsea Roffey said Gilbert appeared to have been winded by the blow after she saw Addison swing a punch at the Saints defender.

"I'd be more disappointed if we were playing in the grand final next weekend," Addison said of his suspension.

"I guess I'll cross that road when it comes (a one-match ban to start next season)."

Collingwood defender Tyson Goldsack is free to play in Saturday's grand final against St Kilda after accepting a reprimand for engaging in rough conduct against Geelong forward Mathew Stokes.

Cats skipper Cameron Ling has also pleaded guilty and been reprimanded for striking Collingwood's Leigh Brown in the first preliminary final.

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