Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell has strongly defended St Kilda midfielder Farren Ray for the sickening collision that will go before the AFL match review panel.

Ray was booked in Friday night's one-point loss to Geelong after he and acting Cats captain Joel Selwood cannoned into each other, immediately after Selwood had tapped the ball forward.

The Saint is facing a charge of forceful head-high contact.

But given Ray was making an honest contest for the ball, Monday's match review panel is more likely to clear him.

Maxwell also noted that Selwood is in a group of AFL players who deliberately go head-first for ground balls, knowing they can draw free kicks.

Selwood was concussed by the impact and needed stitches in his mouth.

But he was cleared of any serious head damage and later tweeted that the incident was fair play.

"We don't want players who are over the ball to get head injuries, but I think because the rule has changed and we are protecting the head, some players are going in head-first," Maxwell said on Channel Seven's Game Day.

"So obviously Joel is one of the best at that, Luke Ball is very good at it and Jimmy Bartel is very good at it - guys who draw the high contact by going in like that.

"I was always taught to go in and turn your body and try to get your body between the opponent and the ball, protecting the ball and protecting yourself.

"Farren Ray did that, he went in that way ... it looks bad on slow motion, but he didn't do anything wrong."

Cats defender Matthew Scarlett will come under video review for an incident near the end of the third quarter involving Nick Riewoldt.

The Saints captain had to briefly leave the field, holding his chest.

Carlton's Jarrad Waite is also in trouble for throwing his leg back at Richmond opponent Luke McGuane early in Thursday night's season opener.

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