Adelaide forward Chris Knights says getting his stomach punched by St Kilda's Zac Dawson was outside the spirit of the AFL.

Dawson was suspended for one game by the AFL match review panel for his opening minute blow on Knights in their AAMI Stadium encounter last Saturday night.

"It was just a bit unexpected really," Knights said on Wednesday of Dawson's punch.

"I was just going to offer a bit of assistance ... and Zac got me low.

"It's not really in the spirit of the game but you just play on. You can't really get emotionally attached to it too much.

"You don't want to seek revenge because then you stop focusing on what you have to do."

Crows' half-back Richard Tambling was also suspended and two other Crows - Kurt Tippett and ruckman Sam Jacobs - were reprimanded after a heated clash with the Saints.

Knights said the reports were uncharacteristic of Adelaide.

"From a footy club point of view, we want to be known as hard at the ball, contested footy, that sort of stuff," Knights said.

"So a few of the boys probably were involved in situations during the game that they probably shouldn't have been.

"We were probably fortunate that two (players) got off but it's disappointing that Richard Tambling got a week. He's going to be missed.

"It's not going to be accepted at this footy club."

The Crows could summon midfielder Rory Sloane from a month's injury absence to meet Melbourne on Sunday.

The Demons have been ridiculed for their meek loss to West Coast.

Knights expected the scrutiny to galvanise Melbourne.

"(We) understand that the Dees are going to come out firing and they're going to be hard ... but we're not going to lose our discipline and lose our focus," he said.

"That is their issue really.

"We know that every team we come up against this year is going to be a hard fought game and that is what we expect.

"... We are going to make sure we go out there and compete at the level we expect and I'm sure the Dees are going to do the same."

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