Star Hawthorn utility Sam Mitchell admits team-mate Lance Franklin might miss at least one AFL match through suspension.

The Hawks are nervously awaiting Monday's match review panel findings after Franklin was reported during the win over Gold Coast on Saturday in Launceston.

Tackling is also back on the panel's agenda after Geelong's Mitch Duncan and St Kilda's Jack Steven made head-first contact with the ground during the Saturday night clash.

Duncan had to come off after the tackle from Justin Koschitzke, but was able to return to the game, while Joel Corey will also come under scrutiny for his tackle on Steven.

Carlton onballer David Ellard was also left dazed on Sunday after a solid tackle from Sydney ruckman Shane Mumford.

Mitchell said he had watched a replay of Franklin's contact with Suns youngster Maverick Weller.

In the high-speed collision, Weller was left dazed after Franklin's upper arm collected him across the head, but he played out the game.

"You just have to go to the line and hope there wasn't enough force in it to warrant a report," Mitchell told Triple M.

"If there is, then it's high and all that sort of stuff.

"So hopefully, worst-case scenario, it's just a week."

The Hawks have already lost key forward Jarryd Roughead for the rest of the season with an Achilles tendon injury, so a Franklin suspension would be a double blow for the Hawks.

They face Essendon on Friday night and adding to their nervousness is Franklin's poor tribunal record.

"He just thinks he gets himself in the wrong place at the wrong time," Mitchell said.

"If you watch it in slow motion, you think 'gee, maybe he could have tackled', but if you watch it at (normal speed), he's actually moving pretty quick.

"I don't think he would have had time to tackle him, he probably wouldn't have had time to get his arm out and it would have ended up clothes-lining him.

"That's the difficult one for the taller guys, but having said that, he knows he's that tall, he's always been like that ... it's not like he's all of a sudden sprung up to six foot six."

Also on Sunday, Saints midfielder Leigh Montagna said tackling was a major grey area for players as he discussed the Duncan and Steven incidents.

Last month, Melbourne midfielder Jack Trengove received a three-match ban for his tackle on Adelaide's Patrick Dangerfield.

"No doubt it's the most confusing rule for players, to know what is acceptable and what isn't," Montagna said on Channel Seven's Game Day.

"I think both those tackles (by Koschitzke and Corey) were strong, forceful tackles.

"There was no second motion, there was no sling - I think they're fine.

"But it is something the match review panel will look at."

Melbourne forward Ricky Petterd was booked for striking Fremantle's Ryan Crowley in the first quarter of Sunday's game at the MCG.

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