THE Ballarat Football League tribunal last night suspended Melton player Shaun Stanley for six matches on a charge of intentionally making contact with an umpire.
Game umpire Cameron Robinson lodged the report following last weekend's game between Melton and Sunbury at Sunbury.
Tribunal chairman Frank Segrave said the umpire made it clear the minor contact was not to be expected from the player, and he didn't feel threatened by the situation.
"The player was extremely fortunate," Mr Segrave said.
"Firstly because of the umpire's experience, it meant that he wasn't overawed by the situation.
"And secondly he (the umpire) had the decency to acknowledge it was out of character for the player."
Melton secretary Joe Stewart said the incident was reported in the game's third quarter, where Stanley pleaded guilty to brushing the chest of the umpire.
"The player himself is devastated with the penalty and he was extremely apologetic for his actions," Stewart said.
"I also pointed out to the tribunal that the umpire might have been having a bad day, just like players do," he said.
It was the second time Stanley had been to the tribunal this season after receiving a set two-week penalty earlier in the year for striking.
* In other reports that arose from the weekend's round of matches, Melton's Jarrod Edwards was given a one-week suspension for striking Sunbury's Mark Power in the fourth quarter, while East Point's Steve Cooper was given a set penalty of two matches for striking Sebastopol's Ben Collier in the first quarter at the Marty Busch Reserve.