He has been suspended for two matches after being found guilty of having head-butted Darley’s Travis Minns in the second semi-final at Darley Park on Saturday.

Maksymow entered a plea of not guilty at an AFL Goldfields independent tribunal hearing in Melton on Tuesday night.

The suspension rules the Cobras’ 2016 premiership player out of Saturday’s preliminary final against Lake Wendouree at the Eastern Oval.

He will also be unavailable for the grand final if Bacchus Marsh defeats Lakers.

However, potential match-winner Scott Sherlock will return after an extended time out with a torn hamstring.

The suspension ends what has been a bitter-sweet season for Maksymow.

He enjoyed the high of being part of the BFL’s 11-point win over Bendigo in the AFL Victoria Community Championship before incurring a club ban mid-season for breaking team rules, which led him to missing four matches.

Maksymow still managed to finish third in the BFL goalkicking award with 52.

He will be one of at least three forced changes for Bacchus Marsh for the preliminary final.

Trent Angwin (hamstring) and Kane White (knee) will also miss after each was injured in the opening quarter against Darley.

Angwin had missed the opening week of the finals with a hamstring strain.

Matt Denham remains a 50-50 chance after injuring an ankle early in the last quarter, but Ryley Stuhldreier (corked leg) is expected to be okay.

The return of Sherlock helps soften the setbacks of injury and suspension.

Sherlock, who has had a stand-out year for Bacchus Marsh – his first season with the Cobras after a distinguished VFL career with Werribee – has not played since being injured against Darley on August 5.

Billy Griffiths has also recovered after missing a game with concussion.