DEFENDER Mitch Clisby has accepted his three-match penalty from the match review panel and will not challenge his engaging in rough conduct charge against Gold Coast’s Alex Sexton at the tribunal on Tuesday.

Clisby was initially offered a three-match sanction with an early plea on Monday, when the MRP released its findings.

The club decided on Tuesday morning to contest it, but then opted to accept the three-match penalty, meaning Clisby will miss the rest of the AFL season.

But by accepting the three-match penalty, he will now have a greater chance to play in the VFL finals, hence why the decision was reversed.

The incident occurred during the fourth quarter of Saturday night’s 13-point loss at Metricon Staidium.

Clisby has played the past eight matches since he made his AFL debut against St Kilda in round 13 this year.

He was the last player to gain a place on Melbourne’s list for 2013, when he was selected at No.19 in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

The New South Welshman has been one of Melbourne’s good news stories in an otherwise disappointing season.

Match review panel details:

Mitch Clisby, Melbourne, has been charged after an investigation by the AFL Match Review Panel with a Level Four Engaging in Rough Conduct Offence (425 demerit points, four-match sanction) for engaging in rough conduct against Alex Sexton, Gold Coast Suns, during the fourth quarter of the Round 20 match between Melbourne and the Gold Coast Suns, played at Metricon Stadium on Saturday August 10, 2013.

In summary, he can accept a three-match sanction with an early plea.

Based on the investigation by the Match Review Panel, the incident was assessed as reckless conduct (two points), severe impact (four points) and body contact (one point). This is a total of seven activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level Four Offence, drawing 425 demerit points and a four-match sanction. He has no existing good or bad record. An early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to a 318.75 points and a three-match sanction.