GEELONG coach Chris Scott says the Cats are "very confident" that James Kelly will be cleared by the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night.

Kelly was offered a two-match suspension by the Match Review Panel after the bump he laid on Essendon's Brendon Goddard on Friday night was deemed to be rough conduct.

"We think there are more than enough grounds to challenge that successfully," Scott said at Simonds Stadium on Tuesday morning.

"To be honest, I'm not privy to all the information and the technicalities around our argument. I'll leave that to Neil Balme and to others.

"But their information that has been conveyed to me is that they're very confident, our legal representation is very confident and I'll trust them on that."

The Kelly case has attracted a lot of attention throughout the football community, with many former players highly critical of the MRP's decision.

Kelly's former Geelong teammate Cameron Mooney tweeted:Scott added: "It's as close as I can imagine to there being a fair bump, and if it's not fair, then I think by extension we're really saying that you can't bump.

"I was a bit surprised (that Kelly was cited), but I think with these things you learn not to be too shocked or outraged because the rules are so grey.

"We're talking split-seconds and millimetres between perfectly executed and illegal and punishable.

"I think it's extremely difficult on the players.

"Will I be shocked if it isn’t overturned? Probably not.

f Kelly had lodged an early guilty plea he would have copped a two-match suspension.

If he loses his case at the tribunal, his suspension will remain at two games, but Scott says that doesn't mean it's a no-risk scenario for the club.

"It's not a free hit. Not at all," Scott said. "He won't risk another week, but he'll risk 80 carryover points and that's not insignificant.

"The system is stacked against you in that regard.

"It is a big risk for a player of James' quality to be carrying 80 or 90 carryover points into the last part of the year.

"So I refute the assertion that it's without risk."

If Kelly's suspension is upheld, he will miss Geelong's next two matches against Collingwood and Port Adelaide.

Kelly's hearing will begin at 5pm on Tuesday night.

Goddard himself tweeted about the incident on Saturday.