GEELONG skipper Joel Selwood says he wasn't trying to hurt North Melbourne defender Sam Wright when he bent his arm back during a tackle on Saturday night but accepts that it didn't look good.

After accepting the MRP's one-week suspension, Selwood said he was happy to change his approach to ensure he stayed within the rules.

In comments consistent with Cats' coach Chris Scott, Selwood told CatsTV he was very disappointed with the way the incident ended up looking on television.

"Obviously you can watch slow-mo, and I agree it's not a great look for the game," Selwood said.

"I didn't mean to be malicious in the tackle."

Earlier Geelong said it decided not to appeal Selwood's one-week suspension for rough conduct because it accepted the action was not a good look for the game.

Scott said both the football department and Selwood took the view that it was important to support the ruling body's decision in the interests of the game.

"I think we have a responsibility to the game to accept the MRP's ruling on that one and move on," Scott said.

"If that discourages that type of thing then I think we should play our part."

Scott said Selwood was surprised when he saw the vision after the game and accepted it did not look good although told Scott his intent was purely to make it hard for his opponent Sam Wright to dispose of the ball.

"Sometimes the broader issue is the appearance of it and the appearance wasn't good and we accept that," Scott said.

He said the Cats' decision to accept the Match Review Panel decision showed they supported the principle that players in vulnerable positions, as Wright was at the time of Selwood's tackle, need to be protected. 

Scott said it was hard to assess what affect Selwood's frustration with the team's performance was having on his on-field actions but he conceded the 27-year-old did appear more frustrated than he had been in previous seasons.

"You tend to be less frustrated when your team is playing the way you want and you win most weeks but I back his professionalism and his work ethic and his leadership to make sure that that frustration doesn't translate into actions that hurt the team," Scott said.

"He has acknowledged his error this week. He takes responsibility for it," Scott said.

Selwood has only been suspended once before in his 197 games, having been found guilty for striking Brent Guerra in round 12, 2011.

Selwood received three weeks for that incident, but after the club appealed the decision on principle because it disagreed with the decision his suspension was extended to four weeks.