ST KILDA'S pre-season has gone from bad to worse, with Lenny Hayes and Maverick Weller both facing one-match bans after being cited by the Match Review Panel.
But there's better news for Geelong and the Sydney Swans, with Billie Smedts and Ryan O'Keefe able to accept reprimands after also catching the eye of the MRP.
Hayes has been charged with a level three striking offence for an incident involving Greater Western Sydney midfielder Stephen Congilio during the Saints' big loss to the Giants in Wagga on Saturday.
The incident was assessed as negligent, high impact and high contact.
His initial penalty was a two-match suspension, but he can have the ban reduced to one game if he pleads guilty.
Weller was booked for striking another GWS midfielder, Tomas Bugg, during the same game.
The incident was assessed as intentional, low impact and high contact.
Like Hayes, his initial penalty was also a two-match suspension, but he can have it reduced to one with an early guilty plea.
If Hayes and Weller accept their bans they will miss the Saints' home and away season opener against Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, March 22.
The Saints will already be without two of their other premier midfielders against the Demons in round one, with last year's best and fairest winner Jack Stevens (broken foot) and the experienced Leigh Montagna (suspension) both unavailable.
Smedts, meanwhile, was cited for striking Melbourne youngster Jimmy Toumpas during Friday night's game in Alice Springs.
The incident, in which Smedts collected Toumpas in the head with a swinging arm during a crude attempt to spoil, was assessed as negligent, medium impact and high contact.
His initial ban was a one-match suspension, but he can escape with a reprimand if he pleads guilty.
O'Keefe was booked for striking West Coast midfielder Scott Selwood during Thursday night's game in Blacktown.
The incident was assessed as intentional conduct, low impact and body contact.
His initial one-game ban can be reduced to a reprimand with an early guilty plea.
Finally, Selwood is facing a $900 fine after being cited for pushing Swans player Craig Bird into the path of an umpire.
