Richmond’s Tyrone Vickery has been given a four-game suspension by the AFL tribunal for his crude hit on Dean Cox.

Vickery’s striking charge was referred directly to the tribunal, whose members retired for six minutes before agreeing on the penalty.

Vickery pleaded guilty at the start of Tuesday’s proceedings, while the three-man tribunal panel were given a transcript of his public apology to the iconic West Coast ruckman.

Both AFL legal counsel Andrew Woods and player advocate Michael Tovey QC agreed a ban of five weeks, reduced to four with a guilty plea, was correct.

Vickery was given a penalty of 495 demerit points, meaning he will have 95 carryover points.

There are five rounds remaining this season.