Geelong have until 11am on Tuesday to decide if they will challenge Patrick Dangerfield’s suspension at the AFL tribunal.

The superstar midfielder’s bid for a second Brownlow Medal was dealt a blow on Monday when he was offered a one-match ban for rough conduct on Carlton’s Matthew Kreuzer by the AFL match review panel.

Dangerfield will play in Friday night’s blockbuster against Sydney and keep his Brownlow chances alive if the club can successfully have the charge thrown out at the tribunal.

But the Cats are also at pains not to disrupt their preparations for the Simonds Stadium clash.

“We are conscious that we don’t want this to – and I don’t think we have much choice by the way – but we’d prefer it not to drag on and become a huge issue and take our focus off the game against Sydney which is obviously a big one,” coach Chris Scott told Fox Footy’s AFL360.

Dangerfield’s tackle on Kreuzer left the Carlton ruckman concussed and was rated careless conduct with medium impact to the head.

The MRP’s assessment has been hotly debated and Scott admitted his initial thought was to go in to bat for his superstar.

“That’s our instinct but we do have a duty to the team,” Scott said.

“We’ve got big games coming up towards the end of the season … we play two teams in contention for the top four.”

The Cats risk a two-game ban if a tribunal challenge fails.

Second-placed Geelong have two massive home games, against the resurgent Swans (sixth) and against Richmond (fourth) the week after.

Dangerfield, who has enjoyed another stellar season, said chasing a second Brownlow was not part of his thinking.

“We’ll make a decision that’s best for the team, not the individual, and what’s best for the rest of our season,” Dangerfield told reporters on Monday evening.

“(The Brownlow Medal) is the last thing on my mind.”

Geelong’s legal counsel will scour the MRP’s assessment of the incident that occurred during the third quarter of the Cats’ 65-point win at Etihad Stadium.

Immediately after the MRP handed down its findings, TAB installed Richmond star Dustin Martin as the new favourite for the award at $1.18.

Dangerfield was narrowly ahead of Martin in the Brownlow betting until the MRP charged the Cats star.

No player has won successive Brownlows since St Kilda legend Robert Harvey in 1997-98.