Fremantle key defender Luke McPharlin will miss Saturday’s round-20 clash with Adelaide at AAMI Stadium after failing to beat a one-match ban at the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night.

McPharlin had been reported for making frontal contact with West Coast’s Jack Darling during the first quarter of last week’s game at Patersons Stadium.

The Dockers’ defender unsuccessfully argued via a videolink that contact was made to the top of Darling’s arm, not his shoulder, which is classified as part of the AFL’s “no-bump zone”.

McPharlin was also unable to convince the jury that contact was from side-on rather than front-on.

After a one-hour hearing, the 206-game veteran was handed a penalty of 137.50 points, ruling him out of Saturday’s crucial encounter against the second-placed Crows.

The Dockers are in ninth spot and only outside the top eight by less than one per cent following their win over West Coast last weekend.