St Kilda midfielder Leigh Montagna will miss the opening round of next year’s AFL season after failing to beat a rough conduct charge at the tribunal on Tuesday night.

Montagna was sanctioned for running in and giving Carlton’s Andrew Walker a shove to the chest, while Walker was grappling with the Saints’ Stephen Milne during the clubs’ round 23 clash.

He was not helped by a Blues medical report which said Walker, who was knocked over by the forearm shove, had received rib bruising.

The jury did not accept the argument from Montagna’s advocate, Mark Gibson, that the contact was of insufficient force to constitute an offence.

West Coast forward Quinten Lynch and North Melbourne veteran Brent Harvey were still to front the tribunal on Tuesday night.

Lynch is fighting to play in Saturday’s knockout clash with Collingwood.

His one-match ban, for charging North Melbourne’s Scott McMahon, could not have been lowered to a reprimand with an early guilty plea.

Harvey is challenging two charges emanating from Sunday’s elimination final loss to West Coast.

Harvey could have accepted a four-match ban with early guilty pleas to striking Eagles pair Adam Selwood and Daniel Kerr.

He could be banned for six matches if the tribunal upholds both cases.

Any ban imposed on Harvey would be served at the start of the 2013 season.

Earlier on Tuesday, Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell accepted a two-match rough conduct ban, meaning he won’t play again this season unless the Magpies make the grand final.

Maxwell would have risked a three-match sanction had he unsuccessfully challenged the charge, laid over an off-the-ball clash with Hawthorn’s Paul Puopolo in Friday night’s qualifying final.

Maxwell will miss Saturday’s semi-final against West Coast and the preliminary final – if the Magpies advance that far.

Geelong midfielder James Kelly will miss the Cats’ opening match of 2013 after pleading guilty to making forceful, front-on contact to Fremantle’s Tendai Mzungu in Saturday’s elimination final.

Collingwood fullback Chris Tarrant is free to play against the Eagles on Saturday night after accepting a reprimand for striking Hawthorn full-forward Lance Franklin.

Hawthorn ruck-forward Jarryd Roughead has also accepted a reprimand and 70.31 carry-over points for engaging in rough conduct against Collingwood’s Chris Dawes.

Magpie Heath Shaw, (wrestling), Hawk Brad Sewell (wrestling) and Adelaide’s Patrick Dangerfield (umpire contact) were all fined.