St Kilda midfielder Leigh Montagna will risk a three-match ban when he contests a striking charge at the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night.

Montagna could have accepted a two-game suspension with an early guilty plea.

But due to his previous poor record and 64.06 carry-over points, he will miss three games if found guilty.

Montagna was charged by the match review panel with a level-three striking offence against Melbourne rookie James Magner in the first quarter of Saturday night’s match at the MCG.