The Western Bulldogs will almost certainly go to the tribunal in a last-ditch bid to free skipper Katie Brennan to play in Saturday’s AFLW grand final against Brisbane.

Brennan was charged with rough conduct for her tackle on Harriet Cordner during the Dogs’ win over Melbourne on Saturday night.

AFL match review officer Michael Christian offered her a one-game ban with an early guilty plea, which would see her miss Saturday’s decider at Ikon Park.

The incident was assessed as careless conduct with low impact to the head.

The tribunal hearing would take place on Tuesday.

The offence would have drawn a reprimand on its own, but it was Brennan’s second classifiable offence of the season, which increased the penalty.

“You’re aware, obviously, of the implications but focused on trying to do the right thing,” Christian said of his decision-making process.

“My job is to look at the guidelines and assess each incident on its merits and to come up with a determination of what I think is the fairest thing

“I’ve taken those guidelines and ignored the significance of it because my job is to uphold the guidelines and the rules. That’s what I think I’ve done in this situation.

“No one likes to see anyone miss a grand final, but my job is to uphold the rules and the guidelines and in this particular case I think Katie breached those guidelines.”

Brennan received a reprimand for a dangerous tackle on Fremantle’s Stephanie Cain in round one.

She risks a two-match ban if she is unsuccessful at the tribunal.

Fremantle’s Ashlee Atkins was the only other player to be offered a ban from the final round of the season. She can accept a one-match suspension for rough conduct on Carlton’s Shae Audley.