Melbourne’s Alex Neal-Bullen has copped a four-game suspension for his slinging tackle that concussed Adelaide’s Will Hamill after an unsuccessful AFL tribunal hearing on Friday.

Hamill was knocked to the ground during the first quarter of the Crows’ loss to the Demons on Wednesday night and is expected to miss at least Tuesday’s clash with Collingwood.

Melbourne attempted to argue the force down from severe to high, which would have meant a two-week suspension.

But the tribunal came down hard in the first true test of the revamped dangerous tackle interpretation after Hawthorn veteran Shaun Burgoyne escaped with a fine for his tackle on Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield in June.

The adjudication came despite the panel acknowledging there was no malice in the act, his character and efforts to make contact with Hamill following the incident.

The Demons forward will miss games against North Melbourne, Collingwood, the Western Bulldogs and another that is yet to be scheduled.