Two-time Geelong premiership coach Mark Thompson says it’s a shame Cats’ forward Paul Chapman is facing a one-match AFL ban for his bump on Port Adelaide’s Robbie Gray.

Chapman was one of the stars of Geelong’s semi-final win over Port at the MCG last Friday night with four goals and 20 disposals.

But the out-of-contract veteran’s career in Cats’ colours could be over after being offered a one-game suspension by the match-review panel.

The Cats must decide on Tuesday morning if they will challenge the ban at a tribunal hearing on Tuesday night and risk a possible two-match penalty, which would rule the 31-year-old out of Friday night’s preliminary final against arch rivals Hawthorn and the grand final the following weekend, should the Cats qualify.

Thompson, who was an assistant coach at Essendon in 2013, said he didn’t think the Chapman bump warranted a suspension.

Chapman had his feet off the ground at the moment of impact, which meant his bump was classed as reckless, panel chairman Mark Fraser said.

“I don’t think it does (deserve a week), but they’re the rules we play within,” Thompson told Fox Footy’s AFL360 program on Monday night.

“It’s a shame isn’t it, people getting suspended for finals, especially this match, Geelong-Hawthorn.”

Geelong football manager Neil Balme says the Cats won’t make a decision until Tuesday morning about challenging the ban.

Balme said handing out suspensions for incidents like Chapman’s bump was not what most fans would want to see.

“It does seem very harsh on the players, I must say, and not just in this case,” Balme told Radio 3AW.

“He has an enormous amount of say in it because it’s much more about him than it is about anyone else,” Balme added when asked about Geelong’s willingness to challenge the one-game ban.

“I’m pretty sure we’ll all come up with a decision that we’ll all agree on.”

The Cats have won their past 11 games against Hawthorn and Chapman’s name has been strongly linked with the streak, having expressed a strong desire after the 2008 grand final to never lose another game to the Hawks.

Chapman’s manager Liam Pickering says the triple-premiership player will seek a contract at a rival club if a deal can’t be done at Geelong.

Sydney’s Ted Richards can accept a reprimand, leaving the 2012 premiership defender free to face Fremantle in the other preliminary final in Perth on Saturday night.

Richards was booked for a high bump on Carlton’s Levi Casboult.