Johnson was offered a one-match ban for misconduct for kneeing, over an incident in which he pressed his right knee into the midriff of North Melbourne's Scott Thompson at the weekend.

The club was due to make its decision by 11am, but successfully requested an extension from the AFL.

When coach Chris Scott spoke to the media earlier on Tuesday morning, he said the club generally took a "very conservative" approach to tribunal challenges, and that it would need to be absolutely sure that a player was not guilty - and likely to be found as such - to do so.

The Cats had the option of accepting the ban and ensuring Johnson missed only this weekend's match against recent arch-rival Fremantle. It would, however, left him very close to another suspension with 88.03 carry-over points, and also lifted his loading for future breaches to 50 per cent - the maximum.

The incident with Thompson, in isolation, could have been reduced from a one-match ban to a reprimand, but Johnson's ban was inflated to two matches because of his poor disciplinary record. The 2007 Norm Smith Medallist is subject to not only a 40 per cent loading, due to his record of being suspended for six matches within the past two years, but also to 75.71 carry-over points.

Those carry-over points were accrued in round nine for contact with his head to Fremantle's Ryan Crowley - his third suspension in 2014. An adverse result at the tribunal would result in Johnson's second short-term stint on the sidelines this year. He would miss Geelong's matches against Fremantle this week and Carlton in round 21.

Since the start of 2009, the Cats have gone to the tribunal eight times and only twice been successful: in 2009 when Johnson was charged with attempting to strike Hawthorn's Luke Hodge, and in 2012 when Johnson was charged with rough conduct against Richmond's Chris Newman.

Among the Geelong players to have failed with tribunal challenges, to the ire of the club, were James Kelly for rough conduct against Essendon's Brendon Goddard last year and Joel Selwood for striking Hawthorn's Brent Guerra in 2011.

All other players charged this week by the match review panel accepted their penalties.

Richmond's Reece Conca will serve a two-match ban for his blatant elbow to the back of GWS midfielder Devon Smith's head, while Carlton youngster Nick Graham has accepted a reprimand and 93.75 carry-over points for rough conduct to the Dockers' Crowley.

Richmond's Bachar Houli, the Giants' Rhys Palmer, St Kilda's Jack Newnes and Gold Coast's Tom Lynch accepted $900 fines for wrestling, while Saints David Armitage and Billy Longer and the Suns' Jaeger O'Meara and Dion Prestia all accepted $900 fines for melee involvement.

Essendon's Dyson Heppell accepted a $900 fine for negligent umpire contact and Western Bulldogs' Tom Liberatore accepted a $1950 fine for reckless umpire contact.

- with Peter Hanlon

TRIBUNAL - ROUND 19

Steve Johnson (Geel) misconduct kneeing Scott Thompson (NM). Reckless, low impact, body contact - 125 points up due to poor record and carry-over points to 250.71 (2 matches).

Match Review Panel penalties accepted:
Nick Graham (Carl) rough conduct to Ryan Crowley (Fre) - reprimand and 93.75 carry-over points.
Reece Conca (Rich) striking Devon Smith (GWS) - 2 matches and 43.75 carry-over points.
First offence wrestling: Bachar Houli (Rich), Rhys Palmer (GWS), Jack Newnes (StK), Tom Lynch (GC) - $900 fine.
First offence melee involvement: David Armitage (StK), Billy Longer (StK), Jaeger O'Meara (GC), Dion Prestia (GC) - $900 fine.
Dyson Heppell (Ess) first offence negligent umpire contact - $900 fine.
Tom Liberatore (WB) first offence reckless umpire contact - $1950 fine.

TRIPPING UP AT THE TRIBUNAL

Geelong's poor recent record of challenging match review panel decisions

Finals Wk 01, 2013: Corey Enright striking Chris Mayne (Fre) - unsuccessful
Rd 13, 2013: Steve Johnson rough conduct to Pearce Hanley - unsuccessful
Rd 07, 2013: James Kelly rough conduct to Brendon Goddard (Ess) - unsuccessful
Rd 04, 2012: Steve Johnson rough conduct to Chris Newman - successful (had faced one-match ban)
Rd 12, 2011: Joel Selwood striking Brent Guerra (Haw) - unsuccessful
Rd 02, 2010: Cameron Mooney rough conduct to Rick Ladson (Haw) - unsuccessful
Rd 09, 2009: Jimmy Bartel tripping Shaun Higgins (WB) - unsuccessful
Rd 01, 2009: Steve Johnson attempting to strike Luke Hodge (Haw) - successful (had faced reprimand)