Sydney’s Paddy McCartin has been hit with a five-week suspension at the VFL Tribunal on Tuesday night.
McCartin, 25, was referred straight to the Tribunal after he punched Geelong's VFL captain Aaron Black in the head in an off-the-ball incident last weekend.
The VFL Match Review team graded the incident as intentional conduct, severe impact and high contact.
Black was left with a swollen jaw but was cleared of concussion and managed to play out the match.
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McCartin issued an apology to Black and his family prior to Tuesday night's hearing.
"I'd just like to apologise to everyone really about what happened on the weekend," McCartin told Sydney’s website.
"I’m gutted, honestly. I feel terrible about what happened, and I really wanted to apologise to everyone, especially Aaron.
"I just wanted to apologise to him and his family for what happened and as I said I'm really, really sorry and deeply regretful for what happened and hopefully next time I see him I can shake his hand and we can move past it.
"I know that through some actions I made on the weekend, I've probably lost some of the respect of people in the footy community.”
McCartin played 35 games across five injury-riddled seasons at St Kilda before he was delisted at the end of 2019.
The forward was selected by the Saints with pick No.1 in the 2014 National Draft.
