North Melbourne midfielder Jack Ziebell can accept a three-game ban for engaging in rough conduct against young Crow Jarryd Lyons in the second quarter at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Ziebell originally moved to smother Lyons, but braced himself to bump at the last minute.

The contact was assessed as reckless, low impact and high. The four-game penalty, which can be reduced to three with an early plea, is compounded by Ziebell’s previous bad record. Without the prior bad record, the penalty would’ve been a two-match ban down to one match with an early guilty plea.