Essendon coach John Worsfold says it will be "interesting" to see how players are penalised for strikes to the stomach for the rest of the season following David Zaharakis' suspension by the Match Review Panel.

The star Bomber was hit with a two-week ban, which will come down to one week with an early plea, for his 'tummy tap' against West Coast youngster Jackson Nelson last week.

The panel said an "adverse" medical report from the Eagles was important in its grading, which saw Zaharakis become the first player suspended out of 16 across the league who have struck the stomach of an opponent this year. 

Worsfold confirmed on Tuesday the club would accept the penalty, as well as the one-match ban to ruckman Mark Jamar, but questioned whether the judgment was inconsistent with the precedent set so far in 2016. 

"It was a reaction obviously [after] getting a lot of attention around the stoppages. I read the stats and there's been maybe 16…of them this year, so he's not on his own, but we'd much rather him out on the field with us and we need him out there," Worsfold said. 

"It will be interesting to see [how it is assessed in the future]. They've penalised him, so now another 16 or so will go unpenalised or fined? They obviously assessed his as more serious than the others so he's got to wear that."

Ahead of the Bombers' clash with St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, Worsfold said the club had been optimistic on Monday before the MRP's ruling arrived. 

He said a failed appeal, which would result in two weeks out for the important Bomber, was not worth the risk.  

"I was hopeful. You go on track record and you see some that are so similar that have been fines, so when you get one that they say 'No, that one's a little more severe than the others' it's frustrating," he said.

"It's too risky to challenge it. Two weeks for that would seem well and truly over the top."