ESSENDON'S Nathan Lovett-Murray and Mark McVeigh both successfully managed to downgrade their charges at the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night, although both players will still miss the start of the 2010 season.

McVeigh will only miss one match after pleading guilty to striking Adelaide's Bernie Vince in Friday night's elimination final, but arguing that the contact was not high but was rather to the body.

The tribunal agreed with Essendon's counsel and the downgraded penalty means he will only miss one match as opposed to the three he was risking if the bid failed.

Lovett-Murray also successfully had his rough conduct charge downgraded from intentional contact to reckless contact, reducing what would have been a three-week ban to two weeks (the same penalty he would have received if he had accepted an early guilty plea).

Lovett-Murray was charged with engaging in rough conduct with Vince in Friday night's elimination final.