Essendon will head to the tribunal tonight to contest charges that were laid against Dean Solomon and Andrew Lovett by the match review panel yesterday. Solomon was offered a week with a guilty plea for allegedly charging Ben Cousins while Lovett was offered two weeks with a guilty plea for allegedly striking Adam Hunter.

Dean Solomon will plead not guilty to the review panel’s assessment that he charged Ben Cousins early in the third quarter of last Sunday’s match against West Coast the The Dome.

Andrew Lovett will plead guilty to striking but the Bombers will argue it should be on a lesser charge and that would get his suspension reduced from two weeks to one week. Essendon will argue the contact was reckless rather than intentional.

IN injury news, Henry Salttery – a late withdrawal from Essendon’s match with West Coast – will be available for the Red and Blackout clash with Port Adelaide this Saturday night. Slattery withdrew because of hamstring tightness but he has now fully recovered.

Paddy Ryder - who withdrew from the Bendigo Bombers match last weekend with hamstring tightness - will have a fitness test today but is expected to be available this weekend.