FORMER Geelong and Carlton player David Clarke has appealed the 15-match ban that could end his career.

The VCFL has confirmed a panel will sit to hear Clarke's appeal, after St Mary's paid the $5000 fee by today's 2pm deadline to take the hearing to the next level.

Clarke was found guilty of tripping an umpire at Football Geelong's tribunal on Wednesday night and rubbed out for 15 weeks, with the heavy penalty tipping him over AFL Victoria's deregistration threshold of 16 games.

Unless Clarke's appeal brings his career suspensions back under the 16-game threshold, Football Geelong will deregister him as a player.

Clarke played 89 games for the Cats from 1999-2003 and 12 for Carlton in 2004-05. His father David played more than 200 games for Geelong.

Footage of the incident shows Clarke crouching down behind field umpire Davin Reid, who was blindsided and moving backwards after paying a 50m penalty in the Round 9 GFL clash between St Mary's and St Albans.

Reid, who described the incident to a tribunal as "deliberate" and "malicious", then somersaults backwards over Clarke, landing on his neck.

Geelong Football Umpires League director of umpiring Scott McLeod praised Football Geelong for the sanction it handed down. He said it was vital umpires knew they were protected when they walked out on the ground.

"They (umpires) are not expecting any contact. They expect to run around without any contact and that is why there is such a strong stance made," McLeod said.

"It has to be that way, we have to protect our members and in most parts it (player conduct) is very good."

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Even if an AFL Victoria appeal is successful, Football Geelong has the right to refuse Clarke's registration back into the league.

AFL Victoria's community development manager Peter McDougall said if Clarke was to play again and if he is reported and found guilty and given a suspension of one game or more, he would be banned for life with no chance of an appeal.

"It means that he would be done forever," McDougall said.

Originally published as Ex-Cat faces life ban for umpire trip