HAWTHORN captain Sam Mitchell has put team aspirations ahead of possible personal glory, sacrificing his Brownlow medal eligibility in favour of playing this weekend by accepting a tripping charge handed down by the match review panel.

Mitchell, 25, was met with a dilemma on Monday night when he was presented with the charge for tripping Melbourne's Simon Buckley, which incurred a total of 125 demerit points that were reducible to 93.75 with an early guilty plea. 

League rules stipulate a charge that initially attracts over 100 points renders the recipient ineligible to win football's most prestigious individual honour, which left Mitchell with the option of accepting the penalty and playing this Saturday, or fighting the matter at the tribunal and risking a week's suspension.

The Hawks play the Western Bulldogs at Aurora Stadium this Saturday afternoon.

With the side currently missing Luke Hodge (hamstring), Brent Guerra (hamstring) and Stuart Dew (hamstring), and with Shane Crawford (knee swelling), Tim Boyle (corked hip) and Jordan Lewis (corked leg) needing to pass fitness tests ahead of the weekend, the Hawks could be down on experience when they face the third-placed Bulldogs.

But Mitchell's decision to shelve his Brownlow medal aspirations, for which he was second favourite behind Geelong's Gary Ablett when betting was suspended on Monday night, means he'll be available to bolster the Hawks' midfield in Tasmania on Saturday.

In the history of the award, which stretches back to 1924, there have been two players to claim the most votes but not receive the medal owing to ineligibility.

North Melbourne's Corey McKernan tied with winners James Hird and Michael Voss in 1996, but was denied the prize owing to suspension during the season. The second incident occurred the following year when Bulldog Chris Grant polled the most votes, but saw the medal go to the eligible St Kilda's Robert Harvey instead.  

Last year, West Coast's Daniel Kerr tied for second place alongside the Brisbane Lions' Simon Black and the Kangaroos' Brent Harvey, but was also ineligible after being suspended in round eight.