Nirranda's Josh Irving has ban increased to three weeks after unsuccessful not guilty bid at WDFNL tribunal

Josh Irving was reported for an incident involving Old Collegians' Nathan Forth in Nirranda's reserves second semi final.

The 25-year-old fronted the Warrnambool and District league tribunal to contest the offered two-match set ban and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The umpire said he saw Irving running shoulder-to-shoulder with Forth in the Nirranda forward line when Irving swung his right arm around, connecting with Forth's head area.

He said he did not see the point of contact, but Forth's head flung back suggesting connection was made.

Irving was sent off after the report and O'Keefe said no other player remonstrated at the blow. Forth did not go to ground.

Speaking via telephone, Forth said he experienced no injuries as a result of the blow but struggled to recall finer details of the incident.

Tribunal chairman David Gladman re-read the requirements of giving evidence after colleague Paul Jones suggested Forth had given "misleading and vague" evidence.

Irving's advocate, Jake Harkness, said evidence suggested the blow resembled a "fend off" rather than a deliberate act to harm.

A Nirranda witness, who was on the boundary when the incident occured, also said it appeared like a "defensive push".

When handing down its verdict, the tribunal said it had taken Irving's positive character and clean record into account but increased the set penalty to three weeks with the guilty verdict.