FREMANTLE'S Dean Solomon has taken the unusual step of apologising to Cameron Ling and the Geelong Football Club after his first-term hit on the Cats tagger.

Solomon caught the 27-year-old in the face with his elbow, and faces a long stint on the sidelines, with the incident likely to be referred directly to the tribunal, by-passing the match review panel.

Soon after coach Mark Harvey's media conference, an emotional Solomon fronted the media to make his statement.

"Basically guys, I wanted to come in here, I've asked the Fremantle footy club if I could do this, I want to apologise to Cameron Ling and the Geelong Football Club for my incident today," he said.

"It's probably one of the lowest points in my career - it's unacceptable, and I want to apologise – as I said – to Cameron and the Geelong Football Club.

"I don't want this to benefit me in anyway – I deserve my penalty, whatever that will be, but I do want to apologise to Cameron, so thanks guys."

Earlier, Harvey said he hadn't seen the incident, but made comment based on reports.

"I didn't see it – I hear a lot of coaches say that, and I didn't – but I've been told it was unacceptable," he said. "It disappoints me."

Harvey said the club was unlikely to put its own penalty on Solomon in addition to the tribunal process.

"Is it an issue? All I'll say is that it's unacceptable. I'm not one of those coaches that goes beyond the punishment of the tribunal."