West Coast coach John Worsfold has made a plea for more protection for star midfielder Daniel Kerr, who beat a headbutting charge at the AFL tribunal on Wednesday night.

Kerr was booked for making unreasonable and unnecessary contact to the head of Brisbane's Robert Copeland, but was exonerated in quick time due to insufficient evidence.

Worsfold on Wednesday lobbied for more protection for Kerr, who was the subject of vigorous attention from opponents.

"I would like to think that people would watch his game more closely because he's been flattened off the ball three or four times this year and really nothing's come of it," Worsfold said.

"So I would hope they would watch him a bit more closely."

Copeland complained to umpire Brett Rosebury that he had been headbutted by Kerr, which led to Kerr being charged and an AFL investigation.

The umpire did not see the incident, and the video reporting officer did not lay a charge because the footage was distant and inconclusive.

Copeland claimed on Wednesday he only made that claim in the hope of reversing a free-kick that had been paid to West Coast's Phil Matera late in the final quarter of their tight clash last weekend.

The Lions player said he felt contact to his chin from something hard, but conceded it may not have been Kerr's head but merely incidental contact in some pushing and shoving.

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