Collingwood's Brodie Holland escaped with a two-week suspension for an off-ball strike on Sydney's Paul Williams while Fremantle also enjoyed good fortune at the AFL Tribunal.

Docker Paul Medhurst was cleared of kicking Essendon's Danny Jacobs, while fellow Freo forward Jeff Farmer will also be available for the important match with West Coast after scrutiny of his clash with Bomber Andrew Welsh came to nothing.

Holland will miss Friday night's vital game against Essendon and also Collingwood's first final, but could be considered fortunate as he was widely expected to get at least three weeks.

It was a solid punch to the face of Williams - who was looking away at the time - some 50 metres off the ball and was the Magpie's second striking charge this season.

However Collingwood tried to portray Williams as the villain.

The club's advocate chose not to confront the Swans midfielder with the accusations when he was being questioned, but afterwards claimed Williams had struck Holland first with a 'jumper punch' to the face.

"It was only because Paul Williams has got his back to the camera that he is not sitting alongside Brodie Holland tonight," advocate Sean Carroll said.

Holland relied heavily on that argument, pleading guilty under provocation.

"I was stunned, I was shocked, I got a blow to the mouth and jaw and in an instinctive reaction I threw my arm straight back," Holland said.

"I'm not proud of what I did but I didn't hurt the player and it was nothing too untoward.

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