Richmond midfielder Mark Coughlan is free to try to revive his AFL career after being cleared of headbutting by the VFL tribunal on Tuesday night.

Coughlan was reported on a misconduct charge after he became involved in a scuffle with St Kilda-listed player Colm Begley during a VFL game last Saturday.

But the VFL tribunal found Coughlan not guilty of the charge, which gives him the chance to earn back his place in the Tigers' side.

Coughlan has endured a wretched three years since he suffered a serious knee injury halfway through the 2006 season, as his recovery and subsequent chronic hamstring problems prevented him playing in 2007-08.

He played six AFL games this season and averaged 19 disposals, but was dropped after the defeat to the Western Bulldogs in round 11.

Coughlan won Richmond's 2003 best and fairest award, but the 27-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and faces an uncertain future given the Tigers will be making a fresh start under Terry Wallace's successor as fulltime coach.

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