The spotlight is on Barry Hall's headlock but Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade wants the AFL to put the focus on defenders who try to unfairly provoke his forward.

Hall's stoush with North Melbourne fullback Scott Thompson will on Monday go before the match review panel, whose job it is to determine what part provocation played in the Bulldog applying a headlock on his opponent for 15 seconds.

Hall was reported for wrestling and engaging in rough conduct on Saturday at Etihad Stadium and will be in trouble if the panel imposes demerit points for the latter charge.

Hall has 96.25 carry-over points hovering and could cop extra loading for his bad judicial record of 26 games suspended in 15 seasons, which could turn any sanction into a significant suspension.

Hall retaliated after he was knocked over by Thompson while tying up his bootlaces late in the second quarter.

Their wrestle sparked a melee, although at one point Hall was out-numbered by Thompson and two other Kangaroos before any Bulldogs arrived on the scene.

Speaking after Saturday's win, Eade was critical of Thompson's provocation and also of the North players blocking Hall's run to the bench.

Eade said umpires could ward off future antagonists by providing more protection and repeated that call on Sunday when he said players off the ball should be afforded the same rights as those contesting stoppages.

In recent years umpires have cracked down on players impeding opponents at stoppages and Eade planned to contact the AFL umpiring department to ask for the same across the ground.

"I'm sure if the umpire had seen it (Thompson's knock) he would have paid it, I've got no doubt about that," he told the Seven Network.

"I just think players who are getting targeted, whether it's Chris Judd at a stoppage or whether it's Barry Hall behind the play, maybe just need a bit more vigilance, maybe a bit more protection."

Bulldogs defender Lindsay Gilbee said he would not like to see Hall suspended for applying a headlock, as he was entitled to defend himself.

"I'm not saying it because he's my teammate and (I'm) biased, but I'd be upset if anyone from any club got weeks for what he did," Gilbee told the Nine Network.

"He's well within his right to protect himself.

"He didn't strike anyone, it was a little headlock. That was it."

Thompson was also reported twice, for wrestling and headbutting Hall, while North's Scott McMahon was booked for kneeing Liam Picken in the last quarter.

Eade intimated on Saturday North players took "cheap shots" at the Bulldogs, as Dogs Dylan Addison and Daniel Giansiracusa suffered cuts to the head.

North coach Brad Scott refused to respond to Eade's claim, but Kangaroos chairman and Nine host James Brayshaw refuted it on Sunday when he had vision shown of Addison and Giansiracusa colliding.

Giansiracusa was also bumped over late in the game by North's Michael Firrito.

Meanwhile, Eade also on Sunday said his players were angered by Scott's pre-game remarks about the column Jason Akermanis wrote about gay footballers.

Scott said on Friday that Akermanis's teammates would not be happy about causing a potential distraction, but Eade said his players were annoyed by what Scott said.

"He was trying to put the pressure on them and I think they took it as he was questioning their failings as a team, were they going to crack?" Eade said.

"They were a bit incensed.

"I found it quite amusing to be honest, but the players answered that in the right way."

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