Western Bulldogs forward Barry Hall has escaped AFL suspension for putting a headlock on North Melbourne opponent Scott Thompson on Saturday.

The match review panel instead fined him $4000, which can be reduced to $3000 with an early guilty plea.

Hall was charged with misconduct after the second-quarter stoush with Thompson at Etihad Stadium.

Hall applied a headlock on Thompson in retaliation for being knocked over by the North backman as he was tying his bootlaces.

The panel opted to impose a financial sanction instead of a suspension given the misconduct charge is not classified under the league's penalties table.

The panel ruled the initial charge against Hall, of engaging in rough conduct, was inappropriate given the circumstances.

The panel ruled Hall's actions did not constitute rough conduct.

Thompson was charged with wrestling and misconduct, for headbutting Hall, but was cleared of both charges.

The panel ruled Thompson did not wrestle Hall because he was in a headlock, and ruled that the level of force in Thompson's headbutt did not constitute a reportable offence.

Their stoush prompted an exchange of words between the Bulldogs and Kangaroos.

After the game Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade called for umpires to better protect Hall and said his forward was entitled to defend himself when knocked over by Thompson and confronted by other North players.

Eade also accused Kangaroos of making "cheap shots".

North coach Brad Scott on Monday strongly rejected Eade's claims.

The match review panel backed Scott's views by clearing two Kangaroos of wrongdoing.

Scott McMahon had a report of rough conduct, for kneeing Liam Picken in the fourth quarter, thrown out because the contact did not constitute a reportable offence.

The panel also ruled North's Michael Firrito had no case to answer for his bump on Daniel Giansiracusa in the last quarter.

The panel ruled that on the vision available, it could not be determined whether Firrito made contact to Giansiracusa's head.

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