WESTERN Bulldog Barry Hall is free to play this week after he escaped with a fine for holding North Melbourne’s Scott Thompson in a headlock.

Hall has been fined $4000, which can be reduced to $3000 with an early plea.

The match review panel threw out the match day report laid against Hall for rough conduct on the basis that there was not enough force to constitute a rough conduct offence.

Match day reports were thrown out against Thompson for wrestling and for misconduct.

The match review determined that Thompson did not wrestle with Hall as he was being held in a headlock and that he did not head-butt Hall with enough force to constitute misconduct.

The charge that did stand against Hall was laid under the misconduct provisions, where the match review panel can impose a financial sanction for a misconduct offence that is not classified.

The match review panel took into account the medical report on Thompson to assess the rough conduct charge.