Today's headlines

• Knights looks to St Kilda formula
  Thu, Jul 29, 10
• Hille return likely
  Wed, Jul 28, 10
• Winderlich aiming for one-week recovery
  Tue, Jul 27, 10

Today's videos

• Goal Of The Week: Rd 17
  Tue, Jul 27, 10
• Mark Of The Week: Rd 17
  Tue, Jul 27, 10
• The Sunday Footy Wrap Rd17: NMFC v Ess
  Sun, Jul 25, 10

Essendon is breathing easier after the match review panel dismissed match-day reports laid against key players David Hille and Kepler Bradley.

Essendon ruckman Hille's report of striking Hawk Beau Muston was deemed a "forceful block" and "not considered a strike", while Bradley's contact to Grant Birchall's head was decided to be a "realistic attempt to contest the ball".

The news, however, isn't as good for Fremantle, with tough onballer Matthew Carr offered a one-match sanction for his strike on Crow Nathan Bassett during Friday's NAB Challenge match at AAMI Stadium.

Carr will risk missing the opening two rounds should he choose to contest the charge – which was assessed as reckless, of medium impact and of high contact, drawing a total of 225 demerit points – at the tribunal.

An early plea will reduce his demerit points to 168.75 and a one-match suspension. The Dockers don't have a positive record at the tribunal this year, considering they will be without Jeff Farmer until round seven and Michael Johnson until round five due to suspensions issued earlier in the pre-season.

In other charges, former Hawks skipper Shane Crawford has been offered a $1800 fine for using abusive language towards an umpire, while Brisbane Lion Cameron Wood has been offered a reprimand and 93.75 points towards his future record for his strike on Cain Ackland.

Crawford risks upping his sanction to $2400 should he contest the charge at the tribunal, while Wood would miss round one should he challenge his charge and lose.

With the match review panel dismissing six match-day charges, a bevy of the game's stars will be free to play in round one.

Luke Hodge was reported twice on Saturday during the club's NAB Challenge match against Essendon at Casey Fields, but the panel disregarded both the striking charge against Matthew Lloyd and the charge against Damien Peverill.

The panel said his strike against Lloyd was made with an open hand in an attempt to tackle, while there was no conclusive vision of the charge against Peverill and it was deemed the action was a shepherd and not a charge.

St Kilda’s Lenny Hayes escaped his charge owing to the panel's belief he was attempting to spoil as Kangaroo Lindsay Thomas attempted to mark in the NAB Challenge match at MC Labour Park on Friday.

Brisbane Lion Ben Fixter's report for charging Carlton's Marc Murphy in the NAB Cup grand final has also been thrown out, with the panel deciding the Lion maintained eye contact with the ball and made an action of self-protection, rather than a charging motion.