North Melbourne’s Lindsay Thomas has no case to answer over his head clash with Collingwood’s Ben Reid from Sunday’s AFL match.

Thomas bumped Reid off the ball during the third quarter, leaving the Magpie defender concussed, requiring stitches and unable to complete the Etihad Stadium match.

However the small forward has escaped sanction from the AFL match review panel.

The panel said contact was made “primarily with the shoulder to the body” and the clash of heads occurred as part of the collision.

“After viewing all available footage, it was the view of the panel the contact to the head was caused by circumstances outside the control of the player, which could not be reasonably foreseen,” it said in a statement.

The panel stated that Thomas legitimately blocked Reid because the ball was within five metres and that the North Melbourne forward did not leave the ground.

Meanwhile, the Brisbane Lions’ Pearce Hanley has been charged with rough conduct for an incident involving the Western Bulldogs’ Daniel Giansiracusa.

He can accept a reprimand and 93.75 points towards his future record with an early plea.

Melbourne’s Colin Sylvia can accept the same fate after he was charged with striking Port Adelaide’s Justin Westhoff.

Reports against Carlton’s Chris Yarran, the Gold Coast’s Jarred Brennan, Greater Western Sydney’s Tom Scully and Sydney’s Kieren Jack were all withdrawn.