North Melbourne's Lindsay Thomas admits he expected a ban for bump on Collingwood's Ben Reid NORTH Melbourne forward Lindsay Thomas feared he would be suspended for his heavy bump on Collingwood defender Ben Reid. Speaking for the first time since the clash that sparked a war of words between coaches Brad Scott and Nathan Buckley, Thomas insisted that the incident was "an accident." But he admitted he thought he was "in a bit of strife" when he saw vision of the bump, before being cleared by the match review panel yesterday. "I thought there wasn't really much in it, but after looking at it yesterday (Monday), I did think I was in a bit of strife," Thomas told the club's website. The AFL's new football operations manager Mark Evans started in the role yesterday, but the league confirmed it would not challenge the panel's decision. AFL match review panel chairman Mark Fraser said yesterday players would not be suspended for accidental head clashes. He said the shift in policy was made clear last season after Chris Dawes, then at Collingwood, and Brisbane Lion Matt Maguire were found guilty of rough conduct. "If he (Thomas) had contacted him with a shoulder to the head, then that would've been viewed differently," Fraser said. But former Richmond champion and AFL laws of the game committee member Kevin Bartlett said the Thomas decision made "no sense." "I think it is a very disappointing decision," he said on SEN. The MRP is telling the football community that you can knock out an opponent, even break his jaw or smash a cheekbone, by electing to bump a player without any consequence. A player without the ball and off the ball and playing a passive role should have the protection of the game. Thomas said the incident was "one of those unfortunate things," and dismissed suggestions he had faked his own injury. "I came off with a pretty sore cheek and, look, I'm just happy that he (Reid) is all right," he said. I hoped he was OK. Like I said, it was just an accident and in terms of 'heat of the moment', it got a bit heated towards the end but that's footy.