NEW MATCH Review Panel member Jimmy Bartel says the MRP was "handcuffed" by the grading system for offences when considering Trent Cotchin's jumper punch on Fremantle's Lachie Neale in Sunday's MCG clash.

The Richmond captain's strike was graded as careless conduct with low impact to the head, and he was fined $1000.

Bartel, who was appointed to the MRP last month, told RSN927 that not all members of the panel agreed that Cotchin should have escaped with a fine.

Grading the offence as intentional, or as careless with medium impact, would have seen the 2012 Brownlow medallist offered a two-match suspension, downgraded to one with an early guilty plea.

"We're handcuffed going through the (grading) table," Bartel said.

"We can't make up the fine, the fine is there.

"The penalties are already there, laid out."

He said there was discussion at the MRP over whether Cotchin's strike should be classified as intentional or careless "back and forth, back and forth, and not everyone was 100 per cent agreeance in the MRP.

"But the majority in the MRP settled on careless."