CARLTON midfielder Marc Murphy and Melbourne forward Russell Robertson are both free to play in the opening round after being cleared by the AFL Match Review Panel.

Robertson was reported for making high contact with North Melbourne’s Andrew Swallow during Saturday's NAB Challenge match at Casey Fields, but the panel found the Demon “did not have a realistic alternative to contest the ball” and that Swallow contributed to the incident by turning into Robertson’s path.

The panel also decided that Robertson’s sole intention was to win possession, saying his eyes always remained on the ball.

The result frees up Robertson to pursue victory in the television program, It Takes Two, alleviating fears that a Tuesday night tribunal sitting could clash with the program.

With Murphy, who was reported for making high contact with the Western Bulldogs' Mitch Hahn in their NAB Challenge match at Princes Park on Friday, the panel took a similar view to the Robertson case, saying the contact was unavoidable in pursuit of the ball, and that both players were simply attempting to win possession.

The committee also investigated a “push and shove” from Friday night’s game between Hawthorn and Collingwood in Shepparton, but decided the scuffle didn’t constitute a melee, as there was “no significant vigorous grappling or struggling during the event.”