New Match Review Panel member Jimmy Bartel has told Melbourne radio the MRP was "handcuffed" by the grading system when deciding Trent Cotchin's punishment for his jumper punch on Lachie Neale in Sunday's clash.

Cotchin's strike on Neale was deemed as careless conduct with low impact to the head, resulting in a $1000 fine.

Had the offence been graded as intentional, or as careless with medium impact, Cotchin would've been rubbed out for two matches - or one with an early guilty plea.

"A lot, a lot of the conversation was had about it and it was just over that intentional or careless back and forth back and forth and not everyone was 100 per cent agreeance in the MRP," Bartel said RSN 927.

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

Many comparisons have been made to Cotchin's hit, with Tom Hawkins' punch on GWS' Phil Davis the most common, with opinions mostly divided.

Bartel went on to say that not all members of the panel agreed with Cotchin's punishment.

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

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

"The penalties are already there, laid out."

[polldaddy poll=9747880]