The expectation that a player will be punished if he causes an opponent to hit his head in a tackle – fed by the recent Gibbs case – was upended on Monday by the panel after Schulz was cleared for the tackle on Sydney's Richards, who was stretchered from the ground.

Gibbs, who returns this week, took to social media after the findings were released, simply saying: "I'm confused".

Shortly after, Blues teammate Kade Simpson followed up on Twitter with: "Surely having a lend".

Among a chorus of confusion sparked by the decision, AFL legend Leigh Matthews also said on Twitter: "I reckon Gibbs rightly got a couple of weeks but Schultz gets off for very similar arms pinned and head burying knock out tackle — beats me".

While Schulz's tackle was reminiscent of Gibbs' tackle on Port's Robbie Gray, in that his opponent's arms were pinned and his head hit the turf as he was brought to ground, the panel found Schulz's did not consist of two movements and was "not unreasonable in the circumstances".

"The tackle was undertaken in one continuous motion, with no secondary action. It was determined no further action would be taken," the panel said in its weekly report.

Even though Richards was motionless after the incident, there was no animosity from his Swans teammates towards Schulz, who immediately signalled for assistance for his stricken opponent.

Had Schulz been charged, he would almost certainly have faced the same penalty Gibbs received – a three-match ban that could be cut to two with a guilty plea. Schulz is now available for the Power's match on Thursday at home to Collingwood and their showdown against Adelaide in round 16.

Richmond's Ivan Maric and Essendon's Mark Baguley are the only players facing suspension from round 14, for strikes to GWS' Jack Steele and St Kilda's Jack Lonie respectively. Each can accept a one-match ban but risk an additional match if they challenge at the tribunal.

Giants midfielder Toby Greene became only the third player since 1979 to be charged with spitting, with the Giants poised to go to the tribunal on Tuesday to challenge the panel's contention that Greene deliberately spat in the direction of Richmond's Anthony Miles. Greene risks a $2500 fine rather than a $1500 penalty if the challenge is unsuccessful.

Port's Matthew Broadbent can accept a $1000 fine for a first offence of unreasonable or unnecessary contact to an injured player, over an incident that had Sydney coach John Longmire seething.

Swans midfielder Luke Parker was being approached by a club trainer for treatment after rising gingerly from a tackle when Broadbent bumped him. The trainer, who was standing on the other side of Parker, jumped backwards in response to Broadbent's bump.

Broadbent is the sixth player to be charged with the offence of making contact with an injured player, and the second this season after Richmond's Dylan Grimes' contact to Port Adelaide's Jackson Trengove in round eight.

Maric will, barring a successful tribunal challenge, miss the match against Carlton on Friday night for striking, over an incident in which he attempted to prevent GWS opponent Steele being the third man up in a ruck contest.

Maric took his focus off the ruck contest and raised his right elbow and made contact to Steele's head.

Bomber defender Baguley received the same penalty for a strike to Saints youngster Lonie,  classified as intentional but  low impact.

Greene's spitting incident occurred after the Tigers' Miles drew a free kick for high contact. As Greene went to man the mark against his former Giants teammate he spat in his direction, albeit not with enough power to land on him. Had that occurred, he would have been referred directly to the tribunal.

The only other players charged with spitting since 1979 were West Coast's Chris Lewis, who received a three-match ban in 1993, and St Kilda's Max Hudghton, who was fined $2400 in 2006.

Three players – Richmond's Trent Cotchin, Collingwood's Travis Varcoe, West Coast's Mark LeCras – can accept $1000 fines for minor incidents: Cotchin for striking the Giants' Zac Williams, Varcoe for forceful front-on contact to Hawthorn's Cyril Rioli, LeCras for striking Melbourne's Neville Jetta. Each is able to challenge the decision at the tribunal without risking suspension.

Four players – Callan Ward, Cam McCarthy and Adam Treloar of GWS and Richmond's Jake Batchelor – were fined for melee involvement. All but Ward can accept a $1000 fine for a first offence, with Ward offered $1500 because it was his second offence.

Brisbane's Darcy Gardiner and Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne have been offered $1000 for wrestling.

Besides Schulz, two other incidents were scrutinised but no charges laid. Sydney's Dan Hannebery escaped a forceful front-on contact charge against Schulz because he did not have an alternative way to contest the ball, while Magpies' forward Jamie Elliott was spared a rough conduct charge for barging into the back of Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell due to lack of impact.