RODNEY EADE has called on umpires to protect star recruit Barry Hall, after the Western Bulldog was reported twice during the club’s 70-point thumping of North Melbourne.

Hall is set to face the AFL tribunal again this week, but for the first time since his much-publicised arrival at the Whitten Oval from the Sydney Swans late last season.

His unblemished 2010 run ended at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, with Hall booked for rough conduct and wrestling.

Both charges were laid as a result of his testy duel with North Melbourne defender Scott Thompson, who was also booked twice in the match.

Eade said his forward should have received free kicks earlier in the match, having been constantly niggled by Thompson.

“I think the tougher players tend not to get protection,” a clearly frustrated Eade said after the game.

“I think Barry’s been very good. I thought he was pretty controlled today.

“The rule is, apparently, if you’ve got constant niggling and an elbow in the back they’ll (the umpires) pay a free kick.

“Well, after the Jonathan Brown incident [but] I don’t see any of that.”

The two reports stemmed from the Kangaroos defender bumping Hall as he bent down to tie his shoelaces shortly before half time.

Tempers flared between the two teams as Hall’s blood boiled and North players appeared to try to inflame the situation by baiting the goalkicker as he left the field to calm down.

Hall’s rough conduct charge occurred when he grabbed Thompson in a headlock.

Eade said Hall was “pretty calm” at the main break, although the coach defended his actions on the field.

“I just wish he’d get some protection,” Eade said.

“It’s going to get blown up because it’s him, but if it was anybody else … he’s got kneed while he was doing his lace up.

“Then he gets besieged, then he gets attacked while he was coming off the ground. [There’s] no protection.

“He gets done for wrestling, that’s okay, [but] misconduct because he had someone in a headlock. I mean if you had three blokes coming at you, what are you supposed to do? Cop it?”

The Bulldogs coach was happy with his side’s discipline and ability to keep their eye on the footy, in light of what he thought was a deliberate ploy by North Melbourne to  unsettle his side.

But the coach still thinks there’s plenty of room for improvement.

“We haven’t turned the corner completely, no,” he said.

“We’ve still got some areas to work on. Our efficiency was pretty good going inside 50 and obviously our accuracy [in front of goal], but there were some things that maybe we can sharpen up on.”