Here we go.
The penultimate instalment of the Free Kick ladder series for 2021.
Last time we visited this was after Round 15 when the Western Bulldogs led the way with a differential of +46 and their dominance at the top has only increased.
The Dogs have given away the fewest free kicks (294) and have attracted the fifth most for (373) to return a +79 differential, some 44 ahead of second-placed Carlton.
The Blues have received the second most frees (380) to sit second on the standings with a +35 differential, rocketing up from sixth position.
Despite Adelaide receiving the most frees for, they’ve dropped from second to fourth on the differential charts, while North Melbourne remains in third on +30.
Geelong has broken into the top echelon having sat eighth or beyond for most of the season. The Cats are now sixth on +10.
Melbourne has dropped from fifth to 11th, going from +18 four weeks ago to -6 now and Gold Coast has risen from 16th to ninth, but remain in the minus.
Down the very bottom, St Kilda remains in 17th spot on -34 having been -24 a month ago.
And Richmond has the least frees for (313) and most against (387) to comfortably occupy bottom spot with a huge differential of -74.
Check out the free kick ladder after Round 19:
| Position | Club | Frees For | Frees Against | Differential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | W.Bulldogs | 373 | 294 | 79 |
| 2 | Carlton | 380 | 345 | 35 |
| 3 | North Melbourne | 374 | 344 | 30 |
| 4 | Adelaide | 387 | 360 | 27 |
| 5 | GWS | 350 | 335 | 15 |
| 6 | Geelong | 350 | 340 | 10 |
| 7 | Port Adelaide | 359 | 359 | 0 |
| 8 | West Coast | 315 | 315 | 0 |
| 9 | Gold Coast | 336 | 340 | -4 |
| 10 | Brisbane | 376 | 382 | -6 |
| 11 | Melbourne | 348 | 354 | -6 |
| 12 | Hawthorn | 341 | 349 | -8 |
| 13 | Collingwood | 330 | 338 | -8 |
| 14 | Essendon | 326 | 339 | -13 |
| 15 | Fremantle | 321 | 336 | -15 |
| 16 | Sydney | 344 | 372 | -28 |
| 17 | St Kilda | 318 | 352 | -34 |
| 18 | Richmond | 313 | 387 | -74 |
There was not much of a change to the individual free kicks for ladder.
Geelong captain Joel Selwood remains on top with 42 frees for ahead of Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps on 39 which is the same quinella as after Round 15.
Port Adelaide’s Charlie Dixon has slipped up to third while Western Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli now sits fourth after sitting outside the top 10 four weeks prior.
| Player | Club | Frees For |
|---|---|---|
| Joel Selwood | GEE | 42 |
| Patrick Cripps | CAR | 39 |
| Charlie Dixon | PA | 35 |
| Marcus Bontempelli | WB | 34 |
| Todd Goldstein | NM | 34 |
| Zach Merrett | ESS | 33 |
| Jack Macrae | WB | 33 |
| Clayton Oliver | MEL | 32 |
| Jy Simpkin | NM | 32 |
| Oscar McInerney | BRI | 32 |
The frees against ladder, in similar fashion, hasn’t had too many alterations either.
Sydney ruckman Tom Hickey has entered the Top 10 (11) as the only addition with the remainder of the group staying the same.
Cripps is the biggest offender alongside Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy with Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe and Brisbane’s Zac Bailey next on the list.
| Player | Club | Frees Against |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Cripps | CAR | 37 |
| Brodie Grundy | COL | 37 |
| Nat Fyfe | FRE | 36 |
| Zac Bailey | BRI | 36 |
| Marlion Pickett | RIC | 34 |
| Sean Darcy | FRE | 33 |
| Tom Hickey | SYD | 32 |
| Dayne Zorko | BRI | 32 |
| Clayton Oliver | MEL | 31 |
| Ben Cunnington | NM | 31 |
| Sam Walsh | CAR | 31 |
The Free Kick ladder will return after Round 23.
