We love to discuss free kicks.
They can win and lose a game of footy, can’t they?
Many a supporter believes their side is the most harshly treated by the umpiring fraternity, constantly questioning decisions with varied amounts of frustration.
But which clubs actually attract the most frees?
After four rounds of the 2022 season, it is a familiar sight to see the Western Bulldogs on top of the charts as the side with the best free kick differential.
The Dogs have the third most frees for and have overstepped the footy law the least amount of times to hold a +40 differential. They are fresh off last season’s mammoth +79 differential when Geelong was back in second place on +33.
Behind the Dogs is Collingwood who has a +28 advantage, having attracted 106 frees and given away 78.
The Magpies are ahead of Carlton who are at +15, while Adelaide (+11), North Melbourne (+11), Fremantle (+6), Essendon (+5) and St Kilda (0) are the remaining clubs who have a positive or even differential.
Sydney has been on the wrong side of the match officials the most in 2022 thus far, attracting 79 frees (second least) and giving away a massive 108 for a paltry -29 disparity.
Fellow New South Welshmen the GWS Giants are narrowly ahead of them with a -24 gap, just clear of annual free kick cellar dwellers Richmond on -18. (The Tigers ended last season at -86).
Port Adelaide (-11), West Coast, Melbourne and Gold Coast (all -8), Brisbane (-5), Hawthorn (-3) and Geelong (-2) are the other clubs with a negative.
See the Round 4 Free Kick Ladder below:
| Position | Club | Frees For | Frees Against | Differential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Bulldogs | 105 | 65 | 40 |
| 2 | Collingwood | 106 | 78 | 28 |
| 3 | Carlton | 91 | 76 | 15 |
| 4 | Adelaide | 104 | 93 | 11 |
| 5 | North Melbourne | 102 | 91 | 11 |
| 6 | Fremantle | 107 | 101 | 6 |
| 7 | Essendon | 87 | 82 | 5 |
| 8 | St Kilda | 96 | 96 | 0 |
| 9 | Geelong | 81 | 83 | -2 |
| 10 | Hawthorn | 87 | 90 | -3 |
| 11 | Brisbane | 79 | 84 | -5 |
| 12 | West Coast | 91 | 99 | -8 |
| 13 | Melbourne | 80 | 88 | -8 |
| 14 | Gold Coast | 78 | 86 | -8 |
| 15 | Port Adelaide | 84 | 95 | -11 |
| 16 | Richmond | 80 | 98 | -18 |
| 17 | GWS Giants | 79 | 103 | -24 |
| 18 | Sydney | 79 | 108 | -29 |
We’ve also taken a look at individual players and those who attract the most free kicks for.
As is normally the case, it is the ruckmen who are central given the amount of contests they attend.
Dogs big man Tim English leads the way on 14 ahead of St Kilda’s Rowan Marshall on 12.
His Saints teammate Brad Crouch and Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy are next on 11.
Round 4 individual free kicks for ladder:
| Player | Club | For |
|---|---|---|
| Tim English | Western Bulldogs | 14 |
| Rowan Marshall | St Kilda | 12 |
| Brad Crouch | St Kilda | 11 |
| Brodie Grundy | Collingwood | 11 |
| Andrew Brayshaw | Fremantle | 10 |
| Jack Ginnivan | Collingwood | 10 |
| Jason Horne-Francis | North Melbourne | 10 |
| Tom Mitchell | Hawthorn | 10 |
| Toby Nankervis | Richmond | 10 |
Naturally, we also have to look at free kicks against.
Melbourne captain Max Gawn is the league’s main offender at this stage of the season with 14 frees against.
Hawthorn’s Ned Reeves is next on 12, ahead of Richmond co-captain Toby Nankervis, Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver and West Coast’s Nic Naitanui who have all given away 11.
Round 4 individual free kicks against ladder:
| Player | Club | Against |
|---|---|---|
| Max Gawn | Melbourne | 14 |
| Ned Reeves | Hawthorn | 12 |
| Toby Nankervis | Richmond | 11 |
| Clayton Oliver | Melbourne | 11 |
| Nic Naitanui | West Coast | 11 |
| Brodie Grundy | Collingwood | 10 |
| Matt Rowell | Gold Coast | 10 |
Individually, the best differentials in the league are held by:
+9: Tim English (WB), Dylan Moore (HAW - no free kicks against)
+8: Jack Ginnivan (COL)
+7: Bailey Smith (WB), Jack Hayes (STK)
The worst differentials in the league are held by:
-9: Ned Reeves (HAW)
-8: Nic Naitanui (WCE), Clayton Oliver (MEL)
-7: Darcy Byrne-Jones (PA), Tom Hickey (SYD), Bailey Williams (WB - no free kicks for)
50-metre penalties:
Richmond pair Trent Cotchin and Jack Graham have conceded three 50-metre penalties each, the most in the league.
There are eight players who have given away two including Saints duo Jack Higgins and Paddy Ryder, and Eagles pair Jack Redden and Willie Rioli.