A bit bored so was looking some free kick stats when we play in Perth.

At Subiaco

The last 7 games against Freo we have received118 Frees and given away 142

The last 5 games against WCE we have received 60 and given away 95

So in 12 games we have received 178 and given away 237

At the MCG and Etihad

The last 4 games against WCE we have received 67 and given away 72

The last 4 games against Freo was have received 54 and given away 59

IN 8 games we have received 121 and given away 131.

That is one massive home ground advantage the WA teams have and should be the basis for a complaint to AFL house.

Anything to do with getting to the ball first perhaps ?

Its a good discussion Jnr Mac

It obviously wasn't (and I am not implying you're saying this) that we lost the game becuase of the frees - but it really annoyed me that so many soft free kicks were paid. real soft incedential stuff, then the Dees lay a good tackle the ball spills out (no legal possession) and no free....

The AFL will say they pay free kicks what the umpire sees... blah blah blah

I am not sure 100% sure what other games have been like but the inconistent interpritaton really annoys me...

Apologies I didn't really add to your discussion Jnr, i needed to get that off my chest.... their [censored] weak free kicks really kick a struggling team in the guts - it's equivalent to kicking a bloke when he's down IMO

They're free kicks based on supporter noise and the umpires are being influenced by that, simple.

The noise of the dominant Dockers/Eagles crowds over here make something that shouldn't be a free kick a very soft free kick.

Edited August 24, 201410 yr by Ethan Tremblay

I guess I was drawing a conclusion as to when we play them in Melbourne the frees are much more even as you would expect over time. In WA its vastly different and getting worse. There is a definite home crowd advantage. I can't be bothered looking at the Swans, Adelaide etc but it seems every time we go to Perth we get well and truly rogered.

I remember a couple of years ago the frees were 23 to 2 at half time against us. The most disgraceful performance I have ever seen.

Anything to do with getting to the ball first perhaps ?

Nope. Because that would be reflective of the frees in Melbourne,

We get screwed against the SA teams too. Actually, we get screwed against every team.

Anything to do with getting to the ball first perhaps ?

We had significantly more possessions than WCE on Saturday but half as many frees.

So it has nothing to do with getting the ball first.

The umpires are pressured by the crowd.

Not the first time it's happened at Subi and it will continue. Not the reason we lost but 3 frees we should have had for trips, a tackle Josh Hill laid inside 50 dropped down to Jones legs and he ended up being tripped, they scored a goal directly from it, Mckenzie manhandled Dawes in the forward pocket about 12 meters from goal no free paid and they rebounded straight up the other end in what was a 12 point turn around.

Wouldn't have changed the result but it certainly needs to be looked at

If you take out the first half against West Coast a year or two ago where they had 22 frees to 1, the discrepancy against them wouldn't be too bad.

For anyone who has time on their hands and is not as lazy as me - It would be interesting to see the combined numbers for all non-WA teams playing there.

jnrmac - the free kick count is the least of MFC's problems.

I can say that the flying start the Weagles got on the weekend was on the back of a very shonky HTB call on Tyson. Yes he had prior opportunity, but he was tackled around the ankles. That is a tripping free any day of the week. Instead they pay HTB leading to a mark to LeCras and a goal.

jnrmac - the free kick count is the least of MFC's problems.

Yep But I didn't say it was.

But it doesn't help.

Nor does the fact we get the cra p umpires every week because we are a bottom club and we aren't on the TV

God help us if we ever get 'Razor Ray' (small man syndrome if ever there was one)

I remember a couple of years ago the frees were 23 to 2 at half time against us. The most disgraceful performance I have ever seen.

That was last year "the day of the duck" West Coast dropped their knees in every tackle and the umpires paid a high free every single time.

This helped WC to the 8 goal first quarter in that game, free count of 20 plus to 2 at half time.

AFL changed interpretation after other clubs screamed about it

Not the first time it's happened at Subi and it will continue. Not the reason we lost but 3 frees we should have had for trips, a tackle Josh Hill laid inside 50 dropped down to Jones legs and he ended up being tripped, they scored a goal directly from it, Mckenzie manhandled Dawes in the forward pocket about 12 meters from goal no free paid and they rebounded straight up the other end in what was a 12 point turn around.

Wouldn't have changed the result but it certainly needs to be looked at

I don't think it was crowd influence, they were very quiet on Saturday night at the ground, just crap umpiring.

Also enjoyed watching that Eagles player run all the way from HF flank across the top of the centre square (about 30 meters) without bouncing the ball.....with the umpire running alongside him.

My theory is the percieved "low value" games get the less experience "L" plate umpires

That was last year "the day of the duck" West Coast dropped their knees in every tackle and the umpires paid a high free every single time.

This helped WC to the 8 goal first quarter in that game, free count of 20 plus to 2 at half time.

AFL changed interpretation after other clubs screamed about it

Ashton Hams rings a bell.