Analysis Free kick headf**ked

Just been going through the history of the league in terms of free kicks and I sense a pattern emerging.

Western Bulldogs/Footscray 1896
Fitzroy 1324
Collingwood 1109
St Kilda 945
Westcoast 904
Geelong 586
Brisbane Bears 106
Port Adelaide 58
Sydney/Sth Melb 46
Essendon -72
Gold Coast -131
GWS -189
Carlton -220
Adelaide -296
Brisbane total -326
North/Kangaroos -401
Brisbane Lions -432
Fremantle -451
Richmond -576
Melbourne -811
Hawthorn -2744
So really we have been shafted (although part of this is the Kennedy Commando idea of making the opposition regret marking the ball.)

Here's the decade by decade break down:
1970s (Free kick Fitzroy, Screw Hawthorn)
Fitzroy 1022
Geelong 903
St Kilda 655
Essendon 624
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 372
Sydney/Sth Melbourne 249
Melbourne -19
Collingwood -148
Richmond -226
North -673
Carlton -804
Hawthorn -1759

1980s (Free kick Bulldogs, Screw Hawthorn)
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 584
Sydney/Sth Melbourne 581
St Kilda 338
Collingwood 280
Brisbane Bears 151
Melbourne 54
Fitzroy -38
Carlton -53
Geelong -106
West Coast -163
North -214
Essendon -404
Richmond -421
Hawthorn -656

1990s (Free kick Collingwood, Screw Melbourne)
Collingwood 562
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 389
Fitzroy 340
Carlton 313
St Kilda 120
Hawthorn 118
Westcoast 116
Richmond 59
Port Adelaide 35
Essendon 1
Brisbane Bears -45
Brisbane Lions -120
Kangaroos/North -132
Fremantle -162
Brisbane total -165
Geelong -241
Sydney/Sth Melb -258
Adelaide -302
Melbourne -585

2000s (Free kick West Coast, Screw Hawthorn)
Westcoast 378
North/Kangaroos 297
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 229
Richmond 188
Carlton 146
Collingwood 132
St Kilda 124
Geelong 81
Port Adelaide -7
Adelaide -113
Brisbane Lions -118
Fremantle -128
Melbourne -135
Essendon -236
Sydney/Sth Melb -360
Hawthorn -373

2010s (free kick West Coast, Screw St Kilda (lol))
Westcoast 573
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 322
North/Kangaroos 321
Collingwood 283
Carlton 178
Adelaide 119
Port Adelaide 30
Geelong -51
Essendon -57
Hawthorn -74
Melbourne -126
Gold Coast -131
Fremantle -161
Sydney/Sth Melb -166
Richmond -176
GWS -189
Brisbane Lions -194
St Kilda -292

Total free kicks awarded to both sides in matches involving each team

Hawthorn 60330
Carlton 60224
Essendon 59514
Collingwood 59421
Geelong 59256
Sydney/Sth Melb 58646
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 58464
St Kilda 58267
North/Kangaroos 58261
Richmond 57780
Melbourne 56709
Fitzroy 39006
Westcoast 30296
Brisbane total 28772
Adelaide 24202
Fremantle 20021
Port Adelaide 18972
Brisbane Lions 18144
Brisbane Bears 10628
Gold Coast 6497
GWS 6277

Percentage of those free kicks awarded to each side.
Fitzroy 51.697
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 51.622
Westcoast 51.492
Collingwood 50.933
St Kilda 50.811
Brisbane Bears 50.499
Geelong 50.494
Port Adelaide 50.153
Sydney/Sth Melb 50.039
Essendon 49.94
Carlton 49.817
North/Kangaroos 49.656
Richmond 49.502
Brisbane total 49.433
Adelaide 49.388
Melbourne 49.285
Gold Coast 48.992
Fremantle 48.874
Brisbane Lions 48.81
GWS 48.495
Hawthorn 47.726

Percentage of years of the last 50 with a positive free kick count:
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 76
Westcoast 72.727
Collingwood 70
Carlton 58
Geelong 58
North/Kangaroos 56
St Kilda 54
Richmond 48
Sydney/Sth Melb 48
Port Adelaide 47.826
Essendon 46
Adelaide 44.828
Brisbane Bears 40
Fremantle 36
Gold Coast 33.333
Melbourne 32
Brisbane Lions 26.087
Hawthorn 26
GWS 25

And finally average free kick differential per year:
Fitzroy 49.03703704
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 37.92
Westcoast 27.39393939
Collingwood 22.18
St Kilda 18.9
Geelong 11.72
Brisbane Bears 10.6
Port Adelaide 2.52173913
Sydney/Sth Melb 0.92
Essendon -1.44
Carlton -4.4
North/Kangaroos -8.02
Adelaide -10.20689655
Richmond -11.52
Gold Coast -14.55555556
Melbourne -16.22
Fremantle -18.04
Brisbane Lions -18.7826087
GWS -23.625
Hawthorn -54.88
 
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Hodgey09

Cancelled
Feb 7, 2009
1,166
2,956
AFL Club
Hawthorn
The trend of "Free Kick Hawthorn" was a response designed by opposition supporters to explain how one team could be so dominant over such a long time in a league designed to prevent exactly that from happening.

There was never any evidence whatsoever to come even remotely close to proving it, stats suggest the opposite really as you've pointed out.

People wanted to believe the "Free Kick Hawthorn" narrative because it gave them a palatable explanation for Hawthorn's dominance over such a long time that didn't involve them having to accept that one club could've just been a hell of a lot better than their own for years.

Hawthorn just won cause of free's and umpire favouritism ya know? Not because they've just been superior to my club for an embarrassing amount of time.

A trend for complete morons. #head*ed
 

Jane Doe

Club Legend
Sep 16, 2006
1,575
1,392
Melbourne
AFL Club
Hawthorn
The trend of "Free Kick Hawthorn" was a response designed by opposition supporters to explain how one team could be so dominant over such a long time in a league designed to prevent exactly that from happening.

There was never any evidence whatsoever to come even remotely close to proving it, stats suggest the opposite really as you've pointed out.

People wanted to believe the "Free Kick Hawthorn" narrative because it gave them a palatable explanation for Hawthorn's dominance over such a long time that didn't involve them having to accept that one club could've just been a hell of a lot better than their own for years.

Hawthorn just won cause of free's and umpire favouritism ya know? Not because they've just been superior to my club for an embarrassing amount of time.

A trend for complete morons. #head****ed

Pretty sure Jon Ralph from the Herald Sun really ran with it to get traction back in early 2016
 

TylerDurden

Mischief. Mayhem. Soap
Mar 5, 2007
25,214
90,349
Lou's Tavern
AFL Club
Hawthorn
The trend of "Free Kick Hawthorn" was a response designed by opposition supporters to explain how one team could be so dominant over such a long time in a league designed to prevent exactly that from happening.

There was never any evidence whatsoever to come even remotely close to proving it, stats suggest the opposite really as you've pointed out.

People wanted to believe the "Free Kick Hawthorn" narrative because it gave them a palatable explanation for Hawthorn's dominance over such a long time that didn't involve them having to accept that one club could've just been a hell of a lot better than their own for years.

Hawthorn just won cause of free's and umpire favouritism ya know? Not because they've just been superior to my club for an embarrassing amount of time.

A trend for complete morons. #head****ed

Was propaganda to bring us back to the pack. Worked to some extent.

It’s like playing a team with an extra player or 2. Can have serious impact to the result of games. Depending on where the free kicks are paid, or in fact, not paid.
 
1990's (free kick collingwood)
Collingwood 562
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 389
Fitzroy 340
Carlton 313
St Kilda 120
Hawthorn 118
Westcoast 116
Richmond 59
Port Adelaide 35
Essendon 1
Brisbane Bears -45
Brisbane Lions -120
Kangaroos/North -132
Fremantle -162
Brisbane total -165
Geelong -241
Sydney/Sth Melb -258
Adelaide -302
Melbourne -585

Overall 1970s '80s and '90s (Free kick Bulldogs - Screw Hawthorn)
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 1345
Fitzroy 1324
St Kilda 1113
Collingwood 694
Sydney/Sth Melb 572
Geelong 556
Essendon 221
Brisbane Bears 106
Port Adelaide 35
Brisbane total -14
Westcoast -47
Brisbane Lions -120
Fremantle -162
Adelaide -302
Carlton -544
Melbourne -550
Richmond -588
Kangaroos/North -1019
Hawthorn -2297
 
2000s (free kick West Coast, Screw Hawthorn)
Westcoast 378
North/Kangaroos 297
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 229
Richmond 188
Carlton 146
Collingwood 132
St Kilda 124
Geelong 81
Port Adelaide -7
Adelaide -113
Brisbane Lions -118
Fremantle -128
Melbourne -135
Essendon -236
Sydney/Sth Melb -360
Hawthorn -373

All years since 1970 (Free kick bulldogs, screw Hawthorn)
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 1574
Fitzroy 1324
St Kilda 1237
Collingwood 826
Geelong 637
Westcoast 331
Sydney/Sth Melb 212
Brisbane Bears 106
Port Adelaide 28
Essendon -15
Brisbane total -132
Brisbane Lions -238
Fremantle -290
Carlton -398
Richmond -400
Adelaide -415
Melbourne -685
North/Kangaroos -722
Hawthorn -2670
 
2010s (free kick West Coast, Screw St Kilda (lol))
Westcoast 573
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 322
North/Kangaroos 321
Collingwood 283
Carlton 178
Adelaide 119
Port Adelaide 30
Geelong -51
Essendon -57
Hawthorn -74
Melbourne -126
Gold Coast -131
Fremantle -161
Sydney/Sth Melb -166
Richmond -176
GWS -189
Brisbane Lions -194
St Kilda -292

50 years from 1970 to 2019 (Freekick Bulldogs Screw Hawthorn in particular)

Western Bulldogs/Footscray 1896
Fitzroy 1324
Collingwood 1109
St Kilda 945
Westcoast 904
Geelong 586
Brisbane Bears 106
Port Adelaide 58
Sydney/Sth Melb 46
GWS -189
Essendon -72
Gold Coast -131
GWS -189
Carlton -220
Adelaide -296
Brisbane total -326
North/Kangaroos -401
Brisbane Lions -432
Fremantle -451
Richmond -576
Melbourne -811
Hawthorn -2744
 
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Total free kicks awarded to both sides in matches involving each team

Hawthorn 60330
Carlton 60224
Essendon 59514
Collingwood 59421
Geelong 59256
Sydney/Sth Melb 58646
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 58464
St Kilda 58267
North/Kangaroos 58261
Richmond 57780
Melbourne 56709
Fitzroy 39006
Westcoast 30296
Brisbane total 28772
Adelaide 24202
Fremantle 20021
Port Adelaide 18972
Brisbane Lions 18144
Brisbane Bears 10628
Gold Coast 6497
GWS 6277

Percentage of those free kicks awarded to each side.
Fitzroy 51.697
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 51.622
Westcoast 51.492
Collingwood 50.933
St Kilda 50.811
Brisbane Bears 50.499
Geelong 50.494
Port Adelaide 50.153
Sydney/Sth Melb 50.039
Essendon 49.94
Carlton 49.817
North/Kangaroos 49.656
Richmond 49.502
Brisbane total 49.433
Adelaide 49.388
Melbourne 49.285
Gold Coast 48.992
Fremantle 48.874
Brisbane Lions 48.81
GWS 48.495
Hawthorn 47.726


I think we can put this one to bed, but this is a fairly decent piece to carry in your armoury when someone cites it.

Because growing up in the '70s it was fairly clear to anyone with half a brain that freekickhawthorn was as far from the truth as could be. (much of this from the Kennedy's commandos mentality... go out there and make them regret marking it. ) But it highlights how low on the spectrum Hawthorn has pretty much always been in terms of the free kick tally.
 
Total free kicks awarded to both sides in matches involving each team

Hawthorn 60330
Carlton 60224
Essendon 59514
Collingwood 59421
Geelong 59256
Sydney/Sth Melb 58646
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 58464
St Kilda 58267
North/Kangaroos 58261
Richmond 57780
Melbourne 56709
Fitzroy 39006
Westcoast 30296
Brisbane total 28772
Adelaide 24202
Fremantle 20021
Port Adelaide 18972
Brisbane Lions 18144
Brisbane Bears 10628
Gold Coast 6497
GWS 6277

Percentage of those free kicks awarded to each side.
Fitzroy 51.697
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 51.622
Westcoast 51.492
Collingwood 50.933
St Kilda 50.811
Brisbane Bears 50.499
Geelong 50.494
Port Adelaide 50.153
Sydney/Sth Melb 50.039
Essendon 49.94
Carlton 49.817
North/Kangaroos 49.656
Richmond 49.502
Brisbane total 49.433
Adelaide 49.388
Melbourne 49.285
Gold Coast 48.992
Fremantle 48.874
Brisbane Lions 48.81
GWS 48.495
Hawthorn 47.726


I think we can put this one to bed, but this is a fairly decent piece to carry in your armoury when someone cites it.

Because growing up in the '70s it was fairly clear to anyone with half a brain that freekickhawthorn was as far from the truth as could be. (much of this from the Kennedy's commandos mentality... go out there and make them regret marking it. ) But it highlights how low on the spectrum Hawthorn has pretty much always been in terms of the free kick tally.


Wow, you’ve done some great research, Grumble.

Very good work!
 
Free kick differential on a per year basis over the fifty years:
Fitzroy 49.03703704
Western Bulldogs/Footscray 37.92
Westcoast 27.39393939
Collingwood 22.18
St Kilda 18.9
Geelong 11.72
Brisbane Bears 10.6
Port Adelaide 2.52173913
Sydney/Sth Melb 0.92
Essendon -1.44
Carlton -4.4
North/Kangaroos -8.02
Adelaide -10.20689655
Richmond -11.52
Gold Coast -14.55555556
Melbourne -16.22
Fremantle -18.04
Brisbane Lions -18.7826087
GWS -23.625
Hawthorn -54.88
 
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That's the part that did my head in.
That wasn't a free very quickly overshadows that was a mark for people and that's assuming they even watched the footage and didn't just read the article and hashtag and jump on board.
 
That wasn't a free very quickly overshadows that was a mark for people and that's assuming they even watched the footage and didn't just read the article and hashtag and jump on board.
I couldn't believe it when some of the Aints supporters reared its ugly head again, and I started compiiing these stats back in 2016 knowing that when growing up in the 70s we got royally shafted in terms of free kick count, and there was a very strong case against the trend. so that thread got me motivated to finish it.
 
The trend of "Free Kick Hawthorn" was a response designed by opposition supporters to explain how one team could be so dominant over such a long time in a league designed to prevent exactly that from happening.

There was never any evidence whatsoever to come even remotely close to proving it, stats suggest the opposite really as you've pointed out.

People wanted to believe the "Free Kick Hawthorn" narrative because it gave them a palatable explanation for Hawthorn's dominance over such a long time that didn't involve them having to accept that one club could've just been a hell of a lot better than their own for years.

Hawthorn just won cause of free's and umpire favouritism ya know? Not because they've just been superior to my club for an embarrassing amount of time.

A trend for complete morons. #head****ed

Oppo will probably claim that we are looked after by umpires because we play so dirty that if it was fair Hawks would be -ve 60 FK each game...
 

Roddy

Brownlow Medallist
Jul 10, 2006
11,380
14,091
M-Town
AFL Club
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Other Teams
Aussie Cricket team.
There was the briefest of fleeting moments in 2016 when we got the rub of the green in a few games, and the bullshit #freekickhawthorn bandwagon left the station, picked up unbelievable momentum and had piles upon piles of hawk-envying sheep come on board along the way. The entire rest of the time it’s #screwhawthornover as much as possible, coz they’re an affront to the afl’s equalisation agenda.
 
This season's results so far:
Differential:
Western Bulldogs 36
Collingwood 19
Geelong Cats 15
Adelaide Crows 14
North Melbourne 9
GWS Giants 8
Gold Coast Suns 7
Brisbane Lions 5
Fremantle 1
West Coast Eagles -3
St Kilda -8
Carlton -10
Melbourn -12
Richmond -12
Essendon -14
Sydney Swans -15
Port Adelaide -19
Hawthorn -21

For:against ratio:
Western Bulldogs 1.450
Geelong Cats 1.242
Adelaide Crows 1.212
Collingwood 1.190
GWS Giants 1.100
Gold Coast Suns 1.096
North Melbourne 1.090
Brisbane Lions 1.045
Fremantle 1.012
West Coast Eagles 0.972
St Kilda 0.922
Carlto 0.904
Melbourn 0.893
Richmond 0.889
Essendon 0.877
Sydney Swans 0.853
Port Adelaide 0.847
Hawthorn 0.734

After tomrrow's game this might change somewhat.
 
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