http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/1/rich-v-carl
Have a look at the video of the Tigers giving away 50-metre penalties for protected zone infringements. Ask yourself these questions :
1. Were they trying to get into an area where they were interfering with play?
2. Were they close to a mark/free and just running on in their normal course?
3. Was the ball player impeded?
If the answers are no, yes, no then the frees were ridiculous. Sure they were within the law but IMO one of the worst rules around. Remember the one where Leigh Montagna was easily 10 metres from Buddy Franklin and then his swing took him to within 10 metres? They paid that one as a fifty.
In one of them the Tiger was only close as the Carlton player retreated to where he was, and he did run around him and keep his hands up to show he was not interfering. In this and all cases Carlton were not held up and got a free shot at goal from the square or extremely close. There are some frees that are good frees but are badly administered. This is simply a bad free, umpires should be able to make a call on whether someone is unfairly impeded or not. Frees based on an arbitrary misdemeanor cheapen our game. It shows how crap Carlton are too. Even with Richmond's diabolical kicking, their good kicking and a free 30 points they still lost by 26 points. Anyone who tipped Richmond winning by over 50 would have fair reason to be spewing.