Ever wondered how the umpires assess your team in home versus away games?
Does the home crowd play a major role? Or do umpires sympathise with the travelling team?
We've analysed every club's free kick record at home, away and overall to reveal which teams enjoy the friendliest whistle—and which can't seem to catch a break.
Home games
St Kilda has been favoured more often than not when donning the black (host) shorts.
In seven matches, they have won the free kick count on six occasions.
Victorian powerhouses Collingwood (5-3), Hawthorn (5-3) and Richmond (5-2) are well and truly in the green when being welcomed onto the field as the home side, as is Adelaide (5-3), who despite have had some controversial calls not go its way, have ended up with a positive ledger at Adelaide Oval.
The Saints have the best win percentage of 119.5 percent, while Geelong (114.1) and the Tigers (113.8) round out the podium.
On the contrary, GWS' small fan base has struggled to convince umpires in Canberra or west of Sydney to favour the 'orange team'.
In seven home clashes, they've won a solitary free kick count, whilst losing five and drawing the other.
Port Adelaide (2-1-5) and Gold Coast (2-6) record slightly better outcomes, albeit for very little improvement.
The Suns rank the worst in the percentages (84.2), narrowly pipping the Giants (84.9). The Kangaroos (92.5), Carlton (93.5) and the Power (94.4) all sit under 100 percent in win-loss rate.
Away games
Is it true that when you're the away team, you don't get the rub of the green?
It might make sense for non-Victorian clubs such as GWS and Sydney.
The New South Wales sides aren't favoured when they jump on the plane to visit the neighbouring states, winning only two free kick counts from a minimum of seven games.
Hawthorn joins the New South Welshmen as one of the worst teams in free kicks when playing as the visitors.
However, when assessing the percentage (win-loss), AFL ladder leaders Fremantle come in at 17th (86.7 percent).
The Suns sit comfortably at the bottom (76.5), while West Coast (87.2), Collingwood (95.1), Carlton (95.2), Hawthorn (95.5), Essendon (96.6), Brisbane (97.9), Adelaide (98.6), Gold Coast (98.6) and the Western Bulldogs (99.4) all have a negative total free kicks paid versus against when the away side.
Ironically, the Pies, despite conceding more free kicks when away, have more wins then they do losses, indicating a big discrepancy in their free-kick defeat matches, or small wins when their tally is higher. The same can be said for the Crows.
St Kilda, Adelaide and Collingwood are well liked by the men in fluro green or baby blue, even when the majority of the crowd is screaming against them (maybe except the Pies, who travel well).
Surprisingly, North Melbourne has the best win percentage (112.1 percent) when acting as the visitors around the competition, closely followed by the Saints (108.8), Geelong (106.1) and Melbourne (103.1).
Total
The Saints lead the competition for overall free kicks (290-255) and have won 10 out of 15 contests.
Richmond, Adelaide and Collingwood come in at nine wins while North Melbourne, with eight, rounds out the top five.
GWS (248-308) has the worst free kick ranking, claiming only three wins.
Gold Coast, Fremantle, West Coast and Carlton occupy the bottom five.
