Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury has come to the defense of his on-field rival Joel Selwood in the midst of public criticism concerning his tactics to draw high-contact free kicks.
Pendlebury says the Geelong skipper is within his rights to employ the 'shrugging' technique in order to draw a whistle more frequently, explaining that tackling Selwood around his arms is "stupidity."
โIf you know that if you hit him in the arms, heโs that strong he will go โwhackโ (and lift his arms) and youโre going to get him high. So if you know that, why do you keep doing it?" Pendlebury told Jock and Journo podcast.
โI think itโs a bit of stupidity (from tacklers).โ
โYeah heโs a good enough player that heโll get his hands free โฆ but if youโre trying to take him down through the hips, heโs got to be that strong that he can still stay up."
Selwood came under fire after Geelong's blockbuster matchup against Hawthorn on Easter Monday, where he was able to draw five free-kicks throughout the match and left players such as James Sicily, Ryan Burton and Jaeger O'Meara frustrated with his tactics.
The four-time All-Australian is leading the league in 'frees for' as a result of high contact since 2014, according to Champion Data.
Pendlebury's biggest gripe with the backlash against Selwood is that no one seems to be giving attention to the players that keep falling for his tactics and neglect to give him credit for his masterful ability to draw a whistle.
โYou know thereโs guys in the league who can get the free kick, but youโve got to hit their hips and, as Leigh Matthews said, youโve got to reward the ball-player,โ Pendlebury explained.
The AFL has tried to stamp out the 'ducking' technique in recent years, however Selwood's reinvented strategy could start an entirely new discussion for the league.
