Questions have been raised over the Western Bulldogs free kick numbers.

Damien Barrett has suggested that a number of AFL clubs believe the Western Bulldogs receive an unusually high number of free kicks.

Are the Bulldogs umpires’ lapdogs?

Speaking on Channel 9’s Footy Classified, Barrett pointed the spotlight on the Bulldogs.

“Nobody is going to say this publicly but clubs are going to the AFL wondering why you can get this discrepancies here in these free kicks.”

“They (the Bulldogs) are well looked after for frees for, equally well looked after for frees against. There’s a marrying up of those things with different clubs having an issue.”

Multiple clubs are approaching the AFL, and asking questions about the Bulldogs’ high free kick numbers. #9FootyClassified. pic.twitter.com/nAHYvQRRnG — Footy Classified (@FootyClassified) June 26, 2017

“Then there’s the free kick differential itself. Nearly 100 extra over the course of 2016 and they are tracking well for that similar figure again this year.”

Western Bulldogs free kick concerning rival clubs

Damian Barrett named Sydney, Hawthorn, and North Melbourne as well as other clubs that raised queries regarding umpiring during Western Bulldogs matches.

“There are other clubs who are asking the AFL why are the Bulldogs being umpired this way?”

Barrett then pointed to the early free kick count during the Dogs clash with North Melbourne.

“At one stage the free kick count was 15-2.”

“There is no rule that says the free kick count has to be equal. But numbers don’t lie on that. They are doing something that no other club has tapped into.”

by Michael T. Lynch – contributor