COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Pendlebury says tacklers who give away high free kicks to Geelong counterpart Joel Selwood — and fans that complain about the calls — deserve little sympathy, labelling tackles around Selwood’s arms as “stupidity”.

Selwood frustrated Hawthorn players and footy on-lookers on Easter Monday, earning free kicks after high tackles from Hawks such as Ryan Burton and Jaeger O’Meara.

According to Champion Data, Selwood since 2014 has drawn more high free kicks than any other AFL player, with his “shrugging” technique undoubtedly a major factor behind the stat.

But Pendlebury said Selwood’s ability to draw high free kicks isn’t a blight on the game, instead turning the heat on the players tacking the superstar Cat.

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The Magpies skipper said he was flabbergasted why players don’t tackle Selwood “around the hips” — a task that is “absolutely possible”. He highlighted Pies teammate Levi Greenwood, who has the ability and discipline to “hunt (Selwood’s) hips” whenever the Pies play Geelong.

Pendlebury said the tackles he saw Hawthorn players lay on Selwood on Easter Monday were high on the arm, subsequently making it easier for Selwood to win frees.

“Yeah he’s a good enough player that he’ll get his hands free … but if you’re trying to take him down through the hips, he’s got to be that strong that he can still to stay up,” Pendlebury told the Jock and Journo podcast.

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Joel Selwood of the Cats (right) draws a free kick against Ryan Burton (left) of the Hawks. Source: AAP

“If you know that if you hit him in the arms, he’s that strong he will go ‘whack’ (and lift his arms) and you’re going to get him high. So if you know that, why do you keep doing it?

“I think it’s a bit of stupidity (from tacklers).”

Pendlebury said he sides with AFL legend Leigh Matthews, who said “make the tackler tackle low” during Monday’s broadcast.

“You know there’s guys in the league who can get the free kick, but you’ve got to hit their hips and, as Leigh Matthews said, you’ve got to reward the ball-player,” he said.

Selwood earlier this week admitted that he knew his technique “annoys people” but would continue to take on tacklers during games.

The AFL has cracked down on ‘duckers’ in recent years, encouraging umpires to not fall for players that duck, shrug, drop, duck or lift their arm in order to be taken high by their opponents.

Asked on 7Mate’s Talking Footy whether he felt as if the league’s crackdown has implemented an interpretation of a rule aimed directly at him, Selwood said: “It can look like that.

“We’re in the fortunate position where we get the umpires come out to us and actually explain how the rule is going to be adjudicated.

“As players we understand you can still take the players on and that’s what I try and do. I have a different way to others to do it and it annoys people, we do understand.”

Asked if he felt like there was a “big target on your back” when it comes to players winning so many high free kicks, Selwood — who has won more high free kicks than any other player this decade — said: “It can look like that.

“We’re in a fortunate position where the umpires come out to us and explain how the rule’s actually going to be adjudicated.

“As players, we understand you can still take the tackler on — and that’s what I try and do. I have a different way to others to do it and it annoys me, we do understand.”