The 2026 AFL Free Kick Ladder - Round 8

Is anyone not confused watching the footy these days?

It would be so difficult to umpire in 2026 given all the rule changes, different interpretations and speed of the game.

Every week there seems to be people questioning free kicks, or non-frees, which may or may not have cost their team the game.

But we'll leave those chats for later, this is all about the numbers.

You all want to know who is leading the Free Kick Ladder. So, without further ado...

See the latest numbers below:

Best differentials

1 - Geelong (+47)
2 - St Kilda (+35)
3 - Sydney (+22)
4 - Melbourne (+17)
5 - Richmond (+13)

Worst differentials

1 - Fremantle (-31)
2 - GWS Giants (-28)
3 - Gold Coast (-27)
4 - Port Adelaide (-24)
5 - West Coast (-21)

Most frees for

1 - Geelong (191)
2 - Sydney (186)
3 - North Melbourne (169)
Eq.4 - St Kilda & Western Bulldogs (162)

Least frees for

1 - Fremantle (130)
2 - GWS Giants (132)
3 - Melbourne (136)
4 - Brisbane (137)
Eq.5 - Gold Coast & Port Adelaide (142)

Most frees against

1 - North Melbourne (176)
2 - Gold Coast (169)
3 - West Coast (168)
4 - Port Adelaide (166)
5 - Sydney & Carlton (164)

Least frees against

1 - Melbourne (119)
2 - St Kilda (127)
3 - Essendon (137)
4 - Collingwood (139)
5 - Geelong (144)

The 2026 Free Kick Ladder - Round 8

Geelong (+47) remains on top of the Free Kick Ladder thanks to the most free for (191) and fifth least frees against (144).

The Cats were on +44 after Round 4 and remain clear at the summit, ahead of second-placed St Kilda (+35) who have had the second fewest frees against (127).

The Sydney Swans (+22) hold third position due to the second most frees for (186) but they have given away the equal fifth most (164).

Melbourne (+17) sits fourth having given away the least frees in the league (119), and Richmond (+13) is fifth.

Holding up the competition is Fremantle (-31) who have been paid the fewest frees for (130) and are in the top handful for frees against (161).

Second bottom is GWS (-28) due to the second least frees for (132), while Gold Coast (-27), Port Adelaide (-24) and West Coast (-21) make up the top five as three of the top four for most frees against.

See the FK Ladder after Round 8 below: