Debate has raged over the past few weeks regarding head high tackles and alleged 'ducking tactics' employed by West Coast players to draw free kicks.

Statistics revealed on the AFL website on Tuesday show the Eagles had received 58 free kicks for high contact, 15 more than second on the table, Fremantle.


North Melbourne coach Brad Scott weighed into the argument following Sunday's match, after his side gave away several free kicks for tackling its opponents high.

"I think that most of the free kicks are there for the high contact, and we spoke at length about Ashton Hams and the way he draws free kicks," Scott said.

Hams and team-mate Luke Shuey have received 27 free kicks between them for illegal tackles this season, prompting some to claim there's an issue in the AFL with players deliberately buckling at the knees or 'ducking' to win a free.

"I don't think it's fair that players are getting an advantage, by crouching down and lowering their bodies," former Bulldog Luke Darcy said on Monday.

"The question is 'Do we think this is in the spirit of the way the game should be played?'"

The numbers don't lie with the Eagles well ahead on the tally for the season, but captain Darren Glass defended his team's approach.

"The free kick count and all that sort of stuff, it's just a non-issue for us," Glass said.

"We don't spend any time talking about it or thinking about it...we don't look at vision, we don't practice anything in particular.

"We don't lose sleep at night over someone tackling us head high. It's just a non-issue."

Team-mate Sam Butler supported his skipper's views.

""With a couple of coaches bringing it up, I don't really understand it. It's part of the game, it's a rule, so play the game."

With no rule changes in sight, the onus now clearly rests on the shoulders of the tackling player to change their technique, a fact supported by Scott in his post-match press conference.

"There is a specific technique which is employed and there is a specific technique to counter that, and too many times today (Sunday) they employed their technique and we didn't employ ours."