WHY has Phil Davis become the AFL's favourite punching bag?

Geelong's Tom Hawkins became the fourth player charged for striking Davis in 11 rounds this season when he was, to the surprise of many, cited for throwing a clenched fist in the 25-year-old's direction in last Saturday's win over Greater Western Sydney at Simonds Stadium.

Davis's unwanted strike-rate, so to speak, is alarmingly high, because being the victim in four games in the first half of a season is unprecedented.

No individual has been the victim five times in separate games in one season since opponents were reported for striking and kneeing former Essendon and Port Adelaide player Gavin Wanganeen on five occasions in his Brownlow medal-winning season of 1993.

In three of those five occasions, Wanganeen's attackers were found not guilty.

Davis' predicament is so rare that only two other players in the past 40 years have been on the charge sheet as a victim five times in the one season, David Rhys-Jones in 1985 and Terry Wheeler in 1978.

However, each of the four players cited for striking Greater Western Sydney's captain in 2016 has been found guilty, with Brisbane Lion Dayne Zorko and Hawkins receiving weeks, while Melbourne's Jeff Garlett and Port Adelaide's Charlie Dixon were fined $1000.

The Davis incident was the first time in 177 games that Hawkins has been suspended after being cited by the Match Review Panel, while both Dixon (apart from a melee involvement) and Garlett had never been reported before choosing to whack Davis this season.

No one AFL.com.au spoke to suggested Davis was anything but unlucky, with the Giants' captain only known as a good defender who beats his opponents.

He has been reported once in his 84 games (for a one-week suspension) and been the victim on six occasions, with Essendon's Joe Daniher and Cale Hooker both being cited for striking Davis in earlier seasons.

The only player in recent times to wear a target like Davis appears to carry was the Brisbane Lions' Allen Christensen, with four opponents charged with striking him in 2015.

North Melbourne's Lindsay Thomas and Carlton's version of Mitch Robinson found themselves mentioned four times in 2012 when players struck, or engaged in rough conduct, wrestled and forcefully met them head-on.

Blues' skipper Marc Murphy was also on the receiving end of four charges against opponents in 2011, but three of those charges arose in the one game – and two from the same incident involving former West Coast player Quinten Lynch.

North Melbourne's antagonist Scott Thompson was struck twice, headbutted and the victim of forceful front-on contact in 2009. 

So Davis appears to be captain unlucky, the man who opponents can't help tangling with. Perhaps it's time to send out a warning this week to Buddy ahead of this weekend's Sydney derby. Don't hit Davis whatever happens. 

* Four charges came after round 13, 2010 incidents with St Kilda's Steven Baker