Fremantle has a golden chance to claim a fifth straight win and finish Round 13 inside the top eight — but Andrew McQualter’s Richmond outfit might have something to say about that.
The Dockers (6-5, 102.3%) have roared back into finals contention across the past month, winning four consecutive matches. But they’ll be without first-choice ruck Sean Darcy, who’ll miss with a hamstring injury.
The Tigers (4-7-1, 99.2%) will enter the game with confidence due to last week’s thrilling win over the Giants and the return of star defender Nick Vlastuin.
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The subs are Michael Walters for Fremantle and Hugo Ralphsmith for the Tigers.
The match gets underway at 7:25PM AEST from Optus Stadium.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (Channel 504) from 7:15PM
QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH REPORT
It was Fremantle young gun Jye Amiss who got the Dockers on the board first.
Amiss got out the back after a brilliant run down the wing by the home side.
Josh Treacy had the chance to extend the margin but sent his shot wide.
“Richmond just need to hang in there. All the momentum with Freo at the minute,” commentator Nathan Jones said.
When Kamdyn McIntosh won a big one-on-one as Freo attempted to exit their defence, Richmond spread the footy and found Jack Ross free.
“No body on Ross and in the end he slotted it,” Basil Zempilas said.
“Only a couple of points in it even though Freo have had most of the play tonight.”
But just as Richmond went on the attack again, a Liam Baker brain- snap coughed up the footy.
Baker had taken the mark on the wing but lashed out when grabbed by Dockers’ defender Luke Ryan and the possession was reversed.
“That’s just unnecessary,” Jones said.
“It just takes the wind out of the momentum.”
“Coaches hate that. It’s one thing to fly the flag… but it’s a turnover that didn’t need to be effected.” Zempilas said.
“He might regret doing that,” Alister Nicholson added.
But Baker redeemed himself winning a tough contested ball to get it out to Jayden Short who slotted the snap.
The Tigers had a fourth goal in a row when Baker again got the ball forward, stepping past three Freo defenders.
“The flat-footed Freo! The Tigers after absorbing, hanging in there have turned this around dramatically,” Zempilas said.
At quarter time it was Richmond leading 27-9.
The Dockers’ intensity lifted in the second term as they kept the footy locked inside their forward half.
But once again, they couldn’t cash in on their dominance and the Tigers may them pay down the other end.
Docker Jordan Clark opted to fly, leaving his man Judson Clarke unmarked at the back and that’s who snapped truly to open up a 23-point lead.
Just as Richmond looked to be pulling away, a lucky bounce gifted Amiss his second goal for the night.
In the pouring rain, Amiss added his third as the Dockers suddenly closed to just 12 points.
Against the run of play, it was Tiger Tim Taranto who added his second goal.
“The last man standing in the contest didn’t bother trying to pick it up,” Zempilas said.
“The easiest way home was the big hoof off the deck.
“His outstanding season continues.”
Sam Sturt nailed a ripping set from the boundary, but by half time, it was still Richmond leading 43-28.
When Dustin Martin beat Ryan at half forward, he went quickly and found Jack Riewoldt almost uncontested in a horror start for Freo to the third.
Riewoldt went back and snapped truly, moving to within one goal of Tigers great Kevin Bartlett.
When Jayden Short intercepted an attempted Dockers’ defensive exit and nailed the goal from outside the arc, the Dockers were staring down the barrel.
Riewoldt then moved into equal third on the Tigers’ all-time goal scorers’ list as Richmond opened up a game-high 32-point lead.
“Justin Longmuir can‘t bear to watch,” Channel 7’s Alister Nicholson said.
Longmuir then turned to his experience on his bench, opting to activate tactical sub Michael Walters into the game with Bailey Banfield making way.
Rhyan Mansell stretched the Tigers lead even further when he got on the end of a superb passage of play. After Noah Balta streamed out of defence and found Liam Baker who kept the ball in on the boundary line, Mansell converted much to the ire of the Dockers crowd.
Fremantle hit back with consecutive goals to Josh Treacy and Andrew Brayshaw to get the deficit back to a manageable four goals.
Nankervis kicked the margin back out to five goals for the Tigers before the Dockers veteran duo Nat Fyfe and Michael Walters kicked back to back goals to drag the margin back inside three goals heading to the final change.
“He’s only been out there for a short period, but his impact has been profound” Allister Nicholson said on Channel 7.
Richmond took a 19 point lead into three-quarter- time, 11.10 (76) – 8.9 (57).
The Dockers got off to a perfect start in the final quarter after Michael Walters creating something out of nothing from a loose ball, dribbling his second goal to spark the Optus Stadium crowd.
Sharpshooter Jye Amiss then kicked his fourth goal to trim the margin back to seven points.
The desperation was on display from both sides with no easy ball being won by both sides. Richmond activated their sub to inject some more run into the game with Hugo Ralphsmith coming in at the expense of key defender Tylar Young.
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