Fremantle have been robbed of a crucial late goal as a Shai Bolton masterclass inspired Richmond to an upset 15-point AFL victory at a wet and slippery Optus Stadium in Perth.
The Tigers led by 36 points midway through the third quarter of Saturday night’s clash, before Fremantle booted six of the next seven goals to reduce the margin to seven points early in the final term.
With just under five minutes remaining, Fremantle defender Ethan Hughes thought he had closed the margin to four points with a spectacular solo effort, but the goal umpire indicated Nathan Broad may have touched it on the line.
Replays showed the ball seemingly going through Broad’s hands untouched and missing the post, but the evidence wasn’t sufficient enough for the goal review system to overturn the decision.
Richmond held firm in the dying minutes to secure the 12.13 (85) to 10.10 (70) win, keeping their faint finals hopes flickering.
Bolton was the star of the show with 33 disposals, six clearances, 11 inside 50s, one goal and a whopping 920m gained.
Tim Taranto (35 disposals, seven clearances, two goals) and ruckman Toby Nankervis (49 hitouts) were also superb, while Jayden Short booted three goals from outside 50m to set the tone.
For Fremantle, Caleb Serong (31 disposals, nine clearances) and forward Jye Amiss (four goals) were influential, while Nat Fyfe (17 disposals, four clearances, one goal) and supersub Michael Walters (two goals) played key roles in the fightback.
Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said allowing Richmond players to get goalside too often and also taking too long to adapt to the conditions cost his team victory, rather than the Hughes non goal.
“You trust the review gets it right. That’s where I will leave it,” Longmuir said.
“I got excited as well (when he kicked it). It would have been a handy goal. I am sure they made the right decision.
“I look at what we got wrong as a team. I look at that more than an umpire decision – control what we can control.”
Richmond forward Rhyan Mansell could be in strife for a huge bump on James Aish that rattled the Fremantle winger and even knocked his headband off.
Both players were running in opposite directions in a bid to collect a loose ball, and Mansell turned his body at the last moment after Aish got to the ball first.
Jack Graham will also be sweating for his dump tackle on young Docker Matthew Johnson.
Richmond finished the opening term with a four-goal flurry, and they still led by 18 points when a downpour hit the stadium early in the second term.
Fremantle’s chances looked dead and buried when Richmond shot out to a 36-point lead midway through the third quarter.
But in a frenetic finish to the term, Fremantle booted four of the next five goals to trim the margin to a manageable 19 points – with Fyfe’s goal from the boundary line the highlight.
Goals to Walters and Amiss early in the final quarter set Fremantle up for what would have been a famous come-from-behind victory but Richmond held firm in important moments to seal the win.
Bolton had 14 possessions, three clearances and a goal in a monster final quarter.
“Most times he comes to Western Australia he has a pretty good game,” Richmond caretaker coach Andrew McQualter said.
“He didn’t come to the bench at all in that last quarter.
“We tried to get him a couple of times, but in hindsight, it was good decision for him to stay on.”