Game Detail

Round: 21   Venue: Subiaco   Date: Sat, 18-08-2012 2:40 pm   Attendance: 32,721
Fremantle	3.4.22	7.8.50	10.12.72	13.16.94	C:
Richmond	2.3.15	5.4.34	8.4.52	11.6.72	C:
	FR by 7	FR by 16	FR by 20	FR by 22

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Match Report

Fremantle consolidated eighth position with a hard-fought win over Richmond at Paterson's Stadium on Saturday. The loss to the Dockers removed any last vestige of hope the Tigers had of playing finals footy for the first time since 2001. Well held by, what is already a Fremantle trademark under coach Ross Lyon, a miserly defence, Richmond could not manage more than three goals in any quarter of this game. The Tigers' final score of 11.6 (72) was their lowest since these two sides met in round 11. Only Geelong and Collingwood, in rounds 2 and 4 respectively, have restricted Richmond to a lower total than Fremantle has this season. While the Tigers were never a long way behind Fremantle, the Dockers' squeeze made the moderate gap a bridge too far.

The game began in controversial circumstances when Dockers giant Aaron Sandilands was called into the side as a last-minute replacement for Jonathan Griffin, who Fremantle officials said injured his groin in the pre-match warm-up. Although Sandilands had been named as an emergency, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick intimated at "mind-games" from the Dockers and questioned the spirit of the late change. Ross Lyon vehemently denied that the move was pre-planned. The Dockers ran into further injury trouble not long into the match when Matthew Pavlich appeared to tweak his hamstring in a collision at the 12-minute mark. Pavlich played the match out and kicked three goals, but appeared to be somewhat restricted in his movement. Club officials later said later that the injury was a corked thigh.

Mundy and Barlow were busy players for the victors, while Hayden Ballantyne complemented his 24 possessions with three goals. For Richmond, Trent Cotchin was superb again, and he was well supported by Shane Tuck and Shaun Grigg. Jake King was busy up forward and finished with three goals. The Tigers final two games will see them playing for pride, and perhaps ninth place on the ladder, against Essendon and then Port Adelaide. Fremantle could go close to sewing up the last spot in the top eight with victory against North Melbourne in round 22. The Dockers play Melbourne at home in the final round, a match they would be expected to win.

GOALS
Fremantle: Pavlich, Ballantyne 3; De Boer 2; Hill, Mayne, Mzungu, Walters, Bradley
Richmond: King 3; Riewoldt, Deledio 2; Nahas, White,Edwards, O'Hanlon

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
Fremantle: Mundy, Ballantyne, Sandilands, De Boer, Pavlich
Richmond: Cotchin, Tuck, King, Post, Martin.

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Fremantle: Duffield, Ballantyne, Mundy, Barlow, Sandilands, McPharlin
Richmond: Cotchin, King, Tuck, Grigg, Martin, White

COACHES' COMMENTS
Ross Lyon (Frem): I don't think the scoreboard was reflective of our dominance. I was really pleased with our whole day.

Damien Hardwick (Rich): We came over here giving ourselves a really good chance to win but just couldn't get our game up and going. That's what happens against a hardened, experienced unit.

Umpires: Margetts, Findlay, McInerney

Player Stats