Australian Football

Match Report

Fremantle has recorded its fourth consecutive win and moved up to fifth place on the ladder with a workmanlike win over Richmond at the MCG on Saturday. In front of a small crowd of 22,074, the Dockers took an early lead and were able to keep Richmond at arm's length for the remainder of the match, withstanding a last-quarter surge from the Tigers, who were left to rue a very poor third term for the second week in a row.

The match started brightly for Richmond, with Bachar Houli marking and goaling from 50 after just one minute. But the Dockers put their trademark squeeze on the Tigers after that, not allowing another goal to be kicked for the quarter. In the meantime, they added three of their own, via Lee Spurr, David Mundy and Michael Barlow ti lead by 10 points at the first change.

In a surprisingly free-flowing second quarter, both sides added four goals. The Tigers actually took the lead in time-on after a goal from Jake Batchelor but two goals from Hayden Ballantyne saw the Dockers wrest back the lead and go into the long break eight points ahead.

As it had done in the third term a week earlier against North Melbourne, it all went wrong for the Tigers in the third term as the Dockers came out firing after hard time. Consecutive goals to Matthew Pavlich, followed by further majors to Barlow, Zac Clarke and Ballantyne saw Fremantle out to a 39-point lead and the game had well and truly slipped from Richmond's grasp. The Tigers did manage to kick two of the last three goals of the term but they were still 33 points adrift at the final change of ends.

A Ballantyne goal early in the last term saw the margin extended to 38, but then the Tigers came with a run. Goals to Brett Deledio, Brandon Ellis, Chris Newman and Ricky Petterd saw Richmond close the gap to just 14 points at the 20-minute mark but captain Pavlich and Ballantyne with his sixth ensured a Dockers victory.

In fifth place and rising, Fremantle will now host Brisbane at home on Saturday in its continuing push for a top four spot, while Richmond - languishing in 15th place on the ladder with just three wins - faces another big challenge on Friday night when it takes on Sydney at the MCG.

GOALS
Richmond: Deledio, Petterd 2; Maric, Riewoldt, Miles, Batchelor, Foley, Ellis, Newman, Martin
Fremantle: Ballantyne 6; Pavlich 3; Barlow 2; Spurr, Mundy, Pearce, Clarke, Fyfe

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Richmond: Miles, Ellis, Rance, Petterd, Martin, Chaplin
Fremantle: Ballantyne, Fyfe, Mundy, Hill, Barlow, Crowley, Pavlich

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Richmond: Ellis, Foley, Deledio, Petterd, Rance
Fremantle: Ballantyne, Fyfe, Hill, Barlow, Mundy, Spurr, Pavlich

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Ben Lennon replaced Dylan Grimes in the third quarter.
Fremantle: Colin Sylvia replaced Danyle Pearce in the third quarter.

UMPIRES: Fisher, Kamolins, Findlay

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Basil Zempilas, Hamish McLachlan, Tom Harley, Andrew Welsh