RD 17 Match Reports: Freo snatch win over Tigers

[WilliamPowell]

Fremantle Defeat Richmond by four points at the MCG in Round 17
BRADEN QUARTERMAINE PERTHNOW
JULY 25, 2015 7:59PM

EXHAUSTED but elated, the Fremantle players celebrated Saturday’s pulsating triumph as if it was almost a Grand Final win.

If all goes to plan from here, the next time the Dockers will return to the MCG will be for the Grand Final.

That plan involves sewing up a top-two finish and then winning two finals at Subiaco Oval, which would avoid the need to travel during the finals series until the decider.

Fremantle’s win four-point win, 12.10 (82) to 10.18 (78), over a gallant but heartbroken Richmond was an epic

A game that looked for the most part like the Tigers should win, but one that the Dockers simply refused to lie down in no matter how many times they were behind on the scoreboard.

David Mundy and Nat Fyfe were warriors throughout and it was fitting that Mundy was given the chance to exorcise his demons from Simonds Stadium last year.

He took it, nailing his nerveless set shot in the final minute like an arrow through Richmond hearts.

With the Dockers trailing by five points at the final change in an arm-wrestle that was becoming increasingly engrossing, Ross Lyon assumed centre stage.

Demanding his players form a complete ring around him at three-quarter time, Lyon stood in the middle and delivered what appeared to be one of his most passionate sprays.

The Dockers were men on a mission and they, like their adversaries, needed nerves of steel through a tense final term.

Hayden Crozier’s set shot from a tight angle 15 minutes into the final term was another crucial juncture as Fremantle found a way to get over the line.

The Dockers found themselves on the back foot early, but there would be no repeat of Richmond’s remarkable opening-term ambush from seven weeks earlier as the visitors steadied and gradually wrestled the momentum off their opponents during a low-scoring first quarter.

Fremantle could have even grabbed the lead at the first change had it capitalised on a series of shots on goal, with Danyle Pearce and Chris Mayne each failing to take two opportunities.

Down by 13 points after Ivan Maric converted a free kick from close range, the Dockers needed some inspiration and they found it from both a likely and an unlikely source.

The predictable was skipper Matthew Pavlich. The veteran might have a few more grey hairs these days, but Pavlich has produced some of his most brilliant performances for the MCG and he was threatening to turn the clock back when he soccered through his second goal at the same end of the ground where Cristiano Ronaldo scored the night before.

The unpredictable boost came two minutes later when Mayne was gifted a 50m penalty which took him to the goal line to kick his first.

The reason? More than 100m up the field, Richmond star Dustin Martin was penalised for squirting water in the face of Fremantle defender Lee Spurr.

On a day where goals were hard to come by, the Dockers didn't mind how they came and when Crozier kicked truly from a free kick shortly after Fremante was in front for the first time.

Damien Hardwick must have been fuming and the men in yellow and black responded with goals to Maric and Jack Riewoldt.

Matt Taberner’s mark and goal on the stroke of half-time had both short and long-term implications as he dragged the Dockers to within two points of the Tigers at the main change.

Taberner’s terrific mark was also a glimpse into his long-term potential in a season where some of the purple army have become frustrated with a lack of development from the 22-year-old key forward

The contest lifted a notch in the third term, with the sides kicking three goals apiece.

The Dockers spent a large part of the quarter under the pump and pinned in their defensive 50 as the Tigers searched for a knockout blow that would unlock the door to the top four.

Two goals down for the second time in the match, Fremantle hit back entering time-on of the third stanza as Fyfe and Stephen Hill delivered crucial goals.

If the Dockers found Lyon scary at three-quarter time, it might have been nothing compared to his post-match dressing down had they not got over the line.

Thanks to Mundy, they didn’t find out.

FREMANTLE 12.10 (82)

RICHMOND 10.18 (78)

BEST

Fremantle: Mundy, Fyfe, Barlow, Sandilands, Pavlich, Hill.

Richmond: Cotchin, Lambert, B Ellis, Chaplin, Martin, Maric.

GOALS

Fremantle: M Pavlich 3 H Crozier 2 C Mayne D Mundy M Barlow M Taberner N Fyfe S Hill T Sheridan.

Richmond: B Lennon 2 C Newman 2 I Maric 2 B Deledio J Riewoldt K McIntosh S Lloyd.

Umpires: Simon Meredith, Shane McInerney, Andrew Mitchell.

Official Crowd: 39,777 at MCG.


http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-2015-fremantle-defeats-richmond-by-four-points-at-the-mcg-in-round-17/story-fni5f22o-1227456876119

[one-eyed]

Richmond v Fremantle: David Mundy makes amends to break Tiger hearts

   Peter Hanlon
      The Age
    July 26, 2015


FREMANTLE 1.4  5.6  8.9  12.10 (82)
RICHMOND 1.4  5.8  8.14  10.18 (78)

Goals:
Fremantle: M Pavlich 3 H Crozier 2 C Mayne D Mundy M Barlow M Taberner N Fyfe S Hill T Sheridan.
Richmond: B Lennon 2 C Newman 2 I Maric 2 B Deledio J Riewoldt K McIntosh S Lloyd.

BEST:
Fremantle: Mundy, Barlow, Fyfe, Hill, Pavlich, Ibbotson.
Richmond: Chaplin, Ellis, Cotchin, Grigg, Lambert, Hunt.

Umpires: Simon Meredith, Shane McInerney, Andrew Mitchell.
Official Crowd: 39,777 at MCG

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The fading soccer markings running down the middle of the MCG were seemingly a reminder of what Richmond could ill afford. If this was an arm wrestle in which goals were prized as in the round ball game, surely Fremantle would prevail.

All game it seemed the Tigers would need to break it open if they were to repeat their round-10 heroics, or the Dockers would arm wrestle their way to victory. All game they landed the first blow, kicking the first goal of each quarter, and all game the visitors came back at them like a boxer with an anvil for a jaw.

All over the ground there were compelling contests within the contest – Trent Cotchin and Nat Fyfe, whose huge year could finally be taking a toll yet who was seemingly everywhere when it mattered; Jack Riewoldt and Luke McPharlin, Alex Rance and Matthew Pavlich.

Luck came and went for both sides. There were iffy and off-the-ball free kicks, posters – five of them by the Tigers, three to Dustin Martin alone – twists and turns. But the last and most decisive fell the Dockers way. Trailing by three points just over a minute from the end, Tommy Sheridan marked from Pavlich but missed. Bachar Houli inexplicably took a  route one way out of defence but Garrick Ibbotson intercepted and chipped to David Mundy 40 metres out.

The Dockers' tremendous midfielder had been here before, missing after the siren from long range at Geelong last year. Now, with little more than 30 seconds on the clock, his drop punt sailed through.

When they needed them most, Freo had found the goals – four in the last quarter for a dozen for the game. Not enough to quell suspicion that they will need to kick more  in September, but enough to break Tiger hearts.

Richmond needed to bring pressure cooker intensity and drew first blood through the 50th goal of Chris Newman's long and admirable career. Even when the Dockers got through they showed no signs of suddenly shooting the lights out; Danyle Pearce had four shots at goal in the first 15 minutes for two behinds, Chris Mayne missed twice, but of greater concern was how seemingly defence-busting surges foundered beyond half-forward.

On the upside they were attacking, and reward duly came through the most familiar source as Pavlich swooped at a boundary throw-in and screwed home goal No.657.

A goal apiece for level pegging at quarter-time represented a win for the Dockers, but the game wasn't being played on their terms. For all of Michael Barlow and Mundy's toil, the Richmond on-ballers had the upper hand.

Fyfe, his thigh bandaged, showed uncommon signs of human frailty, dropping a mark but spared as Cotchin dived into his back, and shrugging his man only to be mown down by Ivan Maric to the delight of the faithful.

Maric goaled to give the Tigers a 13-point break early in the second after a Kamdyn McIntosh dribble and conversion that wouldn't have been out of place 24 hours earlier, then Pavlich got into the round-ball spirit after pushing up the ground, retreating at pace and being fed to perfection by Michael Walters, whose scoring threat throughout was doused by Taylor Hunt's attention. Yet here was Australian football as soccer, only without the goalkeeper to beat.

Richmond endured a frustrating stretch in which Mayne and Hayden Crozier goaled from free kicks, the former aided by a 50-metre penalty off the ball against Dustin Martin. Suddenly Freo had kicked three in five minutes. Dizzying stuff indeed.

But Richmond continued to find a way through, and took great heart not just from the two goals that reclaimed a seven-point lead but their manner. First McIntosh patiently waited until the human wall that is Aaron Sandilands committed to filling one side of a packed defensive 50 and kicked to Maric's advantage in the other. Riewoldt then highlighted that the Dockers, like all teams, are vulnerable to the fast break.

Ben Griffiths' strong mark just over a minute from half-time presented an opportunity for deserved breathing space. He hit the post, Freo surged, and Matt Taberner converted on the siren.

A goal-for-goal third quarter reflected a swings and roundabouts affair. Clancee Pearce trailed Newman in a marking contest, stood clutching his wrenched shoulder, and was penalised 50 metres for loitering in agony over the mark. Newman hit the post, but the Dockers had subbed out Taberner a minute earlier so Pearce had to be patched up and sent back into the fray.

Martin hit the post, Sam Lloyd couldn't finish as a goalsneak sub must, but Newman struck again after Stephen Hill franked Fyfe's clinical finish to set up an edge-of-the-seat end to another cracking contest.

VOTES:

8 - D.Mundy (Frem)
8 - T.Chaplin (Rich)
8 - M.Barlow (Frem)
7 - B.Ellis (Rich)
7 - T.Cotchin (Rich)
 
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-report/richmond-v-stuff-tiger-hearts-20150725-gikhn7.html

[one-eyed]

Richmond cops heartbreaking loss but shows it can match it with the top teams

    WARWICK GREEN
    Herald Sun
    July 26, 2015


IF THE win over Fremantle in Perth seven weeks ago sparked Richmond’s season, this heart-wrenching loss might be the fire that burns in their belly all the way to September.

The Tigers led for virtually the entire match, only for a famous victory to be snatched from their grasp with 31 seconds to play.

After Richmond scrapped and clawed and clung to their lead for 10 goalless minutes late in the final quarter, the devastating error came when Bachar Houli turned the ball over with a kick-in from full back inside the final minute,

Dockers’ defender Garrick Ibbotson floated sideways through the air to take the intercept mark in the centre square, turned on his heel and drilled a pass to David Mundy, who calmly converted his set shot from 45 metres.

It was heartbreaking for the Richmond fans who had watched their team take the game to the Dockers throughout, leading for 92 per cent of the match.

Just when it looked like the Tigers might do the unthinkable and out-Fremantle Fremantle, the men in purple dug deep to get over the line.

But Richmond should take heart from knowing that it took the game right up to a team that was a game clear at the top of the ladder, and in the process produced the gritty tenacity teams need to win finals.

The Tigers also dispelled doubts about having enough midfield depth to match the top teams, including the much-vaunted Dockers version.

Captain Trent Cotchin ran with and shaded Brownlow favourite Nat Fyfe for much of the match, while Kane Lambert and Anthony Miles stepped up to support the likes of Brandon Ellis, Brett Deledio, Dustin Martin and Shaun Grigg through the middle of the ground.

The return of Shane Edwards will add another dangerous dimension.

Richmond also handled the manic finals-like pressure at least as well as the Dockers for great slabs of the match.

The Tigers’ chasing and tackling frequently put Fremantle under the pump to such an extent that the Dockers produced countless panic disposals that turned over possession.

Richmond hustled, corralled and stuck to its task with unwavering discipline.

What proved costly was Richmond’s inability to convert chances late on that could have given it a decent buffer and dented the Dockers’ belief that there was a way back.

Dustin Martin kicked four behinds, including three that hit the post, while Jack Riewoldt missed a crucial angled shot from 40 metres late in final quarter.

Cotchin, having been awarded a dubious free kick when he was pushed by Mundy at a ball-up, steered his 40-metre shot out of bounds on the full.

Richmond was also hurt by the absence of second ruckman Shaun Hampson to injury in the second half.

Hampson had combined well with Ivan Maric to double team Dockers ruckman Aaron Sandilands at ball-ups around the ground in the first half. It also allowed Maric to push forward and contribute a couple of handy goals.

But the Dockers giant began to get on top in the third term, helping his midfielders get on top at the centre clearances

Richmond will be shattered, but may look back on both of its matches against Fremantle as season-defining, albeit massively contrasting, moments.

In Round 10, the Tigers unleashed an eight-goal blitz in the opening quarter — the only team apart from Hawthorn this season to get beyond three goals against Freo by quarter time.

Back then they rode that early wave to four points and found the belief to carve up an opponent.

This time around the opening term was a grim affair, full of scrums and stoppages as both teams applied enormous defensive pressure.

The game was one-goal apiece after 30 minutes and looked headed for a penalty shootout.

But Richmond did show signs that it has the disciplined and intense style of game to match it with the best in September.

What it needs now, is to find a way to grind out victory in those close ones.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-cops-heartbreaking-loss-but-shows-it-can-match-it-with-the-top-teams/story-fnp04d70-1227456954643

[one-eyed]

Talking points: Richmond v Fremantle

Peter Ryan 
July 25, 2015 7:20 PM


1. Mundy banishes memories of Geelong
With 31 seconds remaining in a pulsating MCG epic, David Mundy had a set shot to win the game for the Dockers. Fremantle had lost by two points against Geelong in round 20, 2014 when Mundy narrowly missed a set shot after the siren. Rarely does a player get a second chance to have such an important kick, but Mundy did. This time he went back to his trusted routine and kicked truly from 50 metres. He was lucky to get the chance, as Richmond's Bachar Houli had given up the ball with a poorly-judged kick-out that Garrick Ibbotson marked and then passed to Mundy. The Dockers had led the game for only nine minutes in total, but they were in front when heads bobbed at the finish.


2. Midfield royalty delivers a majestic battle
The battle between Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin and the game's best midfielder, Fremantle's Nat Fyfe, was a microcosm of what became an epic game. There was never much to separate the two stars, but their collective influence was significant. At half-time, both had the same number of disposals (14) and contested possessions (eight). Both tried to lift their team in the third quarter with Cotchin winning eight disposals and Fyfe having five touches and kicking a goal. Fyfe's corked thigh looked to be hampering him but he battled as hard as ever and, along with Michael Barlow (who was the Dockers' best player), helped his side score crucial goals from stoppages. Fyfe started the last quarter deep forward but pushed into the midfield as soon as the game had to be won.


3. Tigers make every post a behind
Dustin Martin hit the post three times in the second half. Trent Cotchin kicked it out on the full in the last quarter and Jack Riewoldt missed a tough shot from the angle. The misses proved costly in a low-scoring opening, as Richmond and Fremantle recorded their lowest combined single-quarter score in the first term with 20 points. The final three quarters were thankfully far more open with 20 goals scored and tough, exciting football played. Both teams remain genuine contenders and the Dockers stay top of the pile for another week.


4. Big game, big moments
With less than two minutes remaining before half-time, Richmond forward Ben Griffiths had a set shot for goal from 30 metres out. If he'd kicked straight, the Tigers would have had a 13-point lead at the long break, but he hit the post. The Dockers managed to get the ball forward and young forward Matt Taberner marked. As the siren sounded, the 20-year-old kicked straight and all of a sudden the margin was just two points. A dubious free kick paid against Alex Rance in a marking contest against Matthew Pavlich in the final quarter kept the Dockers in the contest as the champion skipper went back and goaled. The Dockers were also unlucky in substituting Matt Taberner just a minute before Clancee Pearce popped his shoulder and was rendered ineffective for the remainder of the game.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-07-25/five-talking-points-richmond-v-fremantle