Media articles and stats: Brave Tigers win fourth in a row after beating Freo

[one-eyed]

Brave Tigers win fourth in a row
richmondfc.com.au
By Jason Phelan
9:46 PM Sat 10 July, 2010


Richmond    5.1    7.4    10.8    15.10 (100)
Fremantle    5.5    8.9    8.13    11.15 (81)   

GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Collins 2, Connors, Edwards, Griffiths, Webberley, White, Nahas, Martin, Astbury
Fremantle: Pavlich 3, Bradley 3, Hill 2, Morabito, Johnson, McPhee

BEST
Richmond: Riewoldt, Connors, Edwards, Martin, Tuck, Deledio, Newman, Vickery
Fremantle: Mundy, Sandilands, Pavlich, Hill, Bradley, Palmer

INJURIES
Richmond: Tambling out, replaced in selected side by Nahas, Griffiths (shoulder), Nason (facial cut)
Fremantle: TBA

Reports: Jackson (Richmond) reported in the first quarter for rough conduct against Ballantyne (Fremantle)

Umpires: Vozzo, Kamolins, Meredith

Official crowd: 25,707 at Etihad Stadium

-------------------------------------------------------------


INJURY-ravaged Richmond has claimed a stunning 19-point victory over Fremantle at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

The courageous Tigers made it four wins in a row the hard way after playing the second half with just two fit men on the bench.

They were out on their feet in the dramatic closing stages of the match, but dug deep to record a famous win - 15.10 (100) to 11.15 (81).

An interchange bungle by Freo with 4:38 remaining saw Jack Riewoldt bang through his fifth goal from point-blank range to put Richmond six points up.

Dustin Martin added the sealer with two minutes left on the clock and Andy Collins put the icing on the cake with the last major of the contest.

Daniel Connors played the game of his career with 35 touches and a goal with Brett Deledio (29 possessions), Chris Newman (26) and Shane Tuck (30) all important.

Riewoldt overcame a sluggish start to finish as the leading goal kicker on the ground with five.

He booted the first goal of the game, but it was to be the Tiger spearhead's only major of a quiet first half.

Damien Hardwick would have been pleased with the early endeavour of his young charges as they took it right up to their top-four opponents. However, their aggression was not always well-directed, with Freo's first three goals coming from free kicks. 

Matthew Pavlich was in ominous touch early, switching between the midfield and attack, with two first-quarter goals helping his side to a four-point lead at the first break.

Richmond lived dangerously with a zone defence that worked well for long periods and allowed them plenty of rebound, but also produced defensive mismatches in height and numbers on occasion.

When Freo managed to cause the turnover and get the ball forward quickly, they often found themselves with an extra forward or two.

To their credit, the Tigers still managed to find avenues to goal with Riewoldt well-held, but a fierce clash that saw Angus Graham, Jake King and Ben Nason lying prone on the turf meant they had to hold on grimly as the visitors finished the half strongly.

A groggy and bleeding Nason joined Ben Griffiths, who had sustained a shoulder injury earlier in the term, on the pine for the rest of the match.

Despite a couple of bad misses it was Fremantle by 11 points as the second half got underway, but it was the tenacious Tigers who did all the attacking.

Matt White followed Riewoldt's opportunist goal with a set shot major to snatch back the lead, but his joy quickly turned to dismay as Shane Edwards' errant high-five sent him from the ground bleeding from his left eye. 

Riewoldt gave Alex Silvagni the slip to mark and goal midway through the term and that was it for majors for the quarter as Richmond took a surprise seven-point lead into the epic final stanza.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/97907/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Inspiring Richmond beat Fremantle

    * AAP
    * July 10, 2010


RICHMOND overcame injuries and a half-time deficit to post another stirring AFL win and inflict a major blow on top-four aspirant Fremantle on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium.

Down by 11 points at the major break and with two players gone for the game, the Tigers responded with the only three goals of the third term and held firm in a titanic last quarter to prevail 15.10 (100) to 11.15 (81).

Jack Riewoldt kicked five goals to take his season tally to 58, putting him further ahead on the league's goal-kicking chart, while young gun Dustin Martin capped a great game with a banana kick goal on the run when the game was in the balance.

Richmond's win was their fourth in succession and came after they stormed home to beat Sydney at the MCG last Sunday.

The Dockers missed a golden chance to shore up their spot in the top four and left them still with some work to do if they are to earn the double chance in the finals.

Richmond began brightly by holding their own in a shoot-out of a first quarter, but were reduced to 20 men in the second term when forward Ben Griffiths hurt a shoulder and onballer Ben Nason was cut across the cheek when he collided heads with teammate Jake King.

While the Richmond bench resembled a pit crew, the Dockers pounced with the last two goals of the half.

But where the Richmond of six weeks ago would have wilted, these Tigers regained their energy and dash and added goals through Riewoldt and Matt White, even though he suffered a poke in the eye in the celebrations.

In a frantic final quarter Fremantle drew level but squandered their chances when Aaron Sandilands and Stephen Hill missed regulation set shots midway through the quarter.

Riewoldt broke the deadlock with a goal after being awarded a free and 50-metre penalty because of an infringement on the Fremantle bench, as Hayden Ballantyne incorrectly ran outside the interchange line.

Martin and Andrew Collins followed up with goals in a magnificent win for Richmond, given they also had Jeromey Webberley (leg) and Angus Graham, poleaxed in two bumps, sore on the bench.

Daniel Connors, Daniel Jackson and skipper Chris Newman were also great for the Tigers, while Matthew Pavlich and Kepler Bradley (three goals each) and Sandilands in the ruck were Fremantle's best.

But Jackson's game was marred through a report in an off-the-ball incident involving Ballantyne, which resulted in a 50-metre penalty and a goal to Adam McPhee.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/fremantle-leads-injury-hit-tigers/story-e6frf9jf-1225890219287

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Team Stats

Disposals         407 - 325
Efficiency%        77 - 77
Kicks               222 - 193
Handballs         185 - 132
Con. Marks           7 - 18
Uncon. Marks    110 - 71
Tackles              58 - 69
Clearances         40 - 32
Clangers            42 - 41
Hitouts              22 - 41  ( Graham 11, Vickery 8 // Sandilands 39 )
Frees                13 - 21   
Con. Possies    134 - 133
Uncon.Possies  272 - 194
Inside 50s         58 - 51
Assists               6 - 16


Individual Stats

player         D      EFF%     K     H     G     B     CM     UM     T     CL     C 
      
Connors, D          35    71    20    15    1    0    0    8    3    3    2    
Tuck, S                30    77    10    20    0    0    0    6    3    7    1    
Deledio, B           29    69    18    11    0    2    0    8    3    3    1    
Newman, C          26    81    18    8    0    0    1    11    4    1    2    
Edwards, S           25    68    13    12    1    0    0    8    2    1    5    
Jackson, D           25    76    12    13    0    0    0    4    1    5    1    
Farmer, M           24    83      8    16    0    1    0    7    2    1    1    
Martin, D           24    67    13    11    1    0    0    5    4    4    4    
Webberley, J      23    91    11    12    1    0    0    6    1    0    1    
Moore, K            21    95    13    8    0    0    0    11    2    0    2    
Cotchin, T           20    65    13    7    0    0    1    4    6    3    7    
Collins, A           18    72    7    11    2    0    0    1    2    1    3    
Thursfield, W     18    89    10    8    0    0    0    5    1    0    0    
White, M           18    67    14    4    1    1    0    8    5    2    0    
Vickery, T           14    79    6    8    0    1    1    3    3    5    1    
King, J               12    83    7    5    0    0    0    3    3    1    5    
Riewoldt, J        11    73    11    0    5    1    3    2    3    1    1    
Astbury, D          10    80    6    4    1    0    1    4    1    1    0    
Graham, A          10    70    2    8    0    0    0    1    3    0    1    
Nahas, R            9     78    5    4    1    2    0    3    5    1    2    
Nason, B            4    100    4    0    0    0    0    2    1    0    1
Griffiths, B          1    100    1    0    1    0    0    0    0    0    1    


player           FF     FA     CP     UP     I50     A                       

Connors, D          0    0    9    27    5    0     
Tuck, S               0    1    13    17    4    0         
Deledio, B           0    0    10    18    6    1         
Newman, C          0    1    6    16    2    0     
Edwards, S          1    1    10    16    1    0     
Jackson, D            0    0    9    16    4    0         
Farmer, M            1    0    8    16    3    0         
Martin, D             0    2    6    22    6    0         
Webberley, J       0    1    2    20    0    0     
Moore, K             0    2    5    15    1    0         
Cotchin, T            2    5    8    12    5    0         
Collins, A             1    1    8    11    3    1         
Thursfield, W        1    0    4    14    0    0     
White, M              3    0    6    13    5    0         
Vickery, T             1    0    9    4    5    1         
King, J                 1    3    6    7    2    1         
Riewoldt, J           1    0    7    3    1    1    
Astbury, D            1    0    3    7    0    0         
Graham, A            0    0    1    9    1    0         
Nahas, R             0    2    3    5    2    1     
Nason, B             0    1    0    4    1    0    
Griffiths, B           0    1    1    0    1    0

http://superstats.heraldsun.com.au/gamestatslive/5015547.html    

[one-eyed]

Young Tigers down finals-bound Fremantle
MARTIN BLAKE
July 10, 2010

NOT much more than a month ago good judges pondered the notion that Richmond might not win a game in 2010. That fact is testament to the way footy can change.

Another pulsating win, the fourth on end and the fifth in six matches, this time against  top-four team Fremantle at the Docklands last night, stamped the Tigers as the most exciting young team in the competition.

Twenty minutes after Richmond’s youthful brigade had kicked the last three goals to get over the Dockers, the fans were still chanting ‘‘Yellow and Black’’ as they left Etihad Stadium.

If the come-from-behind triumph against Sydney looked like a win for the ages, then it turned out to be merely a sign of things to come. Richmond is writing its own history, this time losing two players to injury in the second quarter and still able to win.

Last week it was Andrew Collins who climbed off the deck to win the game against the Swans. This week, it was a train wreck. Eleven minutes into the second quarter, Richmond’s young ruckman Angus Graham stooped over a loose ball and was met with the force of a sledgehammer by Adam McPhee. Instantaneously but a few metres away, Jake King and Ben Nason, chasing the same ball, clashed heads.

All three  were prostrate for a few moments, and not since Chris Johnson’s flurry against the Irish a few years ago has there been so much carnage in the same vicinity. Already the Tigers had lost centre half-forward Ben Griffiths to a shoulder injury, just four minutes earlier. Now Nason would be helped off with a facial injury, blood pouring everywhere, and King would hobble off, too, alongside Graham, who was struggling for breath.

This was as good an excuse as any for Richmond to roll over, particularly against a team of Fremantle’s quality. But Damien Hardwick’s team is suddenly bulletproof. Fifteenth on the ladder before last night’s game, the players plainly believe they are far better than that. Optimism goes a long way.

On the bench, Hardwick gathered his forces. Graham came back on, and King limped on too. A game that had already been fierce and pulsating went up another gear and it was Richmond that made the running, even with Griffiths and Nason incapacitated, and Graham copping another heavy bump to complete a difficult night. The Tigers kicked the only three goals of the third quarter to lead into the final change, and held on for the next 20 minutes.

At the pivotal moments, midway through the final term, Fremantle’s composure failed it. Aaron Sandilands, in the midst of a monster 150th game, missed, as did Stephen Hill. Then a catastrophe. With the scores level, Hayden Ballantyne missed the yellow line in the interchange area and Jack Riewoldt was gifted his fifth goal. It is a shockingly harsh penalty for such a minor error, but it is the rule.

At 26 minutes the astonishing man-child Dustin Martin raked a ball away from a stoppage, steadied and banana-kicked another to give Richmond space. At 30 minutes, Collins ran on to a loose ball in the goal square to seal it after Daniel Connors, an outstanding player throughout, roosted the ball into the danger area. Richmond’s youth led the way, with Trent Cotchin laying a crushing tackle on Matthew Pavlich when the Dockers’ skipper looked to steal it back in the goal mouth, deep in the quarter.

Richmond had earned the win; the Dockers were disappointingly wasteful for a top-four team. Pavlich’s first-quarter stumble when he was running into an open goal turned out to be symbolic of their night, along with Ballantyne’s error at the interchange area. Mark Harvey’s team has opened the door to the top four again, and the Western Bulldogs stand to gain the most from it.

The Tigers had men of valour everywhere. Down the back, Kel Moore was stoic, Chris Newman composed and  Connors (35disposals, nine contested balls) quite brilliant with his spearing kicks. Martin (24 disposals) and Shane Tuck (30) and Daniel Jackson, who quietened the dangerous David Mundy after quarter-time, were prominent. Shane Edwards (25 disposals, 10 contested) played one of the games of his life.

Fremantle had Sandilands and Pavlich and  McPhee, who made two awful errors that cost goals, but who took 13 marks, drifting across half-back.Sandilands was magnificent, but he was let down by those at his feet.

RICHMOND 5.1 7.4 10.8 15.10 (100)

FREMANTLE 5.5 8.9 8.13 11.15 (81)

GOALS Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Collins 2, Griffiths, Astbury, Connors, Martin, Webberley, White, Nahas, Edwards. Fremantle: Bradley 3, Pavlich 3, Hill 2, McPhee, Morabito, M Johnson.

BEST Richmond: Connors, Martin, Riewoldt, Newman, Edwards, Moore, Jackson, Deledio, Tuck. Fremantle: Sandilands, McPhee, Pavlich, Hayden, Bradley, Mundy.

INJURIES Richmond: Tambling (knee) replaced in selected side by Nahas, Griffiths (shoulder), Nason (cheekbone), Graham (heavy knock).

REPORTS Jackson (Rich) for rough play on Ballantyne (Frem) in first quarter.

UMPIRES Vozzo, Meredith, Kamolins.

CROWD 25,707 at Etihad Stadium.

PLAYER WATCH

Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle): Started in the middle, then drifted forward as the Dockers like him to do. Won a bit of Sherrin at the stoppages, and kicked three goals. Had an embarrassing moment in the first quarter when he ran into an open goal, merely needing to pick up the ball and convert, but tripped over himself.

Jack Riewoldt (Richmond): Began with a magnificent contested mark and goal less than two minutes in, suggesting he was in for a monster day on Alex Silvagni. But was subdued through the middle of the game before a big pack mark in the final quarter. Ended up with a healthy five for the night.

WHERE THE MATCH WAS WON

 Richmond refused to wilt, even when it was down two players. The Tigers kicked the last three goals - all to young players - to clinch it. Overall, it was midfield dominance through Dustin Martin, Shane Tuck, Shane Edwards and Daniel Jackson that gave them the edge.

WHERE THE MATCH WAS LOST

 An interchange mix-up, 22 minutes into the final quarter, cruelled the Dockers. At the time scores were level, but Hayden Ballantyne missed the yellow line as he tried to come on, and Richmond was gifted a goal from point-blank range. The Dockers could not withstand the tide of Richmond from that moment.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/young-tigers-down-finalsbound-fremantle-20100710-104yx.html

[one-eyed]

Harvey questions ‘heavy’ penalty at critical point
DAN SILKSTONE
July 11, 2010

A HARSH price to pay for an extremely minor infringement.

That was the verdict from Fremantle coach Mark Harvey last night after a crucial interchange error with scores level deep in the final term gifted Richmond a goal and proved decisive in the victory against the Dockers.

It is a sight rarely seen in AFL football since the interchange rule was amended in 2008 after the Sydney Swans inadvertently fielded 19 players in a drawn match with North Melbourne, the emergency umpire stepping on to the field with orange flag raised to signal an illegal interchange.

Last night it came 22 minutes into the final quarter as an injured Ryan Crowley limped from the field nursing a sore shoulder and Hayden Ballantyne hurried just a little too much to replace him, running on wide of the gate and with Crowley still centimetres short of the boundary.

It resulted in an automatic free kick and 50-metre penalty that handed the ball to Jack Riewoldt to goal from point-blank range, giving Richmond a lead it never relinquished. ‘‘It’s a pretty heavy penalty to pay ... and I’m not talking about the result or whether it cost us a victory — but [in terms of] momentum and where the state of play was,’’ Harvey said after the loss. Asked if he supported the retention of the controversial penalty for misusing the interchange gate, he was clear.

‘‘Do you want a finals game [decided] like that? I’m not sure we do,’’ he said. ‘‘But that’s the rule so we live with it.’’

The rule has successfully cleaned up what had become a messy interchange process but has been consistently unpopular with some coaches. At the end of season 2008 clubs complained to the AFL that the rule was excessive, but no change was made.

The interchange decision — and Richmond’s gutsy win — has reopened a top four that had looked settled and gives the Western Bulldogs a chance to mount a charge for fourth place beginning today.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/harvey-questions-heavy-penalty-at-critical-point-20100710-10510.html

[one-eyed]

Inspiring Richmond shock Fremantle

  * Jackie Epstein
  * Herald Sun
  * July 10, 2010

The Richmond juggernaut continues to roll on. After more drama than you would find in an episode of Bold and the Beautiful the Tigers roared again with another stirring come from behind victory.

This time it was a disappointing Fremantle who was stunned.

Reduced to just one man on the bench after half-time, the injury-hit Tigers willed themselves over the line.

Richmond's fourth straight win was perhaps even braver than last week's over Sydney.

Scores were locked when a Dockers interchange infringement at the 22-minute mark of the final quarter handed Jack Riewoldt his fifth goal.

Young gun midfielder Dustin Martin then set the stadium alight when he snapped truly with just over a minute left on the clock.

And Andrew Collins, last week's final quarter match winner, iced the game with a goal in the square.

The Tigers held on for a remarkable but deserving triumph against the odds.

Through the night they lost Ben Nason, Ben Griffiths and Angus Graham - and Matt White briefly after being poked in the eye by teammate Shane Edwards while celebrating a goal.

And all this came on the back of a difficult week with the illness of Ben Cousins.

Riewoldt said it was a win to savour.

"It was a great team effort and these are the sorts of wins we'll remember for the rest of our careers,'' Riewoldt said.

"It was just a test of our character and we haven't had these sorts of results. It's really positive for a young group.''

The Dockers had their own distraction after the loss of Michael Barlow to a broken leg last week and it appeared they too had coped well.

Their midfield was brilliantly led by David Mundy and captain Matthew Pavlich who pinch hit there from attack.

Ruckman Aaron Sandilands was dominant in his 150th game and had good support from Kepler Bradley.

Despite a lack of rotation power the Tigers finished full of running and determination. The Dockers, heading for a top four finish, would be lamenting their error riddled second half.

For the Tigers Daniel Connors produced one of his best games and acted like a quarterback as he continually set up teammates and scoring opportunities.

Edwards also made a significant contribution after coming off the bench in the first quarter.

Riewoldt, the competition's leading goalkicker, was a hero again after turning around a quiet first half to end with five goals and another stunning pack mark.

The home crowd proved to be a significant factor after the Tigers opened up a seven-point lead at the final break.


Best:
Richmond: D Martin D Connors J Riewoldt C Newman D Jackson S Tuck K Moore.
Fremantle: A Sandilands K Bradley M Pavlich A McPhee D Mundy.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/fremantle-leads-injury-hit-tigers/story-e6frf9jf-1225890219287

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and from the FOX sports site (includes a ripper highlights vid)

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27389261-5018851,00.html?from=public_rss

Richmond continue winning ways with 19-point victory over Fremantle
By Adam Cooper
July 10, 2010 .Richmond overcame injuries and a half-time deficit to post another stirring AFL win and inflict a major blow on top-four aspirants Fremantle at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

Down by 11 points at the major break and with two players gone for the game, the Tigers responded with the only three goals of the third term and held firm in a titanic last quarter to prevail 15.10 (100) to 11.15 (81).

Jack Riewoldt kicked five goals to take his season tally to 58, putting him further ahead on the league's goal-kicking chart, while young gun Dustin Martin capped a great game with a banana kick goal on the run when the game was in the balance.

Richmond's win was their fourth in succession and came after they stormed home to beat Sydney at the MCG last Sunday.

The Dockers missed a golden chance to shore up their spot in the top four and left them still with some work to do if they are to earn the double chance in the finals.

Richmond began brightly by holding their own in a shoot-out of a first quarter, but were reduced to 20 men in the second term when forward Ben Griffiths hurt a shoulder and onballer Ben Nason was cut across the cheek when he collided heads with teammate Jake King.

While the Richmond bench resembled a pit crew, the Dockers pounced with the last two goals of the half.

But where the Richmond of six weeks ago would have wilted, these Tigers regained their energy and dash and added goals through Riewoldt and Matt White, even though he suffered a poke in the eye in the celebrations.

In a frantic final quarter Fremantle drew level but squandered their chances when Aaron Sandilands and Stephen Hill missed regulation set shots midway through the quarter.

Riewoldt broke the deadlock with a goal after being awarded a free and 50-metre penalty because of an infringement on the Fremantle bench, as Hayden Ballantyne incorrectly ran outside the interchange line.

Martin and Andrew Collins followed up with goals in a magnificent win for Richmond, given they also had Jeromey Webberley (leg) and Angus Graham, poleaxed in two bumps, sore on the bench.

Daniel Connors, Daniel Jackson and skipper Chris Newman were also great for the Tigers, while Matthew Pavlich and Kepler Bradley (three goals each) and Sandilands in the ruck were Fremantle's best.

But Jackson's game was marred through a report in an off-the-ball incident involving Ballantyne, which resulted in a 50-metre penalty and a goal to Adam McPhee.

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey said the Dockers paid a heavy price for their missed set shots and mistakes.

"We had a couple of issues, goal kicking was one of them, missed tackles was another and turnovers by hand or foot," he said.

"Richmond lost one or two players before halftime but we allowed them to get back into the game through those three things."

Tigers coach Damien Hardwick was thrilled his side beat a side vying for the premiership, and the fight his players showed.

"I thought it was testament to our playing group, the bravery they showed to be down two troops before halftime," he said.

"It was just outstanding in the end, the mental strength to get through that was very, very good.

"So full credit to our guys."

AAP

[one-eyed]

Richmond shows how footy should be played
WAtoday
July 12, 2010 - 11:24AM


To borrow a phrase from The Simpsons, things sure are coming up Milhouse for Tigers fans.

Finally, they're rejoicing.

Who woulda thunk it?

After nine straight losses to start the season, every bookmaker in the country had the Tigers' odds-on favourities to finish with the wooden spoon.

Worse still for the folk at Punt Road, some of them even opened markets for Richmond to go through 22 rounds without a win.

But how things can change within a short period of time in the world of sport.

Richmond fans all around the country should be smiling and coming to work, school, the shops, even church, armed with a spring in their steps with five wins from the past six games.

The back of their necks will no longer be strained. Fans can hold their heads up high. The view looks good, doesn't it?

If you watched Saturday night's epic clash between a rejuvenated Richmond and top-four aspirant Fremantle - regardless of your team - and didn't get goosebumps or feel a spine-tingling sensation when the best club song in the AFL reverberated around the ground, then something must be wrong with you.

When is the last time a team song has been sung with such gusto, enthusiasm, pride and sheer joy by about 25,000 long-suffering people?

That was the war cry of a fan base which for so long has been starved of success.

You have to go back to 1980 for Richmond's last premiership and since then - bar a few seasons - it's all been about despair, frustration, anger, false hope and being resigned to the fact their team is the laughing stock of the AFL.

This culminated one time in a Tigers fan dumping manure outside the club offices at Punt Road Oval several years back.

But miracles can happen, and with the likes of Jack Riewoldt - who has emerged as Richmond's goalkicking saviour post Matthew Richardson - Brett Deledio, Shane Tuck, Trent Cotchin, inspirational skipper Chris Newman, Daniel Connors and Dustin Martin in the team, coach Damien Hardwick has been able to drill into the players' mindsets that if they keep at it, the rewards will come.

(Who knew Connors recently finished serving an eight-match ban for his antics at a Sydney hotel with the form he is showing?)

Of late, they've been playing with the intensity, pride, passion and accountability for one another that perhaps some teams - particularly one - could learn a thing or two off.

They are putting in the effort, and have developed a steely resolve that the game - or season - ain't over till it's over when things are tough. Look at the comeback last weekend against Sydney when the Tiges' looked all but gone heading into the last change.

And on Saturday night against the Dockers, this coming in the same week its most highly-publicised player went into hospital.

The Richmond of old would have been rattled by such dramas, but the professionalism of the new administration at Tigerland in dealing with the Ben Cousins' matter has found its way through to the playing group.

And the result? A gutsy 19-point win over the fourth-placed team in the AFL.

It was a superb physical and downright bruising encounter that epitomised what Australian football should be all about.

And for good measure, throw in the controversial final quarter interchange gaffe by the Dockers that handed Riewoldt a crucial goal that broke the deadlock.

The Hawthorn-Geelong clash was always going to be the match of the round but with a team desperate to show it could still win without Michael Barlow and three experienced defenders against a side brimming with confidence and a newfound sense of belief and a mobilised army of blood-hungry fans on its side, Saturday night at Docklands was always going to be an intriguing battle.

And it didn't disappoint. Richmond showed Fremantle is not quite up there with the likes of the Cats, St Kilda - which was the last team to beat Richmond - and Collingwood in terms of having that killer instinct in crunch games.

While the Tigers have been able to shed some of its past misgivings, Fremantle on the other hand went back to the Dockers of old on occasions with some costly mistakes.

This was punctuated by Fremantle's inability to trouble the goals column on the scoreboard - particularly late on when milestone man Aaron Sandilands and Stephen Hill both missed simple set shots that could have iced proceedings.

And let's not forget their first goalless quarter of the season in the third, as the Dockers could only muster four scoring shots compared to the Tigers' 3.4.

But in the biggest achievement of mental strength, Richmond was able to push on and more than match Freo even with Ben Griffiths (shoulder) and Ben Nason (cut cheek and blurred vision after colliding with teammate Jake King) sidelined before half time for the remainder of the game.

Also, Matt White had to play with virtually only one eye after a goal celebration turned sour when he received a nasty poke.

The Tigers may have left it too late for a run at the top eight but they are set to play a big role in the make-up of the ladder come the end of the season with their refreshing, spirited and passionate brand of team football.

And pride for the yellow-and-black jumper.

Richmond fans can stop pinching themselves now. It's not a dream.

http://www.watoday.com.au/afl/blogs/western-eyes/richmond-shows-how-footy-should-be-played/20100711-105cz.html?rand=1278890176910