Media articles & stats: Wounded Tigers still prove too strong for Freo

[one-eyed]

Wounded Tigers still prove too strong for Freo

AFL.com.au
Travis King
May 12, 2019 8:36PM

FREMANTLE   3.2       5.3       8.11     12.14 (86)
RICHMOND    4.3       7.4       13.8     17.9 (111)

GOALS
Fremantle: Fyfe 3, Switkowski 2, Hogan 2, Lobb, Taberner, Matera, Mundy, Colyer
Richmond: Bolton 4, Castagna 2, Lynch 2, Lambert, Caddy, Broad, Balta, Baker, Stack, Ellis, McIntosh, Martin

BEST
Fremantle: Fyfe, Lobb, Walters, Mundy, Taberner, Ryan
Richmond: Ellis, Houli, Bolton, Caddy, Grimes, Castagna

INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
Richmond: Nankervis (groin), Ross (ankle)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Margetts, Williamson, Wallace

Official crowd: 42,641 at Optus Stadium

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

ROSS Lyon was right to warn Fremantle about a yellow and black ambush.

The injury-ravaged Tigers were right to believe they could storm Fremantle's fortress.

And despite missing a galaxy of stars, and then suffering game-ending injuries to Toby Nankervis (groin) and Jack Ross (foot) in the first half, Damien Hardwick's men will board the plane home with four points and renewed confidence in their premiership ambitions.

Bouncing back from a Western Bulldogs belting, Richmond launched an early blitzkrieg, held on during the Dockers' fightback and then swarmed all over the men in purple to secure a 17.9 (111) to 12.14 (86) victory at Optus Stadium.

The Tigers' fifth win for the season lifted them back inside the top eight and will have the competition's pacesetters Geelong and Collingwood looking nervously over their shoulders.

Fremantle's defeat leaves plenty of questions hanging over its September credentials, and the loss could be soured with superstar Nat Fyfe set to come under Match Review Officer scrutiny for a high hit on Tom Lynch in the final term.

If Fyfe, who wasn't reported, is suspended his hopes of a second Brownlow Medal would be over and he could miss a winnable trip to face Essendon next Saturday night, potentially opening the door for Connor Blakely to finally return.

Richmond had winners everywhere on Sunday night, none bigger than 13-gamer Shai Bolton, playing his first match in his home state, who bagged four goals and was the firestarter in an electric opening quarter.

Bolton snagged two goals inside eight minutes, bookending under scrutiny recruit Lynch's team-lifter, and set the Tigers on the march to an early 25-point lead.

Fremantle, inspired by early goals to Rory Lobb and Jesse Hogan, rode Fyfe's stunning opening term – featuring 10 disposals, six contested possessions, five clearances, five inside 50s and a major – and levelled the scores early in the second stanza.

What had been a free-flowing contest became an arm-wrestle, with ascendancy dictated by scoring from stoppages, and Fremantle would have expected Richmond to wilt first.

But the undermanned Tigers, who have made an art of wearing opponents down, were sensational after taking a 13-point lead into half-time, booting 10 goals to open up a 44-point lead before Freo added respectability to the scoreboard late.

Plenty of focus was on Lynch after he was labelled a "liability" by former Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd, and the Richmond spearhead responded by beating in-form duo Alex Pearce and Joel Hamling.

Lynch took a massive six contested marks, five grabs inside 50 and booted 2.2 in a strong response, but it was the Tigers' ferocious smalls who brought back memories of their 2017 form.

They were led by Bolton, but Jason Castagna's outstanding back-to-back goals in the third term broke the game open, after Sydney Stack's remarkable inside out torpedo brought the Tiger Army to their feet.

At the other end, Brandon Matera blew some opportunities, booting 1.3 for the third quarter as the Tigers went to the final break up by 27 points and with a foot on Fremantle's throat.

Fyfe, who took the three Brownlow votes in a 77-point loss to Richmond last year, is likely to receive maximum votes again after his stellar 33-disposal, eight-clearance and three-goal effort.

He was supported by midfield stars Michael Walters (27) and David Mundy (27, one goal), while Luke Ryan was rock-solid again down back, but not enough Dockers pulled their weight.

Richmond, though, had contributors everywhere.

Brandon Ellis (25, one goal) and Kane Lambert (27, one) powered a midfield which was beaten 43-32 in clearances but competitive, with Bachar Houli (30) and Dylan Grimes (26) holding up an injury-hit backline in an epic backs-to-the-wall triumph out west.

MEDICAL ROOM

Fremantle: The Dockers seemed to get through unscathed. Luke Ryan landed heavily after a marking contest and was winded but carried on bravely.

Richmond: Tigers ruckman Toby Nankervis limped to the rooms late in the opening term with an apparent groin injury but returned early in the second. However, he didn't play any part after half-time. Jack Ross was the next casualty before half-time after heading to the rooms for treatment on a foot issue which ended his game.

NEXT UP
The Dockers will go to Marvel Stadium confident they can knock off under-performing Essendon next Saturday night, while Richmond hosts Hawthorn in an intriguing MCG clash on Sunday.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-05-12/match-report-fremantle-v-richmond

[one-eyed]

Wounded Tigers pull off stunning Freo ambush

Mark Duffield,
PerthNow/Herald-Sun
13 May 2019

The first thing that Ross Lyon needs to do in the wake of his team’s 25-point loss to Richmond is get a dictionary out and get his players to look up the meaning of the word “ambush”.

Clearly they don’t fully understand it. He had warned about a Tiger ambush all week. And Richmond jumped them anyway on the way to a 17.9 (111) to 12.14 (86) upset.

This was the second great Richmond win interstate and undermanned this year.

The Tigers had done the same to Port Adelaide. If anything, this was more meritorious – no Jack Riewoldt, no Trent Cotchin, no Alex Rance, no Daniel Rioli, no Nick Vlastuin.

They lost ruckman Toby Nankervis and Jack Ross before halftime.

But they beat the Dockers with pace, pressure and method, not manpower.

Brandon Ellis was brilliant, ditto Kane Lambert. Shai Bolton lit up Optus Stadium with his speed and goal sense and finished with four goals.

Fremantle didn’t handle the heat in the midfield or Richmond’s pace on the spread. They coughed the ball up under pressure and then couldn’t get back quickly enough to help their defence. This was Richmond’s surge mentality in all its glory and the Dockers floundered under the heat.

Nat Fyfe finished with 33 disposals and three goals but might also be tribunal-bound after a high forearm clipped Tom Lynch in the last term. David Mundy and Michael Walters battled hard. Brandon Matera created chances but could not take them.

Others, it must be said, found their level and it is not a level that is going to take the team far enough up the ladder.

Back in his home town, Bolton ignited his team with his first 15 minutes, kicking two goals to go with others from Lynch and Lambert. It should have been five Richmond goals, with Liam Baker taking the advantage after Bolton had pulled Luke Ryan in a magnificent tackle to earn a free kick.

Richmond’s surge mentality got the Dockers defence on the back foot and turned around. They didn’t just not cope well, they didn’t cope at all.

But they got steadying goals from Rory Lobb and Jesse Hogan and a third to Fyfe after a massive Nankervis brain fade and 100m penalty when he didn’t give the ball back after a free kick and 50m penalty was paid.

The Dockers held sway for parts of the second term but Richmond still went to halftime with an extended lead because when they went, they went quickly and frequently got out the back of the Dockers’ zone.

They kicked three goals for the term, one from a clumsy hold by Luke Ryan on Josh Caddy in the square.

With Nankervis labouring, the Dockers tried to get Lobb forward more often to stretch the Tigers’ defence. He took a mark but missed the shot. Sam Switkowski nailed a set shot, as did Matt Taberner as too many of Fremantle’s 29 first half inside-50s turned into nothing.

And then in the third term, the Tigers bolted, in name and in play. Balta, seconded into the ruck after Nankervis was forced out of the game, held his own and then some and kicked a remarkable goal after Ryan had falconed himself on the line and kept the ball in play. Bolton continued to burn off the Dockers defence and kicked his third goal.

Jason Castagna circumnavigated Adam Cerra on the boundary line, taking a bounce for dramatic effect and then snapping one of the goals of the year. He added another before the end of the quarter.

The Dockers kicked three of their own up the other end with Hogan adding a second and Matera getting dangerous. But the normally deadly Matera’s radar was off and while he nailed one brilliant snap from the pocket, he missed three easier ones that would have dragged his team closer at the final break.

As it was, Richmond was 27-points clear. They were two men down with Nankervis and Jack Ross off injured, yet they ploughed away with the game anyway.

Fyfe hung his forearm out and clipped Lynch with it in a ground ball contest. Until last Tuesday night that was a week’s suspension. After Gary Ablett and the tribunal on Tuesday night we are no longer sure.

Meanwhile, Bolton kicked his fourth, Dustin Martin got in on the act, so did best afield Ellis and Kamdyn McIntosh.

Fyfe pushed forward himself and kicked three goals but at the end of the day the 25-point margin Richmond held at the end was the same as the 25 points they had jumped the Dockers by at the start.

Mark Duffield’s votes: 3. Brandon Ellis, 2. Kane Lambert, 1. Shai Bolton

BEST

Richmond: Ellis, Lambert, Bolton, Grimes, Houli, Martin, Lynch.

Fremantle: Fyfe, Lobb, Walters, Mundy, Conca, Tucker.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/richmond-beats-injury-odds-to-defeat-fremantle-at-perth-stadium/news-story/ac063c1cb4ae6c0854bf73eadc7c432a

[one-eyed]

Undermanned Tigers pounce on Dockers, Nat Fyfe to face MRO scrutiny

Brad Elborough
The Age
13 May 2019

For most of the game, it was Fremantle who gave their forwards scoring opportunities. The Tigers defence was often under the pump.

But they stood up, led by David Astbury in his first game back from injury, especially in the third term when the Tigers turned a 13 points half-time lead to a 27-point advantage.

Richmond won 17.9 (111) to 12.14 (86) to move to sixth on the AFL ladder.

The Dockers kicked 3.8 in that third term to Richmond’s 6.4; Brandon Matera with 1.3 for the quarter could have been a hero again for Fremantle.
Tigers off to a bolter

The Tigers ambushed Fremantle in the opening quarter.

Just 10 minutes after the siren sounded to start the game, the Tigers had 4.1 on the board and led by that 25 points.

Considering teams had averaged just 65 points per game against Fremantle in the opening seven rounds, it wasn’t a bad start.

Shai Bolton kicked two of the first three majors of the game and would have had another if Liam Baker hadn’t taken advantage after a free kick that was given to Bolton and then hit the goal post.

Richmond were dominating, leading 47-21 in possessions and 20-9 in contested possessions. Fremantle had only gone forward once.

But by quarter-time, the home side had reduced the margin to just seven points and trailed the contested possession count by only one.

Again it was Nat Fyfe who led the Dockers resurgence. At quarter-time he led the field with 10 touches, five clearances and a goal.

Twice the Dockers got the game back on level pegging, but they never led it.

Lynch mob

It could have been a big night out for Lynch. The key forward booted 2.2, but one of those hit the post and two others that he would often nail, failed to register a score.

The Tigers found some unlikely avenues to goal despite having four fewer inside 50s than the Dockers.

Bolton had a total of just five goals in 12 games previous to Sunday before booting a career-best four.

Nathan Broad hadn’t scored one goal in 37 games before this one. His six-pointer just before the half-time siren hurt Fremantle as Jesse Hogan had just stuffed up a chance at the other end.

Makeshift ruckman Noah Balta also produced a six-point highlight, collecting the ball in the goal square after it had rebounded off the face of Fremantle defender Luke Ryan 30 seconds after the start of the second half.

Home sweet home

Despite claiming their second win away from Victoria, Richmond will welcome their return to the MCG next week. Although backing next Sunday against a confident Hawthorn side is going to be no walk in the park.

Damien Hardwick’s list of available players could shrink even further with Toby Nankervis struggling with a groin injury.

The big ruckman was forced into the rooms during the first quarter Dockers and while he returned to the field in the second term, he clearly wasn’t right. He couldn’t run and didn’t take the field after half-time.

Jack Ross also had issues with a sore foot and didn’t play the second half.

Fremantle have a six-day break before meeting a well-rested Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Saturday. A loss in that game might see the Dockers drop out of the top eight for the first time this season.

Fyfe in trouble for hit on Lynch

Brownlow Medal fancy Nat Fyfe is likely to come under scrutiny by the Match Review Officer after a high hit on Richmond’s Tom Lynch on Sunday.

The champion Docker appeared to collect the Tigers key forward in the head with an elbow in the final quarter of the Tigers 25-point win over the Dockers at Optus Stadium on Sunday.

There was no on-ground report made by the umpires.

Fyfe was enjoying another good game personally, despite the battles his team was having.

He finished with a game-high 33 touches, eight clearances and two goals.

The consistency of both Michael Christian and maybe even the tribunal could be tested this week, with head-high hits being looked at a few times over the past couple of weeks.

FREMANTLE 3.2 5.3 8.11 12.14 (86)
RICHMOND 4.3 7.4 13.8 17.9 (111)

GOALS - Fremantle: Fyfe 3, Switkowski 2, Hogan 2, Lobb, Taberner, Matera, Mundy, Colyer
Richmond: Bolton 4, Castagna 2, Lynch 2, Lambert, Caddy, Broad, Balta, Baker, Stack, Ellis, McIntosh, Martin

BEST - Fremantle: N Fyfe, M Walters, D Mundy, R Lobb, R Conca, D Tucker
Richmond: B Houli, D Astbury, S Bolton, B Ellis, K Lambert, K McIntosh

INJURIES- Fremantle: Nil
Richmond: Nankervis (groin), Ross (ankle)

Reports: Nil
Umpires: Margetts, Williamson, Wallace
Crowd: 42,641 at Optus Stadium

VOTES
B Houli (Richmond) 9
D Astbury (Richmond) 8
N Fyfe (Fremantle) 7
S Bolton (Richmond) 7
B Ellis (Richmond) 7

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/undermanned-tigers-pounce-on-dockers-nat-fyfe-to-face-mro-scrutiny-20190512-p51mln.html

[Andyy]

I cannot believe Fyfe got off. That deserved a week for sure. Deliberately raised his arm to elbow TL...

[Assange Tiger 😎]

What would have happened if Lynch got concussed or worse?

Seriously, that's an absolute disgrace. Could have done a lot of damage

Should have got 3 weeks under the Dustin Martin "Could have done god knows what damage" rule

[Tiger Khosh]

What would have happened if Lynch got concussed or worse?

Seriously, that's an absolute disgrace. Could have done a lot of damage

Should have got 3 weeks under the Dustin Martin "Could have done god knows what damage" rule

Don’t forget the Dustin Martin “it looked bad” rule

[Assange Tiger 😎]

[Lozza]

The legal fraternity must be laughing at the MRO when they justify their decisions, they must be so flawed from a legal standpoint.