Media articles & stats: Tough Tigers hold off charging Dockers in wet

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Tough Tigers hold off charging Dockers in wet

By Nathan Schmook
afl.com.au
10 June 2023 11pm

FREMANTLE    1.3    4.4      8.9     10.10 (70)
RICHMOND     4.3    6.7    11.10    12.13 (85)

GOALS
Fremantle: Amiss 4, Walters 2, Treacy, Sturt, Fyfe, Brayshaw
Richmond: Short 3, Taranto 2, Riewoldt 2, Ross, Nankervis, Mansell, Clarke

BEST
Fremantle: Serong, Amiss, Brayshaw, Aish, Johnson, Jackson
Richmond: Bolton, Taranto, Nankervis, Martin, Short, Cotchin, Prestia

INJURIES
Fremantle: Aish (head knock)
Richmond: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Michael Walters (replaced Bailey Banfield in the third quarter)
Richmond: Hugo Ralphsmith (replaced Tylar Young in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 46,843 at Optus Stadium

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RICHMOND has launched a revival under new coach Andrew McQualter, travelling to Optus Stadium and knocking over a red-hot Fremantle by 15 points to breathe new life into its season.

The Tigers built an early lead and then saw off a spirited fightback from the Dockers, thriving in the slippery conditions to win 12.13 (85) to 10.10 (70) and secure back-to-back wins.

They were made to fight their way right to the end, with brilliant midfielder Shai Bolton kicking the Tigers' only goal of the final term with nine seconds to play after the Dockers cut the margin to seven points early in the quarter.

The home team could not get the crucial goal it needed to move within final striking distance, however, with Ethan Hughes' long bomb late in the quarter shaving the post before a tense goal review.

Trailing by 36 points late in the third quarter, the Dockers had all the momentum late in the game and kicked six of the last eight goals after being ignited by veterans Michael Walters and Nat Fyfe.

It was fitting, however, that Bolton closed the match with his goal after a masterful performance in the conditions, using his skill and speed to surge the Tigers forward all night with 33 disposals and 11 inside 50s.

Midfield recruit Tim Taranto was also excellent, doing his best work in the first half to set up the Tigers' early lead and giving them a crucial edge at the coalface with 35 disposals, seven clearances and two goals.

Overall, the Tigers were defensively organised, executed the basics consistently under pressure, and then attacked with speed when they had the opportunity.

Fremantle will rue its inability to handle the wet conditions when rain set in, overusing the ball at times and making some poor decisions coming out of the backline.

A chance to move into the top eight was lost, with the Dockers' four-game winning run now over, having lost the contested ball (150-138) and clearances (47-40) for the first time in weeks.

Richmond gave Fremantle an early lesson in taking your chances, weathering the Dockers' early momentum – which yielded just one goal from nine inside 50s – before pouncing.

The Tigers kicked four unanswered goals when they had their turn on top, with long-kicking defender Jayden Short's back-to-back bombs from outside 50m the highlight.

After Tim Taranto snapped accurately out of congestion – adding a goal to his 12 first-quarter disposals – the Tigers had an 18-point lead at the first break and a blueprint to victory.

Executing the basics and being too cute with the ball had let Fremantle down in the first quarter and they adjusted to an extent in the second, looking to surge the ball forward when there were opportunities.

Back-to-back goals from Jye Amiss, including one after a brilliant contested mark, cut the margin to 11 points as heavy rain started to fall, but the Tigers were still enjoying an edge in the groundball battle.

Taranto has a habit of thriving in the wet and he showed what was required late in the quarter when he kept his feet as others tumbled, kicking his second goal off the ground.

A 15-point half-time lead looked like only growing as they booted four unanswered goals to launch the third term.

But Fremantle then made its move, with Fyfe kicking a magical goal from the pocket on his right foot and substitute Walters adding back-to-back goals either side of three-quarter time.

The early failings were too much to overcome, however, as Richmond secured a significant win that will do plenty for the team's belief under a new coach.

A Tiger great
It was fitting that triple-premiership teammate Dustin Martin was the one to launch the ball inside 50 for Jack Riewoldt's 778th goal, which moved the veteran equal with VFL/AFL legend Kevin Bartlett on the Tigers' all-time goalkicking list. A three-time Coleman medallist and 11-time leading goalkicker at his club, Riewoldt now sits behind Jack Titus (970 goals) and Matthew Richardson (800), with the 34-year-old a chance to catch the latter by the end of the season. Riewoldt had a close battle with Alex Pearce on Saturday night, finishing with two goals that were both delivered by Martin.

Rucks go their own way
With No.1 big man Sean Darcy watching on with a hamstring injury, the stage was set for Luke Jackson to make the role his own for a night against Toby Nankervis. Two different ruckmen, they each found a way to have a big impact. Nankervis controlled around-the-ground stoppages while Jackson got dangerous in general play with 23 disposals. The young Docker made a habit of getting free inside 50 but wasted a golden opportunity in the third quarter from close range. Inaccuracy and Nankervis' weight of numbers meant the big Tiger took the points in an entertaining battle.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/946415/tough-tigers-hold-off-charging-dockers-in-wet

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Fremantle Dockers’ attritional defeat to Richmond impacts finals chances, casts spotlight on key players

If Fremantle miss the finals, this is a loss they will come to regret. MARK DUFFIELD analyses Richmond’s ’trench warfare’ win.

Mark Duffield
West Australian
June 10, 2023 - 11:19PM

Shai Bolton, take a bow. Richmond’s heir apparent to Dustin Martin as Richmond’s best player produced a stunning 14 disposal last quarter to guide his team to a thrilling win over Fremantle.

In the process of keeping his club’s season alive, he delivered a significant blow to Fremantle’s chances of back-to-back finals campaigns.

The punctuation mark came with seconds left when Bolton climbed over a pack on the goal line to take the mark that enabled him to milk the clock, kick a goal and ice the game with the Tigers 15 points to the good.

Fremantle weren’t disgraced. But they didn’t deserve to win this. Richmond had gotten control of the game at the midway point of the first term, won the contest until the midway point of the third term, lost their way for about a quarter but then reasserted themselves when Fremantle got close enough to seriously threaten.

If Fremantle miss finals they will wonder for a long time about home losses to North Melbourne in round two and the Tigers in this one.

They didn’t handle Richmond’s trench warfare well through the middle section of the game.

The Tigers may be more beatable now than they were at their peak, but they still don’t beat themselves. They embraced the chaos at a wet Optus Stadium and they managed the slippery ball much better than the Dockers for the bulk of the game.

Fremantle had their chances in the opening term – they just weren’t high percentage chances. Jye Amiss, Josh Treacy and Matt Johnson all missed from out around the fifty metre range. Given the same opportunity at the other end, Jayden Short made two long shots count to give the Tigers great impetus.

The other thing that gave Richmond great first quarter impetus was their edge in the contest. They ran harder to create out-numbers, they won the first quarter contested possession count by 11. And while the Dockers had good numbers at centre square stoppage to get first looks at inside fifties, they couldn’t hold the ball in. Richmond won around the ground stoppages handsomely and cashed in with quick and decisive inside fifty entries.

It added up to a three-goal lead to the visitors at quarter time and a toehold in the game.

Liam Baker was a first term star and won a number of 50-50 balls at ground level, wriggling out of tackles. Short’s aggressive finish put the score on the board.

The Dockers dug in for a fight in the second term. But with the rain hitting mid-term, this was now effectively a game played on Richmond’s home turf despite the venue being Optus Stadium – ground level, trench warfare.

Get the outnumber, get the ball forward, making it pretty is a luxury you can’t afford.

The Dockers did reasonably well to hang in the game. They got three second quarter goals thanks to the clever Amiss who kicked two. Sam Sturt who was playing an important game in the context of his stuttering career slotted a difficult set shot from deep in the pocket and also delivered the ball deep and to the goalside of Amiss for one of his two goals.

The Dockers were getting forward fifty entries but the Tigers were still winning stoppages and contested possession. And they also had the best player on the ground in the first half.

Dogged Tim Taranto went to the main break with 23 disposals and two goals including an ingenious soccer from the square that created something from nothing in the second term.

They had a very good ruckman in Toby Nankervis who was winning his ruck battle with Luke Jackson 27-18 in hit outs. Nankervis plonked his big body under the ball and made Jackson work around him. Don’t put Sean Darcy on the trade table just yet, folks.

Jackson got to work in the third term and to his credit showed why he was signed on a seven-year deal. His work at centre square stoppages helped the Dockers get on top in that area and led to a late quarter rally which saw them kick four of the last five goals of the term.

But they had to. Jack Riewoldt had booted two goals for the term, Short had added a bomb from outside of the fifty metre arc and Nankervis had had another crucial stoppage win – getting Jackson out of the way at a forward pocket throw in – for an unlikely ruckman’s goal.

At one stage Richmond led by 36 points and the game looked all but gone.

Fremantle’s late surge at least closed the gap to 19.

They were aided by a greater level of collective grunt and they got on even terms with the Tigers at the contest. Matt Johnson, Caleb Serong, Nathan Fyfe and Andrew Brayshaw all got busy in support of an improving Jackson. They also got some individual acts of brilliance to keep them in it on the scoreboard.

There was a brilliant mark and goal from Josh Treacy. There was a brilliant snap from the pocket from Fyfe. And there were several clever moments from Michael Walters before he drew a free kick from Nathan Broad before he kicked the goal that got the Dockers back within striking distance.

Amiss kicked a fourth goal in the last but the Tigers defenders held firm and held their feet at critical moments.

https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/fremantle/fremantle-dockers-attritional-defeat-to-richmond-impacts-finals-chances-casts-spotlight-on-key-players/news-story/1e80f4637c44060f85f8b7bd3321cfc2

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Shai Bolton shines as Tigers beat Dockers in the wet

Justin Chadwick
AAP
Sat, 10 June 2023 10:37PM

Fremantle have been robbed of a crucial late goal as a Shai Bolton masterclass inspired Richmond to an upset 15-point AFL victory at a wet and slippery Optus Stadium in Perth.

The Tigers led by 36 points midway through the third quarter of Saturday night's clash, before Fremantle booted six of the next seven goals to reduce the margin to seven points early in the final term.

With just under five minutes remaining, Fremantle defender Ethan Hughes thought he had closed the margin to four points with a spectacular solo effort, but the goal umpire indicated Nathan Broad may have touched it on the line.

Replays showed the ball seemingly going through Broad's hands untouched and missing the post, but the evidence wasn't sufficient enough for the goal review system to overturn the decision.

Richmond held firm in the dying minutes to secure the 12.13 (85) to 10.10 (70) win, keeping their faint finals hopes flickering.

Bolton was the star of the show with 33 disposals, six clearances, 11 inside 50s, one goal and a whopping 920m gained.

Tim Taranto (35 disposals, seven clearances, two goals) and ruckman Toby Nankervis (49 hitouts) were also superb, while Jayden Short booted three goals from outside 50m to set the tone.

For Fremantle, Caleb Serong (31 disposals, nine clearances) and forward Jye Amiss (four goals) were influential, while Nat Fyfe (17 disposals, four clearances, one goal) and supersub Michael Walters (two goals) played key roles in the fightback.

Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said allowing Richmond players to get goalside too often and also taking too long to adapt to the conditions cost his team victory, rather than the Hughes non goal.

"You trust the review gets it right. That's where I will leave it," Longmuir said.

"I got excited as well (when he kicked it). It would have been a handy goal. I am sure they made the right decision.

"I look at what we got wrong as a team. I look at that more than an umpire decision - control what we can control."

Richmond forward Rhyan Mansell could be in strife for a huge bump on James Aish that rattled the Fremantle winger and even knocked his headband off.

Both players were running in opposite directions in a bid to collect a loose ball, and Mansell turned his body at the last moment after Aish got to the ball first.

Jack Graham will also be sweating for his dump tackle on young Docker Matthew Johnson.

Richmond finished the opening term with a four-goal flurry, and they still led by 18 points when a downpour hit the stadium early in the second term.

Fremantle's chances looked dead and buried when Richmond shot out to a 36-point lead midway through the third quarter.

But in a frenetic finish to the term, Fremantle booted four of the next five goals to trim the margin to a manageable 19 points - with Fyfe's goal from the boundary line the highlight.

Goals to Walters and Amiss early in the final quarter set Fremantle up for what would have been a famous come-from-behind victory but Richmond held firm in important moments to seal the win.

https://thewest.com.au/sport/afl/shai-bolton-shines-as-tigers-beat-dockers-in-the-wet-c-10939794