Richmond stormed home but ran out of time after giving up a big early lead to huge AFLW underdog Fremantle at Ikon Park.Ronny Lerner
HeraldSun
September 29, 2023 - 3:28PMFremantle has kept in touch with the AFLW top eight after staving off a fast-finishing Richmond and hanging on for a thrilling upset seven-point victory on Friday.
The Dockers headed into the match as rank underdogs without injured star duo Kiara Bowers (knee) and Ebony Antonio (knee), but they defied the odds to run out 5.7 (37) to 4.6 (30) winners.
By the time Makaela Tuhakaraina kicked her second goal, a magnificent snap shot on the run from 30m out, the Dockers were up by 26 points early in the third period.
But just as Freo looked to be cruising to victory, Richmond roared to life, booting the last three goals of the game to get back within seven points.
The Tigers’ tackling pressure rose significantly and they sharpened up their ball use against the waning Dockers in 28-degree heat at Ikon Park.
Richmond had all the momentum in the final quarter, but they were their own worst enemy in front of goal. Mon Conti missed a snap shot from 20m out on the run, and shortly after, Caitlin Greiser’s soccer attempt from the goalsquare went the wrong side of the goalpost.
With seven minutes remaining, Courtney Jones had the chance to get Richmond within two points, but her set shot from just 15m out went across the face of goal.
Then with two minutes remaining, tall Tiger Poppy Kelly dropped a sitter on the half-back line and from the ensuing turnover, Tuhakaraina marked 40m out from goal, allowing her to chew up valuable time when the Tigers should’ve been pushing forward again.
Richmond had one last roll of the dice with 1:13 remaining, but Gabby Seymour’s deep kick into the forward line was marked by Fremantle’s Aine Tighe.
Richmond’s pressure was fierce all day, as they out-tackled Fremantle 82-59, but the Dockers held sway in clearances (32-25) and contested possessions (117-109).
Tighe was her team’s best player once again, finishing with 19 disposals and a goal, while captain Hayley Miller was also influential with 17 touches and a goal.
For the Tigers, Conti produced another brilliant performance that saw her record 30 possessions (16 contested), nine tackles and nine clearances, and she was well supported by the ever-improving Kate Dempsey, who had 24 disposals.
The loss was compounded for Richmond by Sarah Hosking injuring her hamstring in the final quarter.
TIGERS AMBUSHEDFremantle got off to a barnstorming start, kicking the first four goals, and made Richmond pay for its early inefficiency up forward after the hosts led the inside-50s 8-4 at one stage.
From that point, the Dockers had the next 11 forward entries as their lead stretched to 27 points late in the second quarter.
And if Gabby O’Sullivan (twice) and Aine Tighe didn’t hit the post, that lead would’ve been much larger.
Such was Fremantle’s domination of territory that it took the Tigers 11 minutes to enter their forward 50 for the first time in the second term.
The lack of pressure on Fremantle’s midfielders was telling and a converted set shot from Bethany Lynch with nine seconds remaining in the second term saved Richmond from the ignominy of a goalless first half.
DOCKERS’ PERFECT STARTMiller set the tone early for the Dockers, kicking their first goal in spectacular fashion as her quick snap off one step from 35m out, while being vigorously pushed off balance by Katelyn Cox, floated home.
Three minutes later, Tighe produced a magnificent snap shot around the corner from 45m out which snuck home to extend their lead to 12 points.
Jones had the chance to halt Fremantle’s early momentum at the 13-minute mark of the first term, but her snap shot after marking 20m out was terrible and didn’t make the distance on the full before bouncing through for a minor score.
FREO IN THE FRAMEThe result enhances Fremantle’s chances of a return to the finals, but the Dockers are not out of the woods yet. With a 3-2 record, they will still probably have to win three of their last five matches to qualify, and with heavyweights Melbourne and North Melbourne still in their run home, as well as Geelong (away), they still have the job ahead of them.
Meanwhile, Richmond (3-2) missed a chance to keep in touch with the top four and could find themselves out of the top eight by the end of the round. They too will likely need another three wins to make the finals, and with fellow top-eight sides Gold Coast, Essendon and Geelong still to come, they’ll be made to earn it.
Scoreboard
TIGERS 0.1, 1.2, 3.3, 4.6 (30)
DOCKERS 3.0, 4.5, 5.6, 5.7 (37)
LERNER’S BESTTigers: Conti, Dempsey, Egan, Greiser, Sheerin, Seymour.
Dockers: Tighe, Miller, Stannett, O’Sullivan, Scanlon, Tuhakaraina, Strom.
GOALSTigers: Lynch, Brennan, Jones, Greiser.
Dockers: Tuhakaraina 2, Miller, Tighe, O’Sullivan.
INJURIESTigers: S.Hocking (hamstring).
Dockers: Roxy Roux replaced Ebony Antonio (knee) in Fremantle’s selected side.
Umpires: Jankovskis, Laycock, Nippress
Venue: Ikon Park
https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/aflw/aflw-round-5-all-the-scores-news-from-the-aflw-week/news-story/f8863cf1db4df5c46dcc400006314c94
