David Mundy nails goal after the siren to give Fremantle a crucial win against Richmond

RICHMOND fans had seen it before and they copped another dagger through the heart as David Mundy delivered Fremantle a memorable win after the siren at the MCG.

IT was the return of the ‘‘old’’ Richmond.

The Richmond that lost seven of its last nine games in 2016. The Richmond that didn’t know how to close out close games.

The “new’’ Richmond was the talk of the town at Round 5.

Sitting third on the ladder with a 5-0 record, Damien Hardwick’s side was brimming with confidence after the club made its best start to a season in 22 years.

It was all aboard the Tiger Train.

“We never get ahead of ourselves, but it’s worth a thought the yellow and black could now go through a season undefeated,” Richmond legend Kevin Bartlett said at the time.

How quickly things can change at Tigerland.

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Pathetic for three quarters against Fremantle, the Tigers decided to flick the switch in a final term they dominated.

A Brandon Ellis snap in congestion gave Richmond a four-point lead with 21 seconds left on the clock and a ­Mother’s Day crowd of 31,200 fans, who had little to cheer about in a dire first half, suddenly found voice.

Then came the mother of all turnarounds, in typical ‘‘old’’ Richmond style.

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon had already walked out of the coach’s box, believing the game was over.

David Mundy reacts to kicking the winning goal. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“With 21 seconds to go, I’d like to be down there to pick up the pieces,” Lyon said.

While Lyon was in the lift heading down to ground level, Lachie Neale sharked the ruck hitout, ran clear of the contest and speared the ball towards a leading David Mundy, who marked in the forward pocket.

Kicking after the siren, Mundy slotted the goal from 30m on a tight angle to put a dagger through the hearts of the Richmond fans, who had seen it all before.

It was the infamous Karmichael Hunt game of 2012 all over again.

Richmond led Gold Coast by four points when the ball was bounced in the centre with 25 seconds to go in that match, only to throw away the premiership points as Hunt slotted a goal after the siren.

David Mundy kicks the winning goal. Picture: AAP

Richmond has now won just one quarter in each of its past three games. Its season is quickly unravelling.

A hungry side that played with confidence and turned up the heat on opposition teams in the opening rounds, the ­Tigers had only eight tackles in the third quarter yesterday and went goalless as Fremantle opened a 31-point lead at three-quarter time.

The first two quarters had not been much better, either, with the home side continually turning over the ball and managing just six scoring shots from 22 inside-50s in a terrible opening half of football from which highlights were hard to find.

David Mundy is mobbed by Fremantle players. Picture: AAP Images

Hardwick must have provided an inspiring speech at the final change, for the Tigers looking a completely different side in the last term.

They had kicked 5.5 to 0.1 for the quarter when the final siren sounded, and the ­inside-50 count was a lopsided 18-4.

But Mundy ensured Fremantle scored a fifth win in six weeks as Richmond was left soul-searching before a daunting clash with premiership fancy Greater Western Sydney on Saturday afternoon.

Lyon said that he missed the final passage of play as he headed to his team’s changeroom.

But Lyon was confident about Mundy’s chances of success as he watched the kick on a TV screen deep in the bowels of the stadium.

“I thought, ‘He’s done this before, David. He’ll probably do it again’,” Lyon said.

“To handle that sort of pressure — he’s been wonderful this year in a new role forward and midfield.”