Richmond underline finals and top four credentials with 104-point demolition of Fremantle

RICHMOND has underlined its top four credentials by completely dominating Fremantle at Subiaco to win by 104 points and in doing so, moved one step closer to the finals double chance.

Jack Riewoldt celebrates with teammate Dan Butler. Picture: Getty

RICHMOND did what it had to, and probably a bit more, and in doing so the Tigers looked like a top-four team.

Whether Richmond does indeed finish there for the first time since 2001 will come down to Sunday’s moment of truth against St Kilda at the MCG.

Listless Fremantle might be hanging out for Mad Monday, but this was a slick, confident and hungry performance from the Tigers in the face of a stern challenge for a top-four finish after Sydney and Port Adelaide had thrown down the gauntlet.

Richmond’s 104-point demolition of the Dockers, 25.5 (155) to 7.9 (51), was brutally efficient. It was their highest score of the season and it was set up in the first half without major contributions from stars Jack Riewoldt and Trent Cotchin.

Riewoldt had just three touches before halftime, while Cotchin was well held by Cam Sutcliffe.

Jack Riewoldt celebrates with teammate Dan Butler. Picture: Getty

Instead, Richmond showed off some of its depth as forgotten Greater Western Sydney recruit Jacob Townsend kicked six goals in a stunning first outing for the Tigers in 14 months.

Riewoldt fought on to finish with four, while Kane Lambert and Dan Butler each got three. There was a goal for debutant Jack Graham and defender Alex Rance even got on the scoresheet.

Irrepressible Dustin Martin imposed himself the longer the game went, finishing with 36 touches, seven clearances and two goals. Importantly, he appeared to keep out of trouble as well.

For Fremantle, everything after quarter-time was ugly and coach Ross Lyon equalled the biggest defeat of his proud coaching career after copping the same triple-figure margin in consecutive weeks.

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The Tigers had a cherished double-chance in the finals to play for and the Dockers nothing, apart from the chance to farewell their Subiaco home ground on a winning note.

Sparked by an early cameo from the returning Harley Bennell, Fremantle looked up for the fight in the early going and held the visitors to just six inside 50s in the opening term.

Bennell had waited 722 days for this game after making his last AFL appearance for Gold Coast in the corresponding round in 2015.

But the gifted 24-year-old had to wait just 13 minutes to put his stamp on his comeback match, slotting his set shot after earning a free kick for holding the ball.

A dejected Hayden Ballantyne after the loss in his milestone game.

He snapped another to have two by quarter time, and in just half an hour Lyon’s endless patience with his troubled star had begun to pay dividends.

The Tigers weren’t having it all their own way, but the opening term would provide the only moments of stress in Damien Hardwick’s coaching box.

Classy Richmond was both efficient and accurate as it pulled clear in the second term, with Lambert getting three goals for the quarter as the Tigers piled on 8.2 to one behind to end the game as a contest.

When Shane Edwards snapped a goal from outside the boundary line 11 minutes into the second quarter, dangerous Richmond had kicked 7.0 from just 11 inside 50 entries.

Hayden Crozier ended a run of nine consecutive goals for the Tigers when he marked and kicked truly 10 minutes into the third term.

However a relentless Richmond kept the foot down, piling on 14 goals to four in the second half.