AFL 2020: Richmond moves into top four with scrappy win against Fremantle

Michael Walters has not had much of an influence since returning from injury and it was clear he was frustrated against the Tigers. The star Docker let his emotions out at half-time, but who was it directed at?

Matt Turner

@mattturner1986

6 min read

September 3, 2020 - 12:25PM

Dustin Martin of the Tigers and Reece Conca of the Dockers scuffle.

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Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says his team looked jaded after four games in 16 days but managed to tough out a “frustrating” win against Fremantle.

The Dockers gave the Tigers a scare, closing to within six points at three-quarter time and it was during that break that Hardwick gave his side an uncharacteristic spray to try to spark his side.

“It was a frustrating game and it was tough,” Hardwick said.

“Freo play a style of game that’s very safe with the ball offensively, which makes it a slow game.

“We’ve played four games in 16 days and I thought our boys looked a little jaded.

“We got belted around the ball.

“We sort of asked for a lift at three-quarter time and they responded.

“I was yelling and it’s not something that we like to do, but we just needed a little bit of a spark and we didn’t have the energy or zest we normally do, so I needed to provide a little bit of that.

“We always know we’re going to have a down game, the positive for us we didn’t play anywhere near as well as we would’ve liked but we got the four points.”

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Dustin Martin played his quietest game of the year, and his frustration boiled over.

Hardwick said Kane Lambert (hip) and Dylan Grimes (hamstring) would likely return for the crunch game against fellow premiership contender Geelong on September 11, after the Tigers’ bye.

The Tigers pinched second spot from the Cats on Wednesday night, setting up a top-four showdown.

“They are a terrific side, well-drilled, well coached and operate incredibly efficiently, so we’re going to have our work cut out, no doubt,” Hardwick said.

“We’ll have a couple of days break then try to dissect them.

“It’s going to be a cracking game.”

Shane Edwards, who flew into Queensland this week after the birth of his first child, and David Astbury (knee) are in line to return against the Crows in Round 18, but Hardwick said Dion Prestia wouldn’t been seen until the finals.

SCRATCHY TIGERS JUST DO ENOUGH

Just when it looked like Richmond was purring again, the Tigers almost hit a surprise speed bump.

The reigning premier played poorly for long periods of the game against a plucky, 14th-placed Fremantle but did enough to prevail by 27 points at Metricon Stadium on Wednesday night.

In many ways, the Dockers deserved to win and they had plenty of chances to cause one of the upsets of the season.

The final margin was harsh on Fremantle.

It won the clearances 38-19 and contested possessions 112-108, dominated large chunks of the second and third terms, and was within seven points with nine minutes to go.

But the Dockers could not make the most of their chances.

They were brave to cut a 19-point halftime margin to six at the last break and Richmond coach Damien Hardwick clearly was not happy with what he had seen, at one stage walking out of the coaches box and looking animated in the three-quarter time huddle and challenging his side for a response.

It took a goal after a nice mark from Jack Riewoldt then another from Jack Higgins to give Richmond the breathing space it needed to get over the line and make it six wins from its past seven matches.

QUIET TIGERS

Reece Conca was able to curtail his former teammate Dustin Martin, restricting him to just 11 touches – his lowest number since Round 21, 2013.

Martin played forward for long periods but was thrown in to the midfield when Fremantle cut the margin to seven points after consecutive goals during the third term.

He struggled to have an impact and Conca’s attention frustrated the Tigers champ at times.

Shai Bolton (12) also had little influence on the contest.

Reece Conca brings down Dustin Martin. Picture: Michael Klein

INEFFICIENCY HURTS

If you looked at the scoreboard, you might have thought Richmond dominated the match and particularly the second quarter, when it kept Fremantle goalless and booted two majors itself.

But the Dockers led the inside 50 count 10-7 for the term, dominated general play straight after the break and should have kicked at least a couple of majors.

Instead, Matt Taberner booted a behind and one kick out on the full and, as good as Nat Fyfe was all night, the Fremantle skipper was also guilty of inaccuracy.

Richmond took its chances through Kamdyn McIntosh and Tom Lynch to extend its lead from eight points at the first break to 19 at halftime, in what proved a pivotal period of the game.

Michael Walters tries to bring down Tiger Ivan Soldo. Picture: Michael Klein

GOING COLD

Michael Walters has not had as much of an influence since returning from injury, but he is not playing the same role as the first part of the campaign.

Walters spent 68 per cent of his time in the midfield from Rounds 1-8 before being sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Before Wednesday night’s game, his split had been 11 per cent on the ball and 89 per cent in attack since returning to the side in Round 12.

Walters was forward for the majority of the match against the Tigers and had his moments but finished with 10 disposals and two clearances.

He kicked his first goal since Round 5 when he hit the scoreboard at the start of the third term and then was thrust into the middle to begin in the last quarter.

But he appeared to show his frustration with a message towards the crowd, or possibly the Dockers’ coach’s box, after the halftime siren.

What do we think? #Walters #AFLTigersFreo pic.twitter.com/kt6flM8QFl
— Tim Rosen (@timrosen35) September 2, 2020

Michael Walters again spent the majority of the match in attack, rather than the midfield, where he played mostly during the first half of the season before being sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Longmuir said the Dockers needed Walters in attack so they could be more dangerous in their front half.

“He’s a 40-goal-a-year small forward and our midfield tonight was dominant, especially from clearance,” he said.

“We need to work with him to try to get him into the game and try to create opportunities for him to get to work a bit more.

“Our forward line looks really congested at times … and he needs a bit more space.

“We’ll keep working to try to create and find the right role for him because we need him having more of an impact on games.”

QUEENSLAND PRIDE

On a day when Queensland was announced the grand final host this year, Richmond grinded its way to a 14th straight in the sunshine state.

The Tigers were not at their best but they have managed to remain unbeaten in Queensland since losing to Gold Coast in Round 1, 2014.

LONGMUIR: WE DIDN’T CASH IN ON CLEARANCES

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir says the final margin of 27 points was not an accurate reflection of a game in which his team battled hard but did not take its opportunities.

Longmuir lamented his side’s inability to turn a dominance clearance count into scoreboard pressure and said it had been an ongoing issue all season.

“Especially in the second and third quarter, I thought we should’ve made more of our opportunities and the scoreboard probably shouldn’t have looked like it did at three-quarter time,” Longmuir said.

“In the second quarter … we missed shots we should’ve kicked and just our connection inside 50 (was poor).

Nat Fyfe wins the ball out of the middle. Picture: Michael Klein

“We haven’t quite got that craft forward of centre yet to capitalise on the hard work.

“That last piece of the puzzle is letting us down.

“The last six weeks, even though we’ve had some good wins in that period, I still think we haven’t capitalised on our dominance and we didn’t do that tonight.

“Against good teams, you need to.

“They got their game going in the last quarter, they went to another level and we couldn’t match them.”

Longmuir would not give his players the excuse of potentially being fatigued.

“We hung in there but they got on top in the contest … that created opportunities for them forward of centre and they took them,” the first-year coach said.

Longmuir said Reece Conca’s job to limit ex-teammate Dustin Martin to just 11 disposals was “outstanding and I thought he did it by the book”.

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SCOREBOARD

RICHMOND 2.2 4.3 4.4 8.8 (56)

def.

FREMANTLE 1.0 1.2 3.4 4.5 (29)

GOALS

Tigers: Lynch 3, Graham, McIntosh, Aarts, Riewoldt, Higgins.