FREMANTLE suffered a disappointing loss on a hot Sunday afternoon at Subiaco Oval, falling to an inspired Richmond side by 64 points.

The side struggled to match the Tigers’ free-running and intensity, losing 10.13 (73) to 20.17 (137).

Richmond spearhead Matthew Richardson kicked four goals despite playing much of the game on the wing, while Nathan Foley and Kane Johnson were damaging across the centre.

For Fremantle, good players were much harder to find, with Luke McPharlin trying hard in a forward line that suffered from patchy delivery, Peter Bell - playing his 277th match, equalling former Collingwood great Wayne Richardson as the most capped WA player in VFL/AFL history – worked as tirelessly as ever, while tall utility Daniel Gilmore and newcomer Chris Mayne showed good hands and football nous.

Both teams were hit early when Fremantle's Chris Tarrant and Dean Solomon and Richmond's Luke McGuane had a three-way collision that saw McGuane leave the field with an injured left shoulder and Solomon leave on the medicart.

Solomon returned after half time and finished with 13 touches.

Before the game, Michael Johnson was omitted due to calf soreness and replaced by fellow tall Robbie Warnock.

Fremantle went into the game as the lowest-priced favourites of the weekend, but never looked likely to reward punters’ faith.

Richmond clearly had the better of the first term, although they should have made more of their advantage, with 93 disposals to 63.

At the first break the margin was just 16 points.

Mitch Morton kick-started the second term with a great snap off his right foot on the right pocket, but Jeff Farmer replied, winning a contest on the point post that the Tigers should have forced through.

Matthew Pavlich then made the most of a soft free against Kelvin Moore for in the back, and when McPharlin ran into an open goal after good work from the exciting Mayne and Ryan Crowley, the margin was back to just 10 points.

But the Tigers responded through Richardson and then Brown goaling on the run from 25, and the margin was 28 points at half time.

Pavlich got his second in the third quarter, but Richard Tambling’s snap from 15 and a goal to Deledio after more good work from Richardson made the margin 40 points at the last change.

Bell got the first of the last to give Freo some hope, but Richardson was the recipient of a handball from Polak after a terrific mark, then Shane Edwards kicked one from 10 metres.

Pavlich then got his third goal from a free kick, but Tambling then curled another home from 30 off the outside of his right boot before Hyde, Tuck and Tambling with his third put the result beyond doubt.

Fremantle faces a tough task next week with a trip to AAMI Stadium to play the Crows.

Richmond       5.7   10.11   14.13    20.17 (137)
Fremantle       3.3   6.7   8.9   10.13 (73)

GOALS
Richmond: Richardson 4, Tambling 3, Hyde 3, Morton 2, Brown 2, Newman, Polak, McMahon, Deledio, Edwards, Tuck
Fremantle: Pavlich 3, McPharlin 2, Tarrant, Mayne, Farmer, Crowley, Bell

BEST
Richmond: Richardson, Foley, Johnson, Brown, Simmonds, McMahon, Tambling
Fremantle: Bell, Gilmore, Pavlich, McPharlin, Mayne

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Fila, Ellis, Keating

Official crowd: 37,541 at Subiaco Oval

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the clubs or the AFL.