1. David Mundy does it with a goal after the siren
Richmond looked to have stolen the game when Brandon Ellis put them in front with just 21 seconds remaining after being five goals down at three-quarter time. However Fremantle's Lachie Neale won a clearance and found David Mundy on the lead 20m from goal. He has been here before, but experience doesn't count for much when these shots are taken. The Fremantle champion missed a set shot for goal after the siren against Geelong in round 20, 2014 but this time he went back and slotted the goal despite having shanked every kick he had from the same spot during the warm up. It was the first goal at the city end for the second half. Mundy knows how to put a dagger through Tiger supporters' hearts. It was Mundy who kicked a last-minute goal against Richmond in round 17, 2015.
2. Michael Walters' stunning return
Walters has been an outstanding forward for a long time now, but a slow start to the season has seen him move to the midfield. It has been an inspired move as he looks energised and hungry. On Sunday against the Tigers he dominated, picking up a career high 38 disposals and kicked one goal. He had 15 contested possessions and used the ball well. Walters is courageous and is hard to tackle meaning, and complements the hard workers inside the contest for the Dockers. He had 14 touches in the third quarter and five score involvements when the game was up for grabs.
3. Brad Hill, the running machine
Although he has not attracted the hype of some big-name trades, Hill is shaping as the recruit of the season. He runs up and down the ground to create an option to switch the ball and he also makes the ground wide, which gives the Dockers options when they leave their defence. He had 18 disposals to half-time and given he averages about 450m gained per match, each one is damaging. At times he looked like a boundary umpire such was the speed in which he flew along the boundary to swoop on a throw-in from Aaron Sandilands and kick the ball 40m down the ground.
4. Was it a block or a goal at three-quarter time?
Just seconds before three-quarter time, Richmond's Josh Caddy kicked a long bomb towards the goals with Jack Riewoldt and his Fremantle opponent Joel Hamling contesting the ball. Riewoldt managed to edge Hamling under the ball as it sailed through for a goal. However the umpire paid a free kick against Riewoldt for blocking, and the goal was disallowed. The siren instantly rang as Riewodlt complained. It did not seem so significant at the time but with the margin two points at the end it was a vital decision in determining the result. However the Dockers had their own critical moment too. Brady Grey thought he had snapped a goal in the second quarter and was surprised not only when the umpire signalled a behind but when no review occurred. Dockers' coach Ross Lyon was surprised that behinds are only subject to video reviews if the umpires ask for one, whereas goals are automatically looked at on video.
The Tigers have missed out on a goal on the siren with this decision #AFLTigersFreo pic.twitter.com/POybz75ves
— AFL (@AFL) May 14, 2017
5. The marquee match-up
Richmond's Dustin Martin is a more damaging player than Fremantle's Nathan Fyfe. Although both played wide of each other and had an influence on the game, Martin has a piercing kick that can dismantle defences in an instant. Fyfe is dangerous up forward and can win a hard football just like Martin, but his kicking hasn't got Martin's penetration. The Richmond star was dynamic in the thrilling last quarter, and it wasn't his fault that the Tigers fell agonisingly short.