The Tigers were the better side early, kicking the first five goals of the game, and they were still in the hunt for their first win of 2010 early in the fourth quarter.
However, Fremantle’s form so far this season held true and Mark Harvey’s side advanced to fourth place on the AFL ladder with a 15.22 (112) to 11.7 (73) win.
Aaron Sandilands (42 hit-outs, five clearances and two goals) continued his faultless start to the season with yet another dominant ruck display, while Michael Barlow (32 possessions) and David Mundy (28 and seven clearances) were the game’s most influential midfielders.
With Fremantle 26 points down late in the first quarter, the midfield trio drove a run of eight unanswered goals to build a 20-point lead at the final change.
The Tigers refused to go away with early goals in the fourth quarter, but Fremantle clicked into action and booted five of the game’s last six goals.
Captain Matthew Pavlich (four goals) and pesky forward Hayden Ballantyne (three) led all goalkickers, while Nat Fyfe impressed on debut with 13 possessions, a goal and a series of impressive overhead marks.
The Tigers played their best football of a so-far fruitless season in the opening quarter, with Robin Nahas and Brett Deledio in superb touch.
Nahas finished with three goals and 18 possessions as his side’s best, while Nathan Foley (25 possessions) worked into the game.
Dustin Martin (21) continued to play a leading role in Richmond’s engine room, but, despite the visitors' bright start, there was a sense of inevitability about the end result.
Fremantle has a seven-day break ahead of next Sunday’s western derby clash with West Coast. It doesn’t get any easier for the last-placed Tigers, who take on Geelong in round six.
Fremantle 1.5 4.12 10.19 15.22 (112)
Richmond 6.1 6.4 9.5 11.7 (73)
GOALS
Fremantle: Pavlich 4. Ballantyne 3, Sandilands 2, Hill, Crowley, Duffield, de Boer, Fyfe, Hasleby
Richmond: Rance, Nahas 3, Riewoldt 2, Martin, Taylor, Tuck
BEST
Fremantle: Sandilands, Barlow, Mundy, Ballantyne, Broughton, Pavlich
Richmond: Nahas, Foley, Martin, Rance, Tuck, Deledio
INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
Richmond: Tambling (hamstring), Taylor (knee)
Reports: Nil
Changes: Nil
Umpires: Nicholls, Dalgleish, Schmitt
Crowd: 38,010 at Subiaco Oval
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
