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 overcame an off-game and Mark Harvey’s side advanced to fourth place on the AFL ladder with a 15.22 (112) to 11.7 (73) win.
The tackling pressure that has driven Fremantle’s 4-1 start to the season was missing early, and when they did get the ball forward they were inaccurate in front of goal.
“At the end we walk away from a game where we didn’t play very well, but that can be reflective of the opposition, and I think Richmond’s improving,” Harvey said after the game.
“It can be difficult to read your team on the back of two big games against grand finalists.
“It wasn’t our best performance, but if we can finish up winning a game by 40-odd points then I think that’s the point.”
Watch Mark Harvey's post-match press conference »
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 27 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.
Harvey said the side needed more influential players around ruckman Sandilands and captain Matthew Pavlich, who have both been consistent pillars for Fremantle this season.
The Tigers refused to go away with early goals in the fourth term, but Fremantle clicked into action and booted five of the game’s last six majors.
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.
Essendon recruit Adam McPhee played his best game since returning to Fremantle, finishing with 26 possessions and five inside 50s.
“We probably moved him more in the midfield in this game than forward, so that gives him more of an opportunity,” Harvey said.
The Tigers played their best football of a so-far fruitless season in the opening quarter, with Robin Nahas and Brett Deledio in good touch.
Nahas finished with three goals and 18 possessions as his side’s best, while Deledio’s influence was stifled thereafter by Fremantle defensive forward Matt de Boer. Nathan Foley (25 possessions) worked into the game.
“What's hurting us is our ability to put scoreboard pressure on the opposition,” Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said.
“We just have to keep getting games into these young kids and there are exciting times ahead for us, we just have to be patient.”
Watch Damien Hardwick's post-match press conference »
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.
