Richmond and Fremantle have played out the first draw of 2022 in dramatic scenes as the Tigers once again failed to execute at the death.
Coming off losses to Gold Coast and North Melbourne that were decided within the final minute of play, the Tigers had their chances but couldn’t get the job done in a crazy final passage of play.
With just over a minute to play and the scores tied, Fremantle had switched the play in their defensive 50 before James Aish decided to take the aggressive kick into the corridor to Andrew Brayshaw.
Brayshaw, who had just spent eight minutes on the bench, fumbled the ball above his head, with Richmond’s Noah Balta on the receiving end of the turnover.
He marked inside 50, but, in staggering fashion, ran out of time on the shot clock and was called play on by the umpire.
The Tigers couldn’t get the ball over the goal line when locking it inside their forward 50, but with five seconds to go, Marlion Pickett would kick from the wing and find Noah Cumberland on the 50.
However, true to Richmond’s past fortnight, Cumberland played on, not knowing how long was left, with the siren bringing the game to an end with no further scores.
“Richmond have shot themselves in the foot again in the most chaotic finish,” Anthony Hudson said in commentary for AFL Nation at the final bell.
For the third week straight, Richmond has failed to lock in their spot in the top eight and could once again fall out this week if results go against them. Fremantle could too fall out of the top four if Collingwood wins its ninth straight game on Sunday.
However, Justin Longmuir’s biggest headache will revolve around an injury to his skipper, Nat Fyfe.
Fyfe was subbed off in the third quarter of the clash and emerged back to the bench with ice on his hamstring. The 30-year-old didn’t play until Round 13 this season with several injuries including ones to his shoulder, knee and back, however a hamstring setback is new for the Freo captain.
Fremantle is guaranteed a finals position but still has some work to do if it is to hold a top four spot. Fyfe’s absence won’t help that cause with a crucial game against Melbourne next week.
Fresh off kicking scores of 13.14 and 11.22, both of which cost them the game, Richmond ultimately threw away the contest again.
In a problem that’s clearly going to occupy Damien Hardwick’s time for much of the remaining four weeks of the home and away season, the Tigers missed too many gettable shots.
From early in the second quarter through until the final siren, the game was in a strange limbo where both sides struggled to score. Richmond dominated the contest and looked dangerous every time they went forward, esecially during the second and third terms. But, either kicking at goal or going inside 50, Richmond squandered plenty of good looks as the Dockers’ defence held on by a thread.
The biggest problem for Justin Longmuir was the way in which Richmond moved the ball, finding it far too easy to transition from defensive 50 to forward 50. It was one that also cost the Dockers last week, with the Dockers certainly not exhibiting a model that will be successful in finals.
Part of that was the work of Shai Bolton, who was electric early, but his influence waned throughout as the game went on.
He finished with 15 disposals and a game-high six inside 50s, but as the game tightened up in the third and fourth quarter, Richmond found the connecting kick between the midfielders and forwards harder to hit.
Not content with being beaten by a rampaging Richmond outfit, the Dockers lifted their intensity to what you’d expect of a premiership contender being challenged in the last term.
They dominated contested possessions early in the quarter and level the score up at 46 apiece, with the two sides still locked at the end of the clash. The final term saw just three scoring shots.
Both sides had chances to win it in the final minutes, but both will undoubtedly go to sleep on Friday night disappointed with how they executed in the final minutes.
FULL SCORE
Richmond: 3.5, 5.8, 6.10, 7.10. (52)
Fremantle:3.3, 5.5, 5.9, 7.2. (52)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt, Balta, Cumberland, Balta, McIntosh, Sonsie
Fremantle: Banfield, Logue, Fyfe, Walters, Aish, Brodie
BEST
Richmond: Vlastuin, Prestia, Bolton, McIntosh, Broad
Fremantle: Young, Ryan, Cox, Clark, Mundy
INJURIES
Richmond: Miller
Fremantle: Fyfe (Hamstring)