Despite the fact that Fremantle led this game at every change, this was actually a gutsy victory for the boys. The Dockers finished the game with 17 fit men, with Merillo, Bandy and Delaney on the bench, and O'Reilly barely able to walk, let alone run. In fact, from the start of the second quarter, when Bandy did his ankle, the Dockers played with Hunter in the ruck, and O'Reilly at full-forward on one leg.
The game started out as a real tight struggle, with neither side able to score a goal until about the twenty minute mark of the first quarter, when Clive Waterhouse decided to cut loose. He kicked a goal on the run, then Bandy added another within a minute. Waterhouse managed another two off his own boot, and Freo went in at quarter time 23 points up.
Despite the scoreline, and the fact that Richmond didn't really close the gap, the second quarter was a little nerve-wracking. Once Bandy went off, Fremantle were without a recognised ruckman, and Benny Gale looked pretty dominant in the centre. However Dale Kickett was once again having a great game, and Richmond just generally didn't look very scarey up forward.
The third quarter was probably the most disappointing for our man Shane, as he let Matty Richardson actually touch the ball a couple of times. Richardson spilt a mark in the goalsquare, but got boot to ball to soccer a goal, and followed that effort up not much later by actually holding a mark. Parker definitely seems to have the wood over Richardson, because prior to that Matty had a few marking opportunities that were more or less uncontested, but just couldn't seem to gather the ball.
The game was really over as a contest pretty early on in the final quarter. Richmond slowed to a walk, and Freo's remaining 16 or 17 fit men ran all over them, finally finishing up doubling Richmond's score.
Final Score : Fremantle 12.13-85 defeated Richmond 5.12-42
timn_from_oz
© 1997 t.neame@trl.telstra.com.au
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