Fremantle’s surge to the top of the ladder hit a bit of a snafu this week with a little known outfit by the name of Richmond causing one of the boil overs of the season with a 27 point win over the Dockers, adding another string of asterixes to the Anyone, anywhere, anytime mantra and a couple to the No Excuses Football Club trademark. Fremantle were bashed about at every turn, not just by the Richmond players, who appeared to be under the impression it was a grand final, but from the umpires, who must have been keen to spend next weekend in the country, as well as a cruel run of injuries that removed all but Chris Mayne from the team’s spine and the boot studder who must have dropped everyone’s boots in some sort of high quality synthetic oil during the week, explaining the inability to stand up or kick straight. Despite all that, the plucky Dockers managed to stay in the contest for most of the day through sheer will, getting within a handful of points in the last quarter before conceding it wasn’t their day and handing the game to the Tigers.
