Richmond's AFL finals' hopes remain alive - for now - after a lucky escape against a struggling Fremantle side minus its leading goalkicker and inspirational spearhead Matthew Pavlich at the MCG on Saturday.
Pavlich was a late withdrawal and with the Dockers having little to play for and the Tigers with everything to play for, you could have got pretty short odds on a comfortable Tigers' victory at the start of the game.
But it turned out to be anything but as Fremantle led for the opening three terms only to be overrun in the final quarter as the Tigers scored an unconvincing 15.15 (105) to 15.8 (98) victory.
The win takes last year's wooden spooners to within half a game of the top eight, as they bid for only their third finals appearance since 1982, but the club's finals bid could still be over by the end of this round if Collingwood and St Kilda both win their respective matches against Sydney and Adelaide.
However, the Tigers are lucky to be still alive now, after coming so close to going down to a gallant Fremantle.
The Dockers jumped the Tigers with three goals to nil in the opening six minutes and the home side spent much of the first three terms trying to wrest the momentum away from the visitors.
Yet again it was an undisciplined act off the ball by serial offender Jeff Farmer that undid much of the Dockers' good work - resulting in a 'gimme' goal to Mitch Morton that put the Tigers in front midway through the third term. When best afield Shane Tuck marked and goaled a minute later, the Tigers suddenly had a 12-point lead.
The Dockers - with veteran forward Mark Johnson inspirational in his second last game, having already announced his retirement at season's end, and with young forward Adam Campbell also impressive - fought back to lead by five points at the last change, having led by seven points at both quarter and half-times.
But when Matthew Richardson - who had been unsighted in the opening three terms, got the all-important first goal of the final stanza, the Tigers - roared on by a small but parochial home crowd - ultimately got the job done.
And, while the win was a relief for the Tigers, it was tough on the Dockers - who have now lost eight games this year by single figure margins - the most by any AFL club in history in a single season.
The Dockers have now also lost six games after leading at three-quarter-time - after losing a record five in a row from rounds six to ten as Mark Harvey's horror first year as coach continues.
RICHMOND: 3.6, 8.8, 11.12, 15.15 (105)
FREMANTLE: 5.1, 10.3, 13.5, 15.8 (98)
GOALS: Richmond: Morton 3, Tuck 2, Deledio 2, Richardson 2, Simmonds, Jackson, Connors, Foley, Newman, Schulz
Fremantle: Mark Johnson 3, Murphy 2, Bradley 2, Carr, Peake, Palmer, Headland, Mundy, Thornton, Campbell, Drum
BEST: Richmond: Tuck, Simmonds, Edwards, White, Jackson, Newman, Deledio
Fremantle: Duffield, Hayden, McPharlin, Palmer, Campbell, Mark Johnson, Crowley
INJURIES: Richmond: Nil
Fremantle: Nil
UMPIRES: Schmitt, Ellis, Mollison
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Richmond: Nil
Fremantle: Pavlich (knee soreness) replaced in selected side by Murphy
CROWD: 24,881 at MCG
Sportal Player of the Year Votes:
3. Shane Tuck (Richmond)
2. Troy Simmonds (Richmond)
1. Paul Duffield (Fremantle)