Balta told Channel 7 post match that he did not hear the umpire call play on as Fremantle’s Michael Frederick moved in to smother the ball. He said he had taken his time after Jack Riewoldt told him to take the 30 seconds available before kicking.
“What do you do? That’s the game of footy and it’s why we love the game,” Balta said. “The game is over now,there is nothing you can do about and there is no point in moaning and whinging,just move on to the next week.”
Once again however as Richmond coachDamien Hardwick said last week,it was Richmond killing Richmond as the mistakes cost them the game they should have won with Fremantle losing Nat Fyfe to a hamstring injury just after half-time.
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It was again heartbreak for Tiger fans who had lost three of their past four games by less than a kick and sit just inside the top eight,now two points ahead of their rivals while the Dockers moved two points clear of Collingwood in the top four with the Magpies playing Essendon.
The game was dominated by defences with both teams struggling to get the ball past half forward in a second half that saw just four goals scored. Both teams had their chances but Richmond kicked 2.5 from set shots with Balta missing a chance midway through the third quarter to put them 14 points ahead with momentum.
Fremantle,led by the brilliant Hayden Young,kept coming with goals to Matt Taberner and Bailey Banfield either side of Shai Bolton’s second keeping the scores level.