Despite missing a galaxy of stars, and then suffering game-ending injuries to Toby Nankervis (groin) and Jack Ross (foot) in the first half, Damien Hardwick's men will board the plane home with four points and renewed confidence in their premiership ambitions.

Bouncing back from a Western Bulldogs belting, Richmond launched an early blitzkrieg, held on during Fremantle's fightback and then swarmed all over the men in purple to secure a 17.9 (111) to 12.14 (86) victory at Optus Stadium on Sunday evening.

The Tigers' fifth win for the season lifted them back inside the top eight and will have the competition's pacesetters Geelong and Collingwood looking over their shoulders.

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Richmond had winners everywhere on Sunday night, none bigger than 13-gamer Shai Bolton, playing his first match in his home state, who bagged four goals and was the firestarter in an electric opening quarter.

Bolton snagged two goals inside eight minutes, bookending Lynch's team-lifter, and set the Tigers on the march to an early 25-point lead.

Fremantle, inspired by early goals to Rory Lobb and Jesse Hogan, rode Nat Fyfe's stunning opening term – featuring 10 disposals, six contested possessions, five clearances, five inside 50s and a major – and levelled the scores early in the second stanza.

What had been a free-flowing contest became an arm-wrestle, with ascendancy dictated by scoring from stoppages, and Fremantle would have expected Richmond to wilt first.

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But the undermanned Tigers, who have made an art of wearing opponents down, were sensational after taking a 13-point lead into half-time, booting 10 goals to open up a 44-point lead before Freo added respectability to the scoreboard late.

Plenty of focus was on Lynch after he was labelled a "liability" by former Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd, and the Richmond spearhead responded by beating in-form duo Alex Pearce and Joel Hamling.

Lynch took a massive six contested marks, five grabs inside 50 and booted 2.2 in a strong response, but it was the Tigers' ferocious smalls who brought back memories of their 2017 form.

They were led by Bolton, but Jason Castagna's outstanding back-to-back goals in the third term broke the game open, after Sydney Stack's remarkable inside out torpedo brought the Tiger Army to their feet.

At the other end, Brandon Matera blew some opportunities, booting 1.3 for the third quarter as the Tigers went to the final break up by 27 points and with a foot on Fremantle's throat.

Fyfe, who took the three Brownlow votes in a 77-point loss to Richmond last year, is likely to receive maximum votes again after his stellar 33-disposal, eight-clearance and three-goal effort.

He was supported by midfield stars Michael Walters (27) and David Mundy (27, one goal), while Luke Ryan was rock-solid again down back, but not enough Dockers pulled their weight.

Richmond, though, had contributors everywhere.

Brandon Ellis (25, one goal) and Kane Lambert (27, one) powered a midfield which was beaten 43-32 in clearances but competitive, with Bachar Houli (30) and Dylan Grimes (26) holding up an injury-hit backline in an epic backs-to-the-wall triumph out west.

MEDICAL ROOM

Richmond: Tigers ruckman Toby Nankervis limped to the rooms late in the opening term with an apparent groin injury but returned early in the second. However, he didn't play any part after half-time. Jack Ross was the next casualty before half-time after heading to the rooms for treatment on a foot issue which ended his game.  

NEXT UP

Richmond hosts Hawthorn in an intriguing MCG clash on Sunday.

FREMANTLE   3.2       5.3       8.11     12.14 (86)
RICHMOND    4.3       7.4       13.8     17.9 (111) 

GOALS
Fremantle: Fyfe 3, Switkowski 2, Hogan 2, Lobb, Taberner, Matera, Mundy, Colyer
Richmond: Bolton 4, Castagna 2, Lynch 2, Lambert, Caddy, Broad, Balta, Baker, Stack, Ellis, McIntosh, Martin

INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
Richmond: Nankervis (groin), Ross (ankle),

Reports: Nil 

Umpires: Margetts, Williamson, Wallace

Official crowd: 42,641 at Optus Stadium