Richmond produced a comprehensive 38-point win over Fremantle in horrendous, stormy conditions at Domain Stadium on Saturday night.

The Tigers completely outplayed the Dockers from start to finish, handling the 30-40 km/h winds and intermittent rain to win 11.17 (83) to 6.9 (45).

Only 20,184 hardy fans braved the terrible conditions despite a season-high 43,943 tickets being sold for the game.

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin was a star in his first game back from a fractured cheekbone. Cotchin, wearing a helmet, collected a game-high 39 disposals, 18 contested and 10 clearances. Dustin Martin showed his power in close with 14 contested possessions. Anthony Miles and Shane Edwards both kicked two goals to go with 22 possessions apiece. Jack Riewoldt also kicked two important goals.     

Lachie Neale fought hard for the Dockers to collect 37 touches, included 18 contested. Youngster Connor Blakely played one of his best games in his short career with 22 disposals and six tackles. Hayden Ballantyne kicked three of the Dockers' six goals including one that defied physics.

But the Dockers did not have enough focal points up forward. It was a difficult night to mark the ball but the Tigers took 10 marks inside 50 to four and produced 28 scoring shots to 15 from the same number of inside 50 entries.

There was a significant wind advantage to the city end but the Tigers were better going both into the wind in the first and third terms as well as with the wind in the second and last quarters.

They led at quarter-time by eight points after winning the clearance battle by two in the opening term. The Tigers then locked the ball in their front half in the second term to kick four goals to one to open up a 23-point half-time lead. The Dockers could not get the football out of their defence.

Round 9 Team Song: Watch the boys sing the song after defeating Fremantle

There was some controversy at the start of the second term. Fremantle defender Lee Spurr was penalised for a deliberate rushed behind by umpire Ray Chamberlain. Spurr soccered the ball through his defensive goal from 15m out with Tiger Ben Griffiths giving chase only two metres behind. But Spurr was deemed not to be under sufficient pressure and Griffiths kicked a goal from the goalsquare with the resultant free kick. 

The Dockers dominated the third term but kicked just three goals from 11 entries. The Tigers kicked three goals from just five inside 50s into the wind.  

FREMANTLE 1.1 2.3 5.7 6.9 (45)
RICHMOND 2.3 6.10 9.10 11.17 (83)

GOALS
Fremantle: Ballantyne 3, Taberner, Langdon, Walters
Richmond: Riewoldt 2, Miles 2, Edwards 2, Grigg, Griffiths, Morris, Lloyd, Menadue

BEST
Fremantle: Neale, D Pearce, Blakely, Ballantyne, Suban, Mundy
Richmond: Cotchin, Martin, Miles, Hampson, Grigg, Deledio, Edwards

INJURIES
Fremantle: A Pearce (broken tibia), D Mundy (calf)
Richmond: Nil

Reports: Fremantle's Zac Dawson for striking Steven Morris in the third term; Richmond's Tyrone Vickery for striking Nick Suban in the third term

Umpires: Chamberlain, Fisher, Donlon

Official crowd: 20,184 at Domain Stadium