The attendance figure of 43,801 for last Saturday’s Richmond-Fremantle clash at the MCG, was a record for a match between the two teams.

It smashed the previous record of 38,010, which had been set on Anzac Day in Round 5 of the 2010 season at Patersons Stadium.

To further underline Richmond’s capacity to draw big crowds, last Saturday’s attendance was higher than for any of the 35 local derby matches played between Fremantle and West Coast in Perth since their inception in 1995.

When you consider the fact that Fremantle’s biggest-ever home-and-away crowd was 45,436 in the opening round of the 2003 season against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, you can appreciate just how impressive that 43,801 attendance figure from last Saturday’s Round 11 encounter was - especially given the fan-unfriendly, cold, wet conditions.