Richardson was the star in the third term when he drove a seven-goals-to-nil run and brought the Tigers back from a 23-point half time deficit. In the dying stages he kicked a match-winning goal and took a goal-saving mark.
In a contest that stood above all other NAB Cup matches so far in 2009, the 34-year-old Richardson towered above Fremantle booting two goals and one super-goal, while roaming Subiaco Oval to gather 25 possessions and take nine marks.
It was a performance reminiscent of his 25-possession, 15 mark effort of round four last year against Fremantle at Subiaco that kick-started his career best season.
While the Dockers won't advance in the pre-season competition, it was a showing that the 14,517 fans present will take plenty of encouragement from.
Without captain Mathew Pavlich, Fremantle found other avenues to goal and looked certain winners at half time.
No.3 draft pick Stephen Hill (13 possessions and one super-goal) threw his 69kg frame around with abandon under the packs while also finding space to use his speed.
Dean Solomon and rookie Matt de Boer led a physical approach from the Dockers, while Roger Hayden was clean and reliable in defence.
It was an incredibly even showing from Fremantle but the experience of Tigers stars Brett Deledio (29 possessions), Nathan Foley (33) and Nathan Brown (21 and three goals) told eventually.
The Tigers collected a swag of possessions in the first half, much of it uncontested in their back half, only to fall 23-points behind a committed and young Fremantle side at half time.
But a game-plan re-think, and Richardson's stunning showing set up seven straight second half goals.
Fremantle seemed to have the Richmond zone all figured out from the first bounce, with Dean Solomon booting a super-goal within three minutes.
The Tigers littered their back half with spare defenders, and marked Freo's midfielders closely, but it was the home side that tackled harder and attacked the contest with more intent early.
Antoni Grover made an impressive start in his experimental role up forward, booting his first major from a strong mark while de Boer was less conventional, snapping an opportunistic goal from the pocket.
When Andrew Browne took a releasing handball on the wing, used his pace and kicked a superb running goal, it put Fremantle 28 points clear despite having far less possession.
Jack Riewoldt got the Tigers on the board 15 minutes in and Richardson kicked a super-goal two minutes later.
An earlier missed chance from Richardson, combined with wasted shots on goal from Riewoldt and Tom Hislop, kept the Tigers well behind and, when Joel Bowden kicked across goal straight into the arms of Ryan Murphy, Richmond looked in real trouble.
Two consecutive goals to Brown to open the second quarter began to justify Richmond's severe overuse of the football. But a nine-pointer to Byron Schammer and a Steven Dodd major just before the main break restored a 23-point buffer.
It was a new Richmond that emerged from half time led by vice-captain Foley and an unstoppable Richardson
The Tigers' star was sighted in the centre, on the wing, crashing packs up forward and marking on the defensive goal-line. Aerobic Fremantle defender Johnson was charged with running with Richardson for most of the night but struggled.
Richmond had a five-goals-to-nil run in the third quarter, and Richardson had a hand in most.
Riewoldt started the run, going back with the flight to take a courageous mark in front of goal.
Shane Edwards and Deledio were delivering the ball inside 50 with precision, while Brown and rookie Robin Nahas kicked straight.
Mitch Morton had two goals for the quarter, his second, running around from the boundary line 35m out, gave the Tigers the lead for the first time in the match.
They went into the final quarter three points clear and in a see-sawing term went on to win a thriller by that margin.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the club
MATCH DETAILS
Richmond 1.1.5 1.3.5 1.8.5 1.12.8 (89)
Fremantle 2.3.2 3.4.4 3.4.8 5.5.11 (86)
GOALS
Richmond: Nine-point goals: Richardson. Goals: Morton 3, Brown 3; Riewoldt 2, Richardson 2; Hughes, Nahas.
Fremantle: Nine-point goals: Browne, Schammer, Solomon, Ibbotson, Hill. Goals: Grover, Bradley, De Boer, Murphy, Dodd.
Richmond: Richardson, Deledio, Foley, Riewoldt, Brown, Jackson
Fremantle: Hayden, Solomon, Mundy, Hill, DeBoer, Browne, Sandilands
INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
Richmond: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Stephen McBurney, Simon Meredith, Jeff Dalgleish, Gavin Statham.
Crowd: 14,517 at Subiaco Oval
