Richmond spearhead Tom Lynch will again come under scrutiny for a behind-play blow during his side's 12-point AFL victory over Essendon.
The Tigers jumped from sixth to third on the ladder with a hard-fought 10.13 (73) to 10.1 (61) triumph in Darwin on Saturday night.
Lynch's behind-play forearm to the throat of Bomber Michael Hurley is certain be examined by the AFL's match review officer.
The blow wasn't overly forceful but prompted Hurley to protest vigorously.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says he didn't see the incident but defended his key forward.
"Tom plays like that - a hard, tough player," Hardwick said.
Just days ago, Lynch was fined $2000 for two separate off-the-ball incidents against the Gold Coast, a fortnight after another $500 fine for misconduct.
Asked if Lynch was treading a fine line, Hardwick replied: "I have been around footy a long time, I have been really fortunate to be at some good organisations.
"All the good ones, they run the line all the time. They generally give away the most free kicks and they generally have the most reports. That is why they're a good side."
The latest Lynch flashpoint came in an annual Dreamtime game that continued Essendon's recent nightmares - they have just one win from their past seven games and lost luckless backman Aaron Francis to a hamstring injury.
The Bombers unveiled a potential cult figure, with Indigenous debutant Irving Mosquito kicking two goals including a stunner on the run.
But they were overpowered by Richmond's big guns: Dustin Martin (29 disposals, one goal, nine inside 50s) and Shai Bolton (28 touches, one goal) ruled the midfield while Lynch and Jack Riewoldt slotted two majors each.
Essendon's Zach Merrett was superb with a game-high 34 disposals and a goal in a fixture that turned amid controversy in the second term, moments after Mosquito's memorable highlight.
The 19-year-old from Halls Creek in northern Western Australia flashed through a pack, gathered the ball 65 metres from goal, took a bounce and threaded a left-footer from a challenging angle.
Just 90 seconds after the act of brilliance, Bomber Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti took a chest mark and ran into an open goal.
But his teammate Jake Stringer was penalised for a push on Richmond's Dylan Grimes and the score - which would have given Essendon an 11-point lead - didn't count.
Instead, Richmond rallied with two goals in the next three minutes to take a seven-point halftime lead - and weren't headed thereafter.
"Massive impact," Essendon coach John Worsfold said of the decision. "Unfortunately that is the way the umpires called it and we have to cop that. But it was a pretty critical part of the game."