Fremantle coach Mark Harvey says his side paid too big a penalty when Richmond were awarded a near-certain goal for an interchange violation in Saturday night's AFL game at Etihad Stadium.

Richmond's Jack Riewoldt put the Tigers up late in the last quarter when awarded a free kick and 50-metre penalty when Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne ran outside the marked lines on the interchange bench.

Riewoldt's goal at the 22-minute mark was crucial as scores were level at the time before Richmond won by 19 points, 15.10 (100) to 11.15 (81).

Harvey conceded his players knew the rules about entering the field of play properly and waiting for teammates to come off the ground before running on, but said a near-certain goal was too big a price to pay.

"It's been around for a while, hasn't it?" he said of the rule, introduced in 2008.

"It's common sense probably. Do you want a finals game (decided) like that? I'm not sure we do, but that's the rule so we live with it."

Ballantyne ran on to the field outside the marked lines, instantly realised his mistake and ran back.

But he was too late, as the interchange umpire waved the orange flag.

Riewoldt was awarded the ball on the half-forward flank and the 50-metre penalty took him to the goal line.

Harvey said he had not spoken to Ballantyne about the infringement as he wanted to have a look at the replay.

"It's a pretty heavy penalty to pay and I'm not talking about the result or whether it cost us a victory - but (in terms of) momentum and where the state of play was," he said.

"I'll have a look at it and we'll work through it."

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick agreed the penalty was harsh, but felt the infringement evened the score, as the Tigers were denied a shot at goal earlier in the quarter when Daniel Connors had the ball taken off him because Richmond's Jake King clashed with Ballantyne in the middle of the ground.

"I didn't see it, but it probably is a harsh penalty," Hardwick said of the interchange violation.

"But it's probably no more than the Jake King one where we were having a set shot at goal, too, with Dan Connors.

"Jake and Hayden Ballantyne, they're aware of the rules, so you (break) those rules, you cost your team.

"We lost the shot on goal but then we gained another one back."

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