Where and when: Etihad Stadium, Sunday, April 4, 2.10pm
Head to head: Essendon 16 wins, Fremantle seven wins, no draws
Last time: Fremantle 21.15 (141) d Essendon 13.9 (87), round 21, 2009 at Subiaco Oval

MISSING IN ACTION
Essendon
Leroy Jetta (dislocated thumb) - 4 weeks
Jay Neagle (strained ankle) - test

Fremantle
Matt de Boer (shin) - 1 week
Antoni Grover (knee) - 5-6 weeks
Adam McPhee (ankle) - test
Tim Ruffles (knee) - 6-8 weeks
Scott Thornton (groin) - 6-8 weeks

SUMMARY

Fremantle was always a chance against an underdone Adelaide in round one, but nobody would have envisaged its stunning 56-point win.

 

The challenge for Mark Harvey's men is to back it up and, while the coach doesn’t look into the past - and the captain doesn't believe in hoodoos - the numbers are weighed against Freo this week.

The club hasn't won its first two games of the season since 1997, it has a 7-22 record at Etihad Stadium and it has lost 11 times to the Dons in Victoria from 12 attempts. The sole win came at Waverley Park in 1998.

That aside, Fremantle put in a supreme team performance last week and the players have set a new standard for themselves. Debutant Michael Barlow, Stephen Hill, Aaron Sandilands and Luke McPharlin were just four of a number of top-shelf performers.

Essendon started its season with a 31-point loss to Geelong, but looked like winners when it held a 24-point lead halfway through the third quarter.

Tayte Pears continues to mature in the back half and, alongside Dustin Fletcher and Cale Hooker, will face a stern test against a dynamic Freo attack.

Midfielders Jobe Watson, Brent Stanton and Brent Prismall will back themselves against young opponents.

PLAYER TO WATCH
With David Hille back in the side, Patrick Ryder shapes as a versatile weapon for coach Matthew Knights. Ryder led the ruck last week and notched 24 hit-outs, but will need to fill the void inside attacking 50 at times this year. On Sunday he and Hille will work in tandem against Freo giant Aaron Sandilands, who may not have support.

An ankle injury has added to the drama of Adam McPhee's anticipated clash with his former side, and if the Freo recruit can get himself fit the early exchanges will make for great viewing. The injury held McPhee back through the pre-season and he struggled in round one, finishing with six possessions and three critical errors. He'll be keen to atone against his ex-teammates.

QUESTION MARKS
Can Freo turn the tide on a shocking record both against the Dons and at Etihad Stadium?

Will Matthew Knights assign a tag to record-breaking debutant Michael Barlow? The mature-age recruit had 33 possessions against Adelaide and set up Freo's win in the second term.

Will the Dons attack round two confident after pushing the reigning premiers, or rattled after letting their lead slip?

WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
As thrilling as Fremantle was last week, doubts still hover over the side's ability to produce that football on the road. For that reason, Essendon has to be favoured here after a promising, albeit unrewarded, first-up performance. The Bombers' contested possession and clearance numbers were very impressive against the Cats and, if reproduced, should form the platform for their first win of the season.

PREDICTION
Essendon by 18 points

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.