This game pitted most people's pre-season tip for the premiership against most people's pre-season tip for the wooden spoon. Since then North have lost twice, and Carlton lost to Collingwood, so if anything Essendon have firmed in premiership favouritism. At the other end of people's expectations, all of the wooden spoon favourites have won at least one game - with Geelong and Collingwood each putting three wins on the board from three starts.

In Melbourne we got another two hour highlights package, starting at 11pm on Sunday night. I didn't watch it live, but managed to see the video before I heard the final score, so I was pretty happy.

What I saw of the game also made me reasonably happy. There was no doubt that the Bombers had a much higher skill level than the Dockers, but the Dockers fought and struggled all night, and occasionally pulled out pieces of brilliance. To me it was like watching the Dockers in their first couple of years - they wouldn't give up, and every now and then they did something amazing.

Strange as it may seem, given that the Dockers lost by 6 goals, I quite enjoyed watching this game. The Dockers created plenty of opportunities, and didn't give away too many easy goals. The difference between the two teams in the end was what they did with their opportunities. All too often the Dockers got nothing, or just a point as their reward, followed by Essendon working the ball easily up to the other end and goaling.

Clem Michael was again good in the ruck. I read an article in midweek which said that Drum had basically handed him the full time ruck duties, and that he was trying to respond to the challenge. Whatever the deal was, he's certainly been good this year. The other revelation in the centre has been Hasleby. He was good again this week. So far he reminds me a bit of Greg Williams - he definitely gets plenty of the ball, but I'm not convinced he always does the best thing possible with it.

Interestingly, this was the first time that the Dockers failed to break the 100 point margin so far this season. In part I think thats a reflection on the fact that the early start has meant that teams are generally kicking more goals (conditions are better than average, and the players are possibly a luttle under-done, making a close tag for a whole game a tough ask) and in part its a reflection on the Dockers improved forward set up, and improved ability to get the ball out of the centre. I'm still happy that a forward line set up with Modra, Waterhouse, Fewster, Longmuir and Callaghan has a lot of potential.

Final Score : Fremantle 12.16-88 lost to Essendon 19.10-124

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