Almost like clockwork, Fremantle head over to Melbourne to play Essendon at the Sponsorship Dispute Dome this week, the only place they get to play football at a decent hour of the day and they shut the roof. It's one of those yearly events that you imagine the AFL like to have a laugh over, like when they used to send Fremantle to Victoria Park every season or when they drew up the document containing Fremantle's start up concession. Fremantle are yet to beat the Bombers at the Sponsorship Dispute Dome after 7 tries.

Last year, a moment of weakness or a timely made donation to the Commissioners' Ball, saw Fremantle earn a reprieve from having to play the Bombers at the Dome. Unfortunately, Fremantle were at the peak of their record breaking choke-a-thon and coughed up the lead to lose to Essendon by 4 points. Close all day, Fremantle missed their chance to pull away with some terrible kicking but the Bombers didn't and pulled away from Freo towards the end of the last quarter when the umpires turned feral. Down to 19 fit players, Fremantle dug deep to peg the Bombers back and got themselves within a kick, a couple of times, but couldn't get that last one past the cowardly flooding tactics the Victorian leper clubs continue to employ.

Aaron Sandilands dominated against the best ruckman Victoria had available, with 45 hit outs, 25 disposals and a couple of stray shots at goal. Mark McVeigh had 36 touches for the Bombers and picked up top Brownlow votes in what most observers described us unbelievable bias. Matthew Pavlich was the only bloke who could find the goals, kicking 6.1 while Scott Lucas was held to 2.

A year earlier at the same place, it was the first and last time that Kevin Sheedy would get to take on his former protégé as Mark Harvey coached his 4th game of league footy in Round 19, 2007. Some were expecting the old master to hand out a football lesson to young Mark but he turned the tables very quickly, taking his side to a 10 goal victory 21.14 (140) to 11.11 (77). In a game noted for its fast flowing movement, strong marking, straight kicking and what the Portuguese refer to us purpleo sympatico umpiro, Matthew Pavlich lead from the front with 6 goals and 30 possessions, Daniel Gilmore and Paul Hasleby also put in 30+ efforts. Matthew Lloyd kicked 5 goals for the Bombers and Dustin Fletcher kept himself busy down back with 26 touches.

A different regime was at the helm earlier that year when Chris Connolly missed his last chance to break the Sponsorship Dispute Dome hoodoo. A slow start by the Dockers was quickly turned around in the second quarter and a third quarter burst from Chris Tarrant saw them hit the lead. But some highly suspicious fifty metre penalties got the Bombers back in front and the undermanned Fremantle ran out of puff, finishing 10 points shy. Matthew Pavlich and Chris Tarrant kicked 4 goals each but were outdone by their Essendon counterparts, with Lucas kicking 5 and Matthew Lloyd 4. Paul Hasleby had the most of the ball for Fremantle and Dustin Fletcher and Brent Stanton for the Bombers. The Clinton Wolf Medal votes went to Hasleby, Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands.

The year before that, Fremantle didn't just beat the Bombers, they used them as the step ladder that almost saw the name Fremantle engraved on a Premiership Cup. After a midseason slump that saw Freo looking lethargic and close to breaking point, Essendon proved to be a nice soft target to run themselves back into form. High marks, long runs down the wing, massive kicks sailing through for goals - the game had everything, even hay maker thrown at Matty Carr. Fremantle kicked 7 goals in the opening quarter and pushed on for 19 for the match, winning 19.11 (125) to 12.16 (88) . Matthew Pavlich, Ryan Murphy and Ryan Crowley all kicked 4 goals. Courtney Johns kicked 3 for the Bombers. Fremantle shared the ball around a fair bit but Paul Hasleby had the most of it with 27 touches. Scott Camporeale equalled Hasleby's effort for the Dons. The umpires and the Clinton Wolf Medal voting committee were in agreement that Shaun McManus was best on ground but were split with the minor votes. Matthew Pavlich and Justin Longmuir picked up the Brownlow votes while Paul Hasleby and Ryan Murphy picked up Clinton Wolf Medal votes.

It went on like that going back to the turn of the century - Fremantle winning comfortably over Essendon at Subiaco Oval and Essendon narrowly beating the Dockers in a low standard affair at the Sponsorship Dispute Dome. Everyone was happy with the deal until Essendon broke it last year. Giving Fremantle the right to turn the tables on the Bombers this week.

Unfortunately, Fremantle's last win at the Sponsorship Dispute Dome was all the way back in 2006, losing to Carlton and St Kilda as well as the Bombers in between. Rolling into their premiership tilt, Fremantle dispatched Carlton with a calculated 3 goal win, Ryan Murphy kicking 5. That was Fremantle's 7th win at the Sponsorship Dispute Dome with 24 games ending in the opposition winning. Thanks to a lopsided draw and some late nineties form, Essendon have won 16 games in their 22 encounters with the Dockers and they've won 3 of the last 5.

Last week the Bombers were completely out classed by 2008's 3rd runner up for the wooden spoon, losing to Port Adelaide 15.17 (107) to 9.12 (66), in what many described as a worrying sign for their coach.

Fremantle also lost but to the much more fancied Western Bulldogs side who most experts believe will win the 2009 Premiership in a canter.