The first match of Round 3 of the AFL 2013 season will have its opening bounce tonight at Patersons Stadium between Fremantle Dockers and Essendon Bombers. The opening bounce is set to commence at 6:40pm local time or 8:40pm AEST with the home team being Fremantle holding onto favouritism for the match. View our full preview and teams for the match between  Fremantle Dockers and Essendon Bombers.

Round: Round 3 6:40 PM April 12, 2013
Stadium: Patersons Stadium
Weather: 27° Cloudy.

Featured Bookmakers:

Fremantle Dockers $1.49 vs Essendon Bombers $2.70 at Sportsbet Australia get a $250 FREE BET on this match

Fremantle Dockers $1.48 vs Essendon Bombers $2.70 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison

Fremantle Dockers	1.49	1.48	1.48	1.48	1.49	1.49
Essendon Bombers	2.70	2.70	2.70	2.72	2.70	2.70

Special Offer:

The AFL season is well underway and the specials keep on coming from Sportsbet.com.au! Across all round three matches, we’re refunding losing head to head bets if your team leads at three quarter time but lose!

• Place a head to head bet on any match of Round three
  
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Preview:

LAST FIVE TIMES
R13, 2012, Essendon 17.11 (113) d Fremantle 14.5 (89) at Patersons Stadium
R12, 2011, Fremantle 15.8 (98) d Essendon 9.10 (64) at Patersons Stadium
R2, 2010, Fremantle 17.11 (113) d Essendon 9.15 (69) at Etihad Stadium
R21, 2009, Fremantle 21.15 (141) d Essendon 13.9 (87) at Patersons Stadium
R2, 2009, Essendon 16.13 (109) d Fremantle 10.11 (71) at Etihad Stadium

THE SIX POINTS
1. Essendon defeated Fremantle the last time the teams met, winning by 24 points in round 13 last season at Patersons Stadium, with Michael Hurley kicking a career-high six goals.

2. In that 2012 clash, the Bombers won the possession count 382-360, took more marks and won the hit-outs, but laid fewer tackles.

3. Fremantle has won three of its past four clashes with Essendon, but since 2008 the ledger sits at three wins apiece.

4. The teams have met at Patersons Stadium 12 times previously, with Fremantle holding a 7-5 edge. Essendon has won seven of its 28 games at the venue, including just one of its past seven.

5. Friday night’s game will be the 27th contest between the teams, with Essendon having won 17 of those contests to Freo’s nine.

6. The first time Fremantle and Essendon met on a Friday night was in round two, 1995, at the WACA, which was Freo’s first home game.

Teams:

Fremantle Dockers:
B: Lee Spurr, Zac Dawson, Michael Johnson
HB: Nick Suban, Luke McPharlin, Danyle Pearce
C: Tendai Mzungu, Ryan Crowley, Clancee Pearce
HF: Hayden Ballantyne, Matthew Pavlich, Nathan Fyfe
F: Kepler Bradley, Chris Mayne, Michael Walters
FOLL: Jonathon Griffin, David Mundy, Stephen Hill
INT: Cameron Sutcliffe, Paul Duffield, Michael Barlow, Matt De Boer
EMERG: Hayden Crozier, Tom Sheridan, Jack Hannath

IN: Hayden Ballantyne
OUT: Hayden Crozier

Essendon Bombers:
B: Michael Hibberd, Cale Hooker, Dustin Fletcher
HB: David Myers, Jake Carlisle, Courtenay Dempsey
C: Dyson Heppell, Jobe Watson, Brendon Goddard
HF: Brent Stanton, Stewart Crameri, Travis Colyer
F: Alwyn Davey, Patrick Ryder, Michael Hurley
FOLL: Tom Bellchambers, Ben Howlett, Heath Hocking
INT: Nick Kommer, David Zaharakis, Jake Melksham, Elliott Kavanagh
EMERG: Jackson Merrett, David Hille, Leroy Jetta

IN: Travis Colyer , Elliott Kavanagh
OUT: Mark Baguley (ankle) , Jackson Merrett