2001 AFL Grand Final
Encyclopedia
The 2001 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football
game contested between the Essendon Football Club
and the Brisbane Lions
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in Melbourne
on 29 September 2001. It was the 105th annual Grand Final
of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League
, staged to determine the premiers for the 2001 AFL season
. The match, attended by 91,482 spectators, was won by Brisbane by a margin of 26 points, marking that club's first premiership victory.
, and went into the game having finished on top of the ladder on percentage ahead of second placed Brisbane (both had won 17 games). Brisbane had won fifteen consecutive games leading up to the Grand Final, a streak which commenced with a major upset of Essendon at the Gabba in Round 10. It was the Brisbane Lions first appearance in a Grand Final after only joining the AFL in 1997. Essendon were the dominant team between 1999 and 2001
, losing just 11 games from the start of 1999 until the 2001 Grand Final.
In the 2001 finals series, Essendon defeated Richmond
by 70 points in the First Qualifying Final and then defeated Hawthorn
by 10 points in the First Preliminary Final to advance to the Grand Final. Brisbane earnt their place in the Grand Final by defeating Port Adelaide by 32 points in the Second Qualifying Final and then Richmond by 68 points in the Second Preliminary Final.
In the lead-up to the match, Brisbane's Jason Akermanis
won the Brownlow Medal
. The two coaches, Kevin Sheedy and Leigh Matthews, had met in a Grand Final 11 years prior, when Matthews' Magpies ended their so-called "Colliwobbles" (a drought lasting 32 years) to defeat Sheedy's Bombers in the 1990 AFL Grand Final
.
Almost ten years since this Grand Final, the two captains are now coaches of their respective clubs.
for holding against Dustin Fletcher
. Essendon fought back late in the first quarter then took control of the game in the second term. Brisbane's poor kicking for goal almost put them out of the game in the second quarter as Essendon blew their lead out to 20 points late in the term. Brisbane had kicked an inaccurate 5.10 by the half time break.
Brisbane managed to overrun Essendon in the third term kicking six goals to one and turning a 14 point deficit into a 16 point lead. Brisbane's pace in the midfield and the tiring legs of most of the Essendon players played a pivotal role in Brisbane taking full control of the game in the second half, to win comfortably. Essendon had scored two late goals in the last quarter after once trailing by as much as 39 points.
Shaun Hart
of the Lions was awarded the Norm Smith Medal
for being judged the best player afield. Matthew Lloyd
was amongst the best for Essendon, kicking 5 goals.
Essendon captain James Hird
was visually shattered and disappointed in his post match speech. A quick congratulations to Brisbane for winning was followed by a public apology to Bombers fans for letting them down.
This was the first of four consecutive Grand Final appearances by Brisbane.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
game contested between the Essendon Football Club
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on 29 September 2001. It was the 105th annual Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, staged to determine the premiers for the 2001 AFL season
2001 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2001.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:Port Adelaide defeated Brisbane Lions 17.9 to 3.8 in the Final....
. The match, attended by 91,482 spectators, was won by Brisbane by a margin of 26 points, marking that club's first premiership victory.
Background
Essendon were defending their 2000 premiership2000 AFL Grand Final
The 2000 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and the Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 2 September 2000. It was the 104th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian...
, and went into the game having finished on top of the ladder on percentage ahead of second placed Brisbane (both had won 17 games). Brisbane had won fifteen consecutive games leading up to the Grand Final, a streak which commenced with a major upset of Essendon at the Gabba in Round 10. It was the Brisbane Lions first appearance in a Grand Final after only joining the AFL in 1997. Essendon were the dominant team between 1999 and 2001
2001 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2001.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:Port Adelaide defeated Brisbane Lions 17.9 to 3.8 in the Final....
, losing just 11 games from the start of 1999 until the 2001 Grand Final.
In the 2001 finals series, Essendon defeated Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
by 70 points in the First Qualifying Final and then defeated Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
by 10 points in the First Preliminary Final to advance to the Grand Final. Brisbane earnt their place in the Grand Final by defeating Port Adelaide by 32 points in the Second Qualifying Final and then Richmond by 68 points in the Second Preliminary Final.
In the lead-up to the match, Brisbane's Jason Akermanis
Jason Akermanis
Jason Dean Akermanis is an Australian rules football player. He is a Brownlow Medallist and triple premiership player who played for the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs...
won the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
. The two coaches, Kevin Sheedy and Leigh Matthews, had met in a Grand Final 11 years prior, when Matthews' Magpies ended their so-called "Colliwobbles" (a drought lasting 32 years) to defeat Sheedy's Bombers in the 1990 AFL Grand Final
1990 AFL Grand Final
The 1990 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and the Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 6 October 1990. It was the 94th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
.
Almost ten years since this Grand Final, the two captains are now coaches of their respective clubs.
Match summary
Brisbane started the game well, scoring the first goal of the match from a free kick awarded to Alastair LynchAlastair Lynch
Alastair Graeme Lynch is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League . He is best known as a three time premiership full-forward for the Brisbane Lions....
for holding against Dustin Fletcher
Dustin Fletcher
Dustin Fletcher is an Australian rules footballer with the Essendon Football Club. He is renowned as one of the finest defenders in the AFL, and has played at full-back for his team for many years. He is the son of former Bombers captain Ken Fletcher...
. Essendon fought back late in the first quarter then took control of the game in the second term. Brisbane's poor kicking for goal almost put them out of the game in the second quarter as Essendon blew their lead out to 20 points late in the term. Brisbane had kicked an inaccurate 5.10 by the half time break.
Brisbane managed to overrun Essendon in the third term kicking six goals to one and turning a 14 point deficit into a 16 point lead. Brisbane's pace in the midfield and the tiring legs of most of the Essendon players played a pivotal role in Brisbane taking full control of the game in the second half, to win comfortably. Essendon had scored two late goals in the last quarter after once trailing by as much as 39 points.
Shaun Hart
Shaun Hart
Shaun Hart is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire Australian Football League at the Brisbane Lions where he was a premiership winning utility player known for his courage...
of the Lions was awarded the Norm Smith Medal
Norm Smith Medal
The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
for being judged the best player afield. Matthew Lloyd
Matthew Lloyd
Matthew James Lloyd is a former Australian rules footballer who played for and was the captain of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League...
was amongst the best for Essendon, kicking 5 goals.
Essendon captain James Hird
James Hird
James Hird is a former professional Australian rules footballer and the current coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League....
was visually shattered and disappointed in his post match speech. A quick congratulations to Brisbane for winning was followed by a public apology to Bombers fans for letting them down.
This was the first of four consecutive Grand Final appearances by Brisbane.
Teams
These are the selected teams as they were announced prior to the game.Scorecard
| Team Stats | (Bris Brisbane Lions The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996... ) | (Ess Essendon Football Club The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... ) |
|---|---|---|
| Kicks | 176 | 165 |
| Marks | 73 | 60 |
| Handballs | 78 | 90 |
| Tackles | 34 | 54 |
| Hitouts | 39 | 26 |
| Frees | 22 | 19 |