View source for 2001 AFL Grand Final

{{Short description|Grand final of the 2001 Australian Football League season}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox Australian rules football grand final
| competition   = AFL
| year          = 2001
| image         = [[File:2001 AFL Grand Final logo.jpg|170px]]
| ground_image  = [[File:MCG99.jpg|250px]]
| caption       = The [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]], where the 2001 AFL Grand Final took place.
| home          = [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|50px]]<br/>{{AFL Ess}}
| home_abbr     = ESS
| home_colours  = {{color box|Black}}{{color box|Red}}
| away          = [[File:Brisbane Lions Football Club colours.svg|50px]]<br/>{{AFL BL}}
| away_abbr     = BL
| away_colours  = {{color box|Maroon}}{{color box|Blue}}
| home_qtr1     = 3.2 (20)
| home_qtr2     = 8.6 (54)
| home_qtr3     = 9.8 (62)
| home_qtr4     = 12.10 (82)
| away_qtr1     = 3.7 (25)
| away_qtr2     = 5.10 (40)
| away_qtr3     = 11.12 (78)
| away_qtr4     = 15.18 (108)
| home_score    = 12.10 (82)
| away_score    = 15.18 (108)
| date          = 29 September 2001
| stadium       = [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]
| attendance    = 91,482
| favourite     = {{AFL Ess}}
| umpire        = [[Mathew James (umpire)|Matthew James]], [[Scott McLaren]], [[Martin Ellis (umpire)|Martin Ellis]]
| coin_toss   = 
| kick_end       = 
| prematch      = [[Vanessa Amorosi]], [[Men At Work]], [[INXS]]
| anthem        = [[Julie Anthony (Australian singer)|Julie Anthony]]
| halftime      =
| postmatch     =
| norm_smith    = [[Shaun Hart]] ({{AFL BL}})
| jock_mchale   = [[Leigh Matthews]]
| hall_of_fame  = 
| network       = [[Seven Network]]
| announcers    = [[Bruce McAvaney]] (host and commentator)<br>[[Sandy Roberts]] (commentator)<br>[[Jason Dunstall]] (expert commentator)<br>[[Gerard Healy]] (expert commentator)<br>[[Robert DiPierdomenico]] (boundary rider)<br>[[Matthew Campbell (Australian footballer)|Matthew Campbell]] (boundary rider)
| last          = 2000
| next          = 2002
}}

The '''2001 AFL Grand Final''' was an [[Australian rules football]] game contested between the [[Essendon Football Club|Essendon Bombers]] and the [[Brisbane Lions]], held at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] in [[Melbourne]] on 29 September 2001. It was the 105th annual [[AFL Grand Final|grand final]] of the [[Australian Football League]] (formerly the Victorian Football League),<ref>In 1897 and 1924 there were no grand finals and instead the premier was decided by a finals play-off. In 1948 and 1977 there were grand final replays after initial draws.</ref> staged to determine the [[List of AFL premiers|premiers]] for the [[2001 AFL season]]. The match, attended by 91,482 spectators, was won by Brisbane by a margin of 26 points, marking the club's first premiership in their history since their inception in 1997.

==Background==
Essendon were defending their [[2000 AFL Grand Final|2000 premiership]], and they 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 15 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, and it broke a long grand final drought for the two clubs who merged to form it in 1997: its Melbourne-based predecessor, [[Fitzroy Football Club|Fitzroy Lions]], had not contested a grand final since [[1944 VFL Grand Final|1944]], and its Brisbane-based predecessor, [[Brisbane Bears]], did not contest a grand final in its ten-year history. Essendon were the dominant team between [[1999 AFL season|1999]] and [[2001 AFL season|2001]], losing just 11 games (including just one in 2000) from the start of 1999 until the 2001 grand final.

In the 2001 finals series, Essendon defeated [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]] by 70 points in the first qualifying final and then defeated [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] by 9 points in the first preliminary final to advance to the grand final. Brisbane earned their place in the grand final by defeating {{AFL|PA}} 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]]" [[1958 VFL Grand Final|(a drought lasting 32 years)]] by defeating Sheedy's Bombers in the [[1990 AFL Grand Final]].

This was the last AFL match to be televised by the [[Seven Network]] before it lost the broadcasting TV rights to the sport, having shown the game for the previous 45 years, with the exception of 1987, when the game was televised by the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]] and TV0 in Brisbane.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2011/10/01/channel-tens-contribution-to-the-afl-underestimated/|title=Channel Ten's contribution to the AFL underestimated|publisher=The Roar|date=30 September 2011|access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref> It wasn't until [[2007 AFL season|2007]] that Seven would regain the rights,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-01-05/seven-and-ten-win-afl-rights/774244|title=Seven and Ten win AFL rights|publisher=ABC News ([[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]])|date=5 January 2006|access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref> and it wasn't until [[2008 AFL Grand Final|2008]] that the AFL Grand Final would again be televised by the Seven Network.

==Match summary==
Brisbane started the game well, scoring the first goal of the match from a free kick awarded to [[Alastair Lynch]] 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. [[Matthew Lloyd]] was among the best for Essendon, kicking five goals.

Essendon captain [[James Hird]] was visibly 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.

In a remarkable statistic, most of the Lions' premiership side were on the playing list when the club won the [[wooden spoon (award)|wooden spoon]] in [[1998 AFL season|1998]].<ref>[http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/rays-of-hope-in-lions-historical-record/story-fn6ck6f9-1226036543905 Rays of hope in Lions' historical record], ''The Courier-Mail'', 10 April 2011</ref>

This was the first of four consecutive grand final appearances by Brisbane, and the first of three consecutive flags. For Essendon, this is their most recent grand final appearance as of the completed [[2024 AFL season|2024 season]].

=== Norm Smith Medal ===
The [[Norm Smith Medal]] was awarded to Brisbane midfielder [[Shaun Hart]]. The voting panel for the award included ''Sunday Herald Sun'' reporter [[Damian Barrett]], [[Seven Network]]'s [[Robert DiPierdomenico]], [[ABC Grandstand]] commentator [[Stan Alves]], and [[Tony Morwood]] from [[4AAA]].<ref name="NormSmith">{{cite news |last1=Nicholson |first1=Rod |title=SHAUN HART The Norm Smith Medallist |work=Sunday Herald-Sun |publisher=Nationwide News Pty Ltd |date=30 September 2001 |location=Melbourne, Victoria |page=55}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Leaderboard'''<ref name="NormSmith"/>
!''Player''
!''Team''
!''Votes''
|-
|'''[[Shaun Hart]]'''
|Brisbane
|9
|-
|'''[[Nigel Lappin]]'''
|Brisbane
|5
|-
|[[Jonathan Brown (Australian footballer)|'''Jonathan Brown''']]
|Brisbane
|3
|-
|[[Chris Johnson (footballer, born 1976)|'''Chris Johnson''']]
|Brisbane
|3
|-
|'''[[Justin Leppitsch]]'''
|Brisbane
|2
|-
|'''[[Michael Voss]]'''
|Brisbane
|2
|}

==Teams==
{| width=92% |
|-
|{{Australian rules football kit
 | pattern_b  = _redrightsash 
 | pattern_sh = _redsides 
 | pattern_so = _hoops_black 
 | body       = 000000 
 | shorts     = 000000 
 | socks      = FF0000 
 | title      = Essendon
}}
|{{Australian rules football kit
 | pattern_b  = _fitzroylion
 | pattern_sh = _goldsides 
 | pattern_so = _goldtop 
 | body       = 78174A   
 | shorts     = ffffff
 | socks      = 78174A 
 | title      = {{nowrap|Brisbane Lions}}
}}
|}
{|
| valign="top" |
{{Aussie rules team | title = {{AFL Ess}}
| backpocket1 = 42 [[Danny Jacobs (footballer)|Danny Jacobs]] 
| fullback = 31 [[Dustin Fletcher]]
| backpocket2 = 6 [[Sean Wellman]] 
| halfbackflank1 = 1 [[Mark Johnson (footballer)|Mark Johnson]] 
| centrehalfback = 7 [[Dean Solomon]] 
| halfbackflank2 = 11 [[Damien Hardwick]] 
| wing1 = 9 [[Adam Ramanauskas]] 
| centre = 26 [[Chris Heffernan]]
| wing2 = 33 [[Blake Caracella]]
| halfforwardflank1 = 5 [[James Hird]] (c) 
| centrehalfforward = 25 [[Scott Lucas (footballer)|Scott Lucas]] 
| halfforwardflank2 = 43 [[Dean Rioli]] 
| forwardpocket1 = 29 [[Gary Moorcroft]] 
| fullforward = 18 [[Matthew Lloyd]] 
| forwardpocket2 = 27 [[Steven Alessio]] 
| ruck = 22 [[John Barnes (Australian footballer)|John Barnes]]
| ruckrover = 14 [[Jason Johnson (Australian rules footballer)|Jason Johnson]] 
| rover = 24 [[Joe Misiti]]
| interchange1 = 10 [[Mark McVeigh]] 
| interchange2 = 32 [[Justin Blumfield]] 
| interchange3 = 2 [[Mark Mercuri]] 
| interchange4 = 16 [[Paul Barnard]] 
| interchange5 = 
| interchange6 = 
| coach = [[Kevin Sheedy (Australian footballer)|Kevin Sheedy]]
}}
| valign="top" |
{{Aussie rules team | title = {{AFL BL}}
| backpocket1 = 2 [[Chris Johnson (footballer, born 1976)|Chris Johnson]] 
| fullback = 23 [[Justin Leppitsch]]
| backpocket2 = 33 [[Darryl White]] 
| halfbackflank1 = 44 [[Nigel Lappin]] 
| centrehalfback = 22 [[Chris Scott (Australian footballer)|Chris Scott]] 
| halfbackflank2 = 10 [[Marcus Ashcroft]] 
| wing1 = 12 [[Jason Akermanis]] 
| centre = 3 [[Michael Voss]] (c) 
| wing2 = 30 [[Robert Copeland (footballer)|Robert Copeland]]
| halfforwardflank1 = 32 [[Shaun Hart]] 
| centrehalfforward = 16 [[Jonathan Brown (Australian footballer)|Jonathan Brown]] 
| halfforwardflank2 = 6 [[Luke Power]] 
| forwardpocket1 = 36 [[Daniel Bradshaw]] 
| fullforward = 11 [[Alastair Lynch]] 
| forwardpocket2 = 13 [[Martin Pike (Australian rules footballer)|Martin Pike]] 
| ruck = 27 [[Clark Keating]]
| ruckrover = 20 [[Simon Black]] 
| rover = 5 [[Brad Scott (Australian footballer)|Brad Scott]]
| interchange1 = 43 [[Beau McDonald]] 
| interchange2 = 4 [[Craig McRae]] 
| interchange3 = 8 [[Tim Notting]] 
| interchange4 = 15 [[Mal Michael]] 
| interchange5 = 
| interchange6 = 
| coach = [[Leigh Matthews]]
}}
|}

==Scorecard==

{{AFLGameDetailed
|title        = Grand final
|date         = Saturday, 29 September 2:30pm
|home team    = {{AFL Ess}}
|home Q1      = 3.2 (20)
|home Q2      = 8.6 (54)
|home Q3      = 9.8 (62)
|home final   = 12.10 (82)
|home ET      = 
|home goals   = [[Matthew Lloyd|Lloyd]] 5, [[Scott Lucas (footballer)|Lucas]] 4, [[Blake Caracella|Caracella]], [[Jason Johnson (Australian rules footballer)|Johnson]], [[Gary Moorcroft|Moorcroft]]
|home best    = [[Matthew Lloyd|Lloyd]], [[Scott Lucas (footballer)|Lucas]], [[Jason Johnson (Australian rules footballer)|J. Johnson]]
|home injuries= Nil
|home reports = Nil
|winner       = A
|away team    = {{AFL BL}}
|away Q1      = 3.7 (25)
|away Q2      = 5.10 (40)
|away Q3      = 11.12 (78)
|away final   = 15.18 (108)
|away ET      = 
|away goals   = [[Luke Power|Power]] 3, [[Jason Akermanis|Akermanis]] 2, [[Jonathan Brown (Australian footballer)|Brown]] 2, [[Nigel Lappin|Lappin]] 2, [[Alistair Lynch|Lynch]] 2, [[Marcus Ashcroft|Ashcroft]], [[Tim Notting|Notting]], [[Martin Pike (Australian rules footballer)|Pike]], [[Michael Voss|Voss]]
|away best    = [[Shaun Hart|Hart]], [[Chris Johnson (footballer, born 1976)|Johnson]], [[Michael Voss|Voss]], [[Nigel Lappin|Lappin]], [[Luke Power|Power]]
|away injuries= Nil
|away reports = Nil
|venue        = [[Melbourne Cricket Ground|MCG]]
|crowd        = 91,482
|report       = 
|umpires      = [[Mathew James (umpire)|James]], [[Scott McLaren|McLaren]], [[Martin Ellis (umpire)|Ellis]]
|BOG award    = [[Norm Smith Medal]]
|BOG winner   = [[Shaun Hart]] ({{AFL BL}})
|broadcast    = [[Seven Network]]
|anthem       = [[Julie Anthony (Australian singer)|Julie Anthony]]
|notes        =<!-- Start on a new line to get bullet points to display properly -->
}}

{| class="wikitable"
! Team Stats !! ([[Brisbane Lions|B.L.]]) !! ([[Essendon Football Club|Ess]]) 
|-
| '''Kicks''' || 176 || 165
|-
| '''Marks''' || 73 || 60
|-
| '''Handballs''' || 78 || 90
|-
| '''Tackles''' || 34 || 54
|-
| '''Hitouts''' || 39 || 26
|-
| '''Frees''' || 22 || 19
|}

== Legacy ==
A number of participants from this Grand Final have gone on to coach at senior level in the AFL:
* [[Chris Scott (Australian footballer)|Chris Scott]], {{AFL Gee}} (2011–present; [[2011 AFL Grand Final|2011]] and [[2022 AFL Grand Final|2022 premiership coach]])<sup>1</sup>
* [[Damien Hardwick]], {{AFL Ric}} (2010–2023; [[2017 AFL Grand Final|2017]], [[2019 AFL Grand Final|2019]] and [[2020 AFL Grand Final|2020 premiership coach]]), {{AFL GC}} (2024–present)<sup>1</sup>
* [[Craig McRae]], {{AFL Col}}, (2022–present; [[2023 AFL Grand Final|2023 premiership coach]])
* [[Michael Voss]], {{AFL BL}} (2009–2013), {{AFL Car}} (2022–present)
* [[Brad Scott (Australian footballer)|Brad Scott]], {{AFL NM}} (2010–2019), {{AFL Ess}} (2023–present)
* [[James Hird]], {{AFL Ess}} (2011–2013, 2015)
* [[Justin Leppitsch]], {{AFL BL}} (2014–2016)<sup>2</sup>

<sup>1</sup> Scott and Hardwick coached against each other in the 2020 Grand Final, which, due to a [[COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria|COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria]] that prevented the match from being played at its contracted ground, the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]], was played at [[the Gabba]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/a-tale-of-two-coaches-a-greater-legacy-awaits-either-chris-scott-or-damien-hardwick-20201023-p5680z.html|title=A tale of two coaches: A greater legacy awaits either Scott or Hardwick|publisher=The Age|first=Caroline|last=Wilson|date=23 October 2020|access-date=1 September 2021}}</ref>

<sup>2</sup> Following his stint as Brisbane Lions head coach, Leppitsch was an assistant coach under Hardwick when Richmond won the 2017, 2019 and 2020 premierships, and under McRae when Collingwood won the 2023 premiership.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/how-damien-hardwick-changed-his-ways-to-turn-richmond-into-a-premiership-contender/news-story/465d87c04020fb69b979c76bf34d4962|title=The coach: How Dimma guided Tigers|publisher=Herald Sun|first=Sam|last=Edmund|date=4 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/leppitsch-lives-tiger-dream-after-lions-nightmare/3229058/|title=Leppitsch lives Tiger dream after Lions nightmare|publisher=The Morning Bulletin|date=28 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="LeppaPies">{{cite web|url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/afl/leppitsch-surprised-by-pies-rapid-climb-to-afl-summit-c-12075543|title=Leppitsch surprised by Pies' rapid climb to AFL summit|publisher=Perth Now|first=Shayne|last=Hope|date=2 October 2023|accessdate=2 October 2023}}</ref>

This was the first of six consecutive premierships to be won by non-Victorian clubs, during which one club from each of the other four major mainland states (Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia) won the premiership, with Brisbane winning again in [[2002 AFL Grand Final|2002]] and [[2003 AFL Grand Final|2003]], followed by {{AFL PA}} in [[2004 AFL Grand Final|2004]], {{AFL Syd}} in [[2005 AFL Grand Final|2005]] and {{AFL WC}} in [[2006 AFL Grand Final|2006]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/nsw/demetriou-victorian-clubs-need-help-ng-8e41746da1ae0a78102cf3ad6261be8d|title=Demetriou: Victorian clubs need help|publisher=PerthNow|first1=Jon|last1=Ralph|first2=Kelvin|last2=Healey|work=News Corp Australia|date=27 May 2007|accessdate=6 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2007-05-27/interstate-afl-dominance-leads-to-investigation/2560448|title=Interstate AFL dominance leads to investigation|publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] ([[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]])|date=27 May 2007|accessdate=6 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/109737/cruel-defeat-for-west-coast|title=Cruel defeat for West Coast|publisher=Australian Football League|first=Paul|last=Gough|date=24 September 2005|accessdate=21 June 2025}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[2001 AFL season]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{2001 Brisbane Lions premiership players}}
{{Essendon Football Club}}
{{Brisbane Lions}}
{{2001 AFL season}}
{{Australian Football League}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2001 Afl Grand Final}}
[[Category:2001 in Australian rules football|AFL Grand Final]]
[[Category:VFL/AFL Grand Finals]]
[[Category:Brisbane Lions]]
[[Category:Essendon Football Club]]
[[Category:2001 Australian Football League season|AFL Grand Final]]
[[Category:September 2001 sports events in Australia]]