The 2001 AFL Grand Final: A turning point for Australian football
In short: Before 2001, the AFL premiership was largely a Victorian affair. This match signaled a seismic shift in the sport's geography, launching a six-year era where non-Victorian clubs dominated the national stage and establishing a dynasty for a club that had previously bottomed out.
The 2001 Grand Final, held on September 29 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, saw the Brisbane Lions defeat the Essendon Bombers by 26 points. This victory was historic for Brisbane, marking their first premiership since the 1997 merger of the Fitzroy Lions and the Brisbane Bears. The win was particularly significant because it broke a long drought for both predecessor clubs: Fitzroy had not reached a final since 1944, and the Brisbane Bears had never contested a grand final in their ten-year existence.
The match was a study in momentum and endurance. While Essendon entered as the dominant force of the era—having lost only 11 games since 1999—Brisbane arrived on a 15-game winning streak. The Lions took control in the third term, converting a 14-point deficit into a 16-point lead by utilizing superior midfield pace to tire out the Bombers' defense. Despite a late surge by Essendon, Brisbane secured their first of three consecutive flags.
The game also served as a catalyst for a geographical revolution in the league. It was the first of six consecutive premierships won by non-Victorian clubs, a streak that saw titles distributed among Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, and Western Australia. Furthermore, the Brisbane squad was a testament to long-term rebuilding; many of the players who secured the 2001 flag were on the same roster when the club finished with the wooden spoon in 1998.
The event also marked a significant media transition. It was the final match broadcast by the Seven Network before they lost their television rights, a hiatus that lasted until 2007. On the field, the match cemented the legacies of coaches Kevin Sheedy and Leigh Matthews, who had faced each other in a landmark 1990 final, and saw Shaun Hart awarded the Norm Smith Medal for his best-on-ground performance.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: 2001 AFL Grand Final
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