The 2001 AFL season saw a historic premiership win and a controversial hydration practice.
In short: The 2001 Australian Football League season marked the 105th year of the elite competition, featuring sixteen clubs and a dramatic grand final. Beyond the on-field heroics, the season became infamous for a controversial medical practice used by the eventual premiers, which eventually led to a league-wide ban on intravenous rehydration.
The 2001 season, running from 30 March to 29 September, consisted of a 22-game home-and-away schedule followed by a finals series. The Brisbane Lions secured their first premiership by defeating Essendon by 26 points in the grand final. Individual excellence was recognized through several honors: Jason Akermanis of the Brisbane Lions received the Brownlow Medal, while Matthew Lloyd of Essendon earned the Coleman Medal. Shaun Hart, also from the Brisbane Lions, was awarded the Norm Smith Medal, and Justin Koschitzke of St Kilda was named the AFL Rising Star.
The season was marked by extreme fluctuations in performance. Fremantle endured a difficult start, losing their first 17 matches, which extended a losing streak to 18 games dating back to the 2000 season. Conversely, Essendon achieved the largest comeback in VFL/AFL history during a Round 16 match against the Kangaroos. Despite trailing by 69 points early in the second quarter, the team rallied to win by 12 points. This period also saw the formalization of the annual Melbourne and Collingwood match on the Queen's Birthday Holiday at the M.C.G., establishing a tradition that remains a fixture of the league calendar.
A significant controversy emerged regarding the Brisbane Lions' use of intravenous saline drips for player rehydration during half-time and between matches. Players had stents inserted into their elbows before games, which were concealed with tape. While the practice was legal at the time, the AFL expressed concern over negative public perception. The Lions agreed to stop the practice in early September 2001, and the league officially banned it before the 2002 pre-season. The World Anti Doping Agency later implemented a global ban on the practice in 2007, highlighting the evolving standards of professional sports medicine.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: 2001 AFL season
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