Best Win Since 2000 No. 32
Round 19 2001 vs Sydney
| Essendon | 1.3.9 | 2.8.20 | 5.11.41 | 11.13.79 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 2.5.17 | 7.6.48 | 9.8.62 | 11.11.77 |
Context
-
Essendon had lost their last two games against Port Adelaide and Carlton respectively. The Bombers were still 1st on the ladder but Brisbane were now only a game behind.
-
The likes of James Hird, Matthew Lloyd, Dean Soloman, Dean Rioli, Mark Johnson, Justin Blumfield and John Barnes were all unavailable. The side Essendon put out was younger, on average, than most lineups Essendon fielded in its recent and infamous 2025 season, where it debuted a record number of players in one season.
-
Sydney had won their last 5 games including wins against eventual finalists, Carlton, Hawthorn and Adelaide. The week before, the Swans had also won by 107 points against the Kangaroos - the same Kangaroos who had pushed Essendon to the death in “the comeback game” 3 weeks earlier.
Why it’s on the list / key moments
-
Sydney led 62-35 late in the 3rd quarter as Paul Kelly lined up for a simple set shot for goal. Man-on-the-mark, Blake Caracella, seemingly turned the game on its head with an unexpected smother. The Bombers rebounded immediately to kick a goal via Adam Ramanauskas to keep them in it.
-
The Bombers kicked 6 goals to 1 in the last quarter to steal victory in heartstopping fashion.
-
Sydney’s Michael O’Loughlin kicked a brilliant goal from the pocket to give his side a 22 point lead with half a quarter remaining. It looked like it wasn’t supposed to be the Bombers’ day. I highly recommend re-watching the game from this point onwards to appreciate the turnaround and atmosphere without footage cuts. The stadium was absolutely rocking by the time the margin was reduced to 10 points.
-
Paul Williams had the chance to all but ice the game for Sydney with ~1:30 on the clock as he launched at goal from 50m out. His shot faded to the right.
-
With less than a minute on the clock, the Dons frantically tried to conjure a scoring opportunity. Gary Moorcroft tried to replicate his mark of the century from 5 weeks earlier, but this time the ball was spoiled. Eventually the ball was fed out to Dustin Fletcher about 55m out, who bombed the ball high and central. Steven Alessio read the ball best, taking a clutch mark among two Swans players desperately trying to affect the contest. The noise on the broadcast for this mark is almost guaranteed to give any Bomber fan goosebumps. Alessio held his nerve to kick his 4th of the afternoon and give Essendon an incredible win with only seconds remaining.
Extra notes
-
Judd Lalich’s last game for Essendon.
-
Sydney’s Brent Plitz played his only game of AFL football.
What happened next?
-
The Bombers sewed up top spot with victories against Collingwood and West Coast, before losing to Richmond in the final Home and Away season match. After limping into the Grand Final, Essendon succumbed to eventual powerhouse, Brisbane.
-
Sydney lost comprehensively to Hawthorn in an Elimination Final at Docklands.
Click here to go to best win #31.