50 Best Essendon Wins since 2000 (countdown)

Football Discussion Stargazer Memorial EFC History Board
281

Franklin missed because a suspension right? From memory I found it funny Hawks fans went into it filthy the game had gone soft trying to ban the bump.

1 Like
282

Honestly, one if the worst calls I’ve ever seen. McLaren was a twit

1 Like
283

A thoroughly enjoyable day at the G

1 Like
284

Best Win Since 2000 No. 22

Round 9 2001 vs Hawthorn

Essendon 7.4.46 11.9.75 15.10.100 18.14.122
Hawthorn 4.1.25 4.4.28 7.7.49 8.9.57

Context

  • 1st vs 2nd on the ladder and 50,701 spectators at Docklands. About as much interest as a H&A game can generate.

  • Essendon had started the season well but were more prone to lapses than they’d been in 2000. They also carried a decent injury list into the game, with players such as Dustin Fletcher, Mark Mercuri, Joe Misiti, Blake Caracella, Chris Heffernan and Steven Alessio all missing. Nevertheless, the Bombers came into the game with a 7-1 W/L record and the highest percentage in the competition.

  • Hawthorn were undefeated and coming off a big win against a very poor West Coast at the MCG.

Why it’s on the list / key moments

  • AKA “The ‘Let’s Get Loud’ game”.

  • Essendon dismantled the league leaders and re-established themselves as the team to beat.

  • Matthew Lloyd kicked the first goal of the game after 19 seconds.

  • Late in the 1st quarter, Adam Ramanauskas brilliantly ran down Hawthorn captain Shane Crawford as the Hawk tried to buy himself space 30m out from goal.

  • The Bombers put the game to bed by HT with a 75-28 lead. Lloyd kicked 5 goals for the half and eventually finished with 8.0.

  • James Hird took a classic juggling mark early in the 4th quarter while being paid close attention by Angelo Lekkas. According to this old-school BomberBlitz fan’s match report , Hird was close to best-on-ground. Blitz-lore question: Does anyone recall Uncy Herb or Andy Davis? They appear to be the most likely authors of these old match reports.

  • Click here for some admittedly low quality Essendon goals/highlights.

Extra notes

  • This was the match where every Essendon goal was followed by a snippet of Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud”.

  • Cory McGrath’s debut for Essendon.

  • Jonathan Robran kicked his first of 3 goals for Essendon.

  • Essendon ended the round with 8 wins. Their next opponent, Brisbane, only had 4 wins, after a home loss to Adelaide.

What happened next?

  • The Bombers’ air of invincibility lasted only a week, as they lost by 28 points away to Brisbane at the Gabba. Essendon resumed winning for another 6 weeks before tougher opposition started to give the Bombers more problems. They managed to hold on to 1st spot on the ladder and met the Hawks again in a Preliminary Final. The contest was much closer this time, with the Bombers limping over the line in unconvincing fashion. Essendon faltered at the final hurdle against Brisbane in the Grand Final, a side who had not lost since their aforementioned meeting in Round 10.

  • Hawthorn took the loss poorly, losing 4 of their next 6 matches. By the time finals arrived, the Hawks were in poor form, having lost 3 consecutive matches, including a loss after the siren to a shot from St Kilda’s Barry Hall. Somehow, they found their best football just in time, with wins at home to Sydney and away to Port Adelaide to set up an Essendon rematch.

Click here to go to best win #21.

3 Likes
285

Think Andy was site admin?

Uncy Herb was also an IT geek i believe, was on Bombertalk alot

2 Likes
286

Wow, there’s a quite a bit unpack here…

1 Like
287

With one round to go in 2011 Collingwood were 20-1 with a percentage of 181.7

Dropped 14% with a 96 pt loss in the final round

1 Like
288

My memory of that season is that Collingwood were clearly the best team - I didn’t realise they were that dominant - but all the talk about their coaching succession plan became more and more of a distraction as the season progressed and culminated in them getting done by Geelong in the GF (which was extremely satisfying).

3 Likes
289

My memory is more that they were dominant playing a game style (the “high press”) which was relatively new back then (they started to implement it around mid 2010 or so) and that nobody really knew how to play against it but that teams started to figure it out towards the end of the year.

I know a few of their players say it was the succession plan, but it was mainly that. That and the fact that, as I said earlier, it was an insanely top heavy season and Collingwood weren’t that much better than Geelong or Hawthorn.

290

I’m sure they tried the “let’s get loud” rubbish more than once. I remember being there to hear it and I don’t think it was this game (then again, I might be wrong).

1 Like
291

I remember a lot of controversy leading up to this game in regards to a live telecast into Melbourne, which from memory didn’t actually happen (30 minute delay).

These days? Wouldn’t be an issue.

1 Like
292

Somewhere along the line they lost in Melbourne to Damien Drum’s pathetic Freo side, an all-timer as far as poor sides go. They were pretenders that year and shouldn’t have been as close as they were in the PF.

1 Like
293

Thanks for sharing. I was too young to remember, so I’m going off fan memories with that tid bit.

294

I saw that there was a BomberBlitz article from around the time of this game about concerns regarding the 25-year Docklands stadium deal. Makes sense considering that many Vic-based fans wouldn’t have had a chance to go to the game with the ground being that full.

295

Yeah, they were pretty ordinary and totally fluked a win over Port. The good news is that it convinced them they were serious contenders and they ended up screwing themselves for a few years after.

1 Like
296

Sadly this was a mere few months before they swindled Freo out of pick 1 by sending them Croad.

297

LOL, that probably wouldn’t be one of the 10 dumbest trades Freo have ever made.

1 Like
298

Best Win Since 2000 No. 21

Round 1 2013 vs Adelaide

Adelaide 3.4.22 4.9.33 8.14.62 11.16.82
Essendon 1.3.9 7.5.47 13.7.85 18.9.117

Context

  • Essendon had endured 2 months of being under the media microscope thanks to the recent supplements scandal. The Bombers had ended 2012 horribly after a fast start, so it was less certain than ever which Essendon would turn up. Brendan Goddard had joined as a free agent from St Kilda, providing a boost to Essendon’s best 22.

  • Adelaide were the surprise packet of 2012, making a Preliminary FInal which they lost by only 5 points to Hawthorn at the MCG.

Why it’s on the list / key moments

  • Essendon put their interstate demons aside, playing a fantastic final 3 quarters to overrun the heavily favoured Crows.

  • Stewart Crameri kicked a clever snap early in the 2nd quarter from 15m out to give the Bombers a lift, cutting the Crows’s early lead to 7 points.

  • Michael Hibberd kicked a brilliant goal on the run from 45m out after taking 2 bounces.

  • Early in the 4th quarter, Heath Hocking wrapped up a young Patrick Dangerfield in Essendon’s left-forward pocket, earning himself a free kick and converting for a goal.

  • Ben Howlett played his best game to date, kicking 4.1 while earning 25 disposals and 6 tackles. He was awarded the 3 Brownlow votes.

  • Jobe Watson was fantastic for the Dons with 34 disposals, 7 clearances and a joyous goal with 30 seconds on the clock. The Bomber captain had taken a bounce inside 50 before finishing with a low drop punt.

  • Click here for the Essendon goals/highlights.

Extra notes

  • Brendan Goddard and Nick Kommer’s debuts for Essendon. Both players kicked their first goals for the club.

  • Essendon won the tackle count 73-47.

What happened next?

  • Essendon looked like a serious team to start the season, including an all-time thrashing of Melbourne in Round 2. After Round 6, the Bombers were 6-0 with 171.4%. Eventually the saga took its toll and the Bombers’ form fell off a cliff late in the season before the AFL finally confirmed their decision to ban the club from the finals.

  • Adelaide failed to follow up their 2012 season as they finished 11th.

Click here to go to best win #20.

4 Likes
299

Wondering if round 1 2007 makes the list - debut of Jetta and Davey with an interstate win against Adelaide. We were 2nd last previous season, Crows finished 2nd in H&A, going down in a prelim final to eventual premiers West Coast.

300

I think I know what the next win is :wink: