As I said to another poster, it didn’t make the list because of the arbitrary lens I happened to be using for most of this exercise, that being “how did we perform compared to expectation?” I was livid that day. I had no voice left as I was leaving the stadium. As you say though, we played well. Plus, Collingwood were coming off a Grand Final appearance, so to get that close wasn’t a bad result.
2 Likes
Our back to back wins against the bulldogs and lions in 2014 were ■■■■■■■ torrid. I’d put the lions one in my top 5 because it came after doing the same thing the week before. Went into half time up by a couple of goals, behind at three quarter time, won 65-57 against a team that conceded over 100 points a game that season, and lost by 80 points the week before and the week after. Just unbearable football.
1 Like
2003 and 2013 Anzac Days were really good ones. Collingwood were a serious contender in 03 and we rinsed them with Hird, Lloyd and Damian Cupido (?!) kicking about 15 between them.
2013 was pretty close to my peak of optimism in about the last 20 years. Just an easy win over a pretty good team.
Also remember a pretty big comeback win against the Crows in Adelaide around 2012 or 2013 or so that was a really good one, mainly because it was the kind of game Essendon could usually be counted on to lose.
1 Like
the dreamtime game where richo pushed mal michael in the back then copped a 50 for playing on to kick the goal
that win will always hold a special place in my heart because of how bitter it made richmond fans
fkn cnts. all of them
4 Likes
Regardless of who it’s against, kicking 15 goals in a quarter is pretty impressive.
1 Like
they were a ■■■■■■■ disgrace that year and shouldve beaten us twice.
Anyway, fark em still
1 Like
Yes, a solid player who was handy in front of the big sticks on his day.
fk this was a good win
we also trounced gws at their home and then went over and smacked WCE at Optus as well, great times
1 Like
Vs Brisbane in 2003 is right up there for me. That was a brilliant game.
There was also a shootout vs NM in 2018 which was a belter of a game.
4 Likes
The 2016 win against the Dees was pretty awesome
4 Likes
Yeah. It’s now xmas and I’m going through my archive of matches and trying to reduce the number of full games and replacing them with highlights.
There’s definitely a decent list of 50. Just like the losses, the wins sort of blend together. It’s called getting old.
But It would need to be since our last grand final (the loss to Brisbane). That was the last time we were even close to great in my opinion. And I knew the next pre-season that it was over when we got smashed by Port by 100 points (it’s one of my worst losses).
There are probably 5 James Hird specials alone. West Coast, Freo final, the Bulldogs game when he returned from the skull injury (that was a draw, but it was still a great game) and a few Anzac Day games.
The few wins in 2016 would definitely be there.
A few wins against Geelong (Melksham goal from the goal square).
A few against Sydney (Goodes missed a shot after the siren).
There’s a few Hawthorn wins (the line in the sand, win when Bomba was coaching, Hooker’s late goal early in the year).
There was the West Coast game when Rob Forster Knight played reserves the day before and won undermanned.
There’s the Scotty Lucas walk in goal against Melbourne (Neal’s last game coaching Melbourne).
There was a win against Port at Etihad where Lloyd set the tone by knocking out Cornes in the first few minutes. Another against Brisbane where Bolts (I think) had his best game.
There were a few rousing victories against the Saints when they were good. Knights knew how to matchup against them.
There’s bound to be a few Carlton ones.
There were a few good ones in 2014 under Bomber. Carlisle had days out against the Bulldogs and Collingwood. Then there was the win against Port in Adelaide where they had a run of goals late, but we still won.
There was a GWS game at Etihad that we grinned out. win somehow when we didn’t deserve it. Hooker kicked the goals then.
There were a few games against Carlton when Andy Lovett ran wild.
Under Scott, there’s probably a few games. The Richmond Dreamtime win (Durham goal with a few minutes). I still rate the game where we beat GWS at Marvel in 2024. The Kings Birthday win against Carlton in 2023.
Rutten had a good win against the Swans in 2022. There was a good win against the Bulldogs late in 2021 (2MP kicked a bag).
Worsfold had a few. There’s one against the Crows in Adelaide late one year that was good.
Hird had plenty. There was a night game against West Coast (may have been a Saturday night) which was really good. There’s plenty in 2013.
That’s just off the top of my head. I’m sure I’ve forgotten a more than I’ve remembered (same deal with the worst losses list).
Not even the best Anzac Day game (in my opinion).
I enjoyed when Hird, Lloyd and Cupido kicked a bag each. I still watch that game once every few years.
Was even better that it was the weekend after an article about Hird was written that he was pretty much finished. ■■■■ didn’t need to poke the sleeping bear. She’d done it before in 1998 for memory.
1 Like
Great post and food for thought. I’ve jumped the gun and decided to stick with 2000 as the starting point, mostly so that it lines up with this thread. It means that 2000 and 2001 will probably feature a fair bit, but I can already see some interesting talking points in earlier posts. “Where do the finals wins sit?”, for example.
1 Like
Any further discussion regarding best wins since 2000 can be posted in the new thread, 50 Best Essendon Wins since 2000 (countdown).
1 Like
That’s in my personal top 5 of games I have attended.
1 Like
I still marvel at my ridiculous decision and dedication that I sat through this entire game by myself at Olympic Park. Fark me what a pathetic effort.
1 Like