Jade
Smug lives here.
- Jul 8, 2008
- 34,604
- 53,542
- AFL Club
- Essendon
Anything you like.
For me, it's hard to go past the 2000 Grand Final. Actually, the entire 2000 season to be honest
I remember the 1999 season, and particularly the day that must not be named.
Funny thing is, I didn't really see us as a premiership contender until late in the season. But by the time the prelim came around I just expected us to win. I was 18 years old at the time, and was working a job installing electronic POS systems (which even in 1999 still weren't universal) for a well known retailer.
I was working that day, so had to keep checking the scores. When the game ended, and the result was announced over the radio, I remember a feeling of complete emptiness. End of the workday, I was in the car with my step-father driving home, and as I pulled in to the driveway, I see my next door neighbor hanging out her kitchen window screaming 'Go the Blues!' at me. I was too spent to care....
Whilst I didn't consider it at the time, as the years have gone past I must admit I'm amused at the complete state of delusion North Melbourne fans are suspended in over that year. Over the 1999-2001 period Essendon didn't lose once to North. Six games and an average margin of 55 points. They were completely and utterly incapable of beating Essendon. Yet somehow they've got themselves convinced that they would have won that game? Don't kid yourself peons, the 1999 flag was won or lost on the success of a Fraser Brown tackle - Essendon would have beaten the s**t out of North in that game.
The fact that Essendon was immediately installed as the flag favourite for the 2000 flag indicates that, despite the denial of Kangaroo fans, the market knew this to be true as well....
But anyway, I digress.
The 2000 season was probably the first year I started paying significant attention to footy. In that, I was always an Essendon fan, but not at the meticulous, wanting to know every detail kind of level that I find myself at today.
We started at Docklands, which was a real novelty being a brand new stadium. Smashed the living s**t out of Port - nice way to start the year.
I think that the dominance of that side is seriously underrated nowadays - and that is potentially an unavoidable side effect of only winning the one premiership. But it was a BEASTLY side that simply overpowered sides - and did it with such ease.
With the exception of the Bulldogs game, only three sides were able to get within four goals of Essendon - a truly astonishing statistic. We'd win games by 30-40 points, but they were such effortless victories - we'd barely get out of second gear. The games would effectively be over at half time as contests, and turn in to a training drill.
I've said it before and I will say it again - no side, not the Hawks threepeat side, not the great Geelong side, not Brisbane - NO ONE was that dominant. Any fan of any of those sides attempting to suggest that their sides were better are absolutely kidding themselves. More successful? No doubt. But better? Not a chance in hell.
By the time we got to round 5 or so, we were clear flag favourites. At the halfway point of the season we were considered damn near unbeatable.
Carlton were a bloody good side that year too. Second best team of the year, and probably stronger than many premiership sides in their own right. Won thirteen games in a row. Unfortunately injuries robbed them of a real shot, and probably robbed the football world of what might have been a seriously good game between the two. I was in Geelong for the round 20 clash. It was fairly clear early in the game though that they were out matched though.
The Dogs game was an odd one. We were off. I don't know if it was complacency, but it was an odd game. It was the flood game. But funnily enough, all flooding did was keep the Dogs close - people seem to forget that Essendon were leading despite the flood at three quarter time. It was only when the Dogs opened up that they managed to get ahead of us.
Brad Johnson. I didn't have a high opinion of him at the time, and watching him act like a complete and utter flog after the game only enhanced that view. A bright shining example of how little All-Australian honours mean in judging how good a player was - because the guy was far from a champion, I struggle to even put him in the 'very good' category. Genuinely glad that his career amounted to a fairly irrelevant stint.
I would have liked an undefeated season. But the reality is I have no idea if that loss was the final push we needed to take us to a flag. Who knows?
What I do know, is that entering the finals - I was nervous as all hell.
We entered the Qualifying Final against North as favourites obviously, but I remember feeling for the first time an absolute disdain for North. I don't mean hatred either. I looked at them and was disgusted with how pathetic and weak they were as a footy club, as an entity. They were parasites. Maggots. They didn't even deserve to be on the same field, in the same league, as Essendon.
The media build up followed a well worn script. Passing of the baton, reigning champs vs challenger etc etc. I remember at the time being almost insulted. This wasn't a passing of the baton. We were, and had been for some time, a vastly superior side to North. They were nothing. I knew it in my bones. Every single part of that club was inferior, in every way.
Lucky for me, apparently the players agreed with me.
I remember Corey McKernan. At the bounce, he had this screwed up, game face on - like he was totally up for this. The ball bounced... yeah, he wasn't up for it.
It was a blitzkrieg. Essendon smashed in nine goals in the first quarter. Pagan, aware that his team was about to be crushed, feebly attempted to stem the flow by dropping players back, and succeeded in restricting Essendon to 'only' 6 goals in the second quarter. So the team that had comfortably cantered in to wins by 7 or 8 goals responded by ripping Norths defense to shreds and pumping in ten goals in the third.
It was angry football. To my eyes, the Essendon players felt the same level of disdain for North as I was feeling. They pummeled and hurt them at every opportunity. It was as if they were personally insulted that this suburban level, insignificant s**t smear of a club had the audacity to so much as show up.
I wanted a fifth quarter. I'm not done beating up on you maggots.
125 points didn't feel like enough. It should have been double that.
Where's your game face now McKernan? That's right, * off with your head down.
The prelim two weeks later was a far more nervy affair. Not them. ANYONE but them. Oh for * sake Brisbane.....
It remains the most nervous I've ever been pre-game. Had we lost that prelim, I don't think I could have described the devastation. 21 points at half time was simply not enough. I felt sick.
At three quarter time we were 54 points up - a greater margin than any ever overcome at that stage of a game, and I still didn't feel good. When the game ended, and we had progressed to the Grand Final, I didn't feel like celebrating. I was relieved more than anything.
I remember finding the media coverage leading up to the Grand Final amusing. Of course, commentators had to try and make a case for WHY Melbourne could win. I think deep down we all knew they were a snowballs chance in hell, but hey, they had to make a case.
Jeff Farmer could be the difference, they said. Meh, maybe, I guess. Ah who am I kidding, no, no he can't.
The game happened. The inevitable happened. At half time, I cracked my first beer. The game was over. The resistance had lasted barely a quarter. Troy Simmonds had been flattened, Melbourne fans booed any time Michael Long went near the ball. Yeah cool, go for it.
Unlike the North game, the Essendon players didn't seen to have any particular dislike for Melbourne, so they coasted. It was a mere procession.
Siren sounds, Hird jumps. This guy is sitting in his lounge room, probably looking smug as *.
Medal presentations. My god Barnsey you are a bogan. But I love ya...
On to my pushy I got, and rode the four or five k's to get to my mates place, where I knew the party was going to be. I had a drink, and then another....
About halfway through the night my cousin arrived. I pounced out of the hallway with a 'GO BOMBERS!!!' and bounded back to the kitchen for another drink.
Some hours later I wasn't capable of pouring them any more, but they kept coming. A few hours more and I was laying half in the front door, half on the front veranda having a Chris Mew. Yeah that suede jacket will never be the same......
Woke up the next day - I s**t you not - not even the slightest hangover. Reality is I was probably still pissed, but I choose to believe that the football gods had given me their blessings to go forth and imbibe. And I did.
And thus ended the greatest single season in football history.
For me, it's hard to go past the 2000 Grand Final. Actually, the entire 2000 season to be honest
I remember the 1999 season, and particularly the day that must not be named.
Funny thing is, I didn't really see us as a premiership contender until late in the season. But by the time the prelim came around I just expected us to win. I was 18 years old at the time, and was working a job installing electronic POS systems (which even in 1999 still weren't universal) for a well known retailer.
I was working that day, so had to keep checking the scores. When the game ended, and the result was announced over the radio, I remember a feeling of complete emptiness. End of the workday, I was in the car with my step-father driving home, and as I pulled in to the driveway, I see my next door neighbor hanging out her kitchen window screaming 'Go the Blues!' at me. I was too spent to care....
Whilst I didn't consider it at the time, as the years have gone past I must admit I'm amused at the complete state of delusion North Melbourne fans are suspended in over that year. Over the 1999-2001 period Essendon didn't lose once to North. Six games and an average margin of 55 points. They were completely and utterly incapable of beating Essendon. Yet somehow they've got themselves convinced that they would have won that game? Don't kid yourself peons, the 1999 flag was won or lost on the success of a Fraser Brown tackle - Essendon would have beaten the s**t out of North in that game.
The fact that Essendon was immediately installed as the flag favourite for the 2000 flag indicates that, despite the denial of Kangaroo fans, the market knew this to be true as well....
But anyway, I digress.
The 2000 season was probably the first year I started paying significant attention to footy. In that, I was always an Essendon fan, but not at the meticulous, wanting to know every detail kind of level that I find myself at today.
We started at Docklands, which was a real novelty being a brand new stadium. Smashed the living s**t out of Port - nice way to start the year.
I think that the dominance of that side is seriously underrated nowadays - and that is potentially an unavoidable side effect of only winning the one premiership. But it was a BEASTLY side that simply overpowered sides - and did it with such ease.
With the exception of the Bulldogs game, only three sides were able to get within four goals of Essendon - a truly astonishing statistic. We'd win games by 30-40 points, but they were such effortless victories - we'd barely get out of second gear. The games would effectively be over at half time as contests, and turn in to a training drill.
I've said it before and I will say it again - no side, not the Hawks threepeat side, not the great Geelong side, not Brisbane - NO ONE was that dominant. Any fan of any of those sides attempting to suggest that their sides were better are absolutely kidding themselves. More successful? No doubt. But better? Not a chance in hell.
By the time we got to round 5 or so, we were clear flag favourites. At the halfway point of the season we were considered damn near unbeatable.
Carlton were a bloody good side that year too. Second best team of the year, and probably stronger than many premiership sides in their own right. Won thirteen games in a row. Unfortunately injuries robbed them of a real shot, and probably robbed the football world of what might have been a seriously good game between the two. I was in Geelong for the round 20 clash. It was fairly clear early in the game though that they were out matched though.
The Dogs game was an odd one. We were off. I don't know if it was complacency, but it was an odd game. It was the flood game. But funnily enough, all flooding did was keep the Dogs close - people seem to forget that Essendon were leading despite the flood at three quarter time. It was only when the Dogs opened up that they managed to get ahead of us.
Brad Johnson. I didn't have a high opinion of him at the time, and watching him act like a complete and utter flog after the game only enhanced that view. A bright shining example of how little All-Australian honours mean in judging how good a player was - because the guy was far from a champion, I struggle to even put him in the 'very good' category. Genuinely glad that his career amounted to a fairly irrelevant stint.
I would have liked an undefeated season. But the reality is I have no idea if that loss was the final push we needed to take us to a flag. Who knows?
What I do know, is that entering the finals - I was nervous as all hell.
We entered the Qualifying Final against North as favourites obviously, but I remember feeling for the first time an absolute disdain for North. I don't mean hatred either. I looked at them and was disgusted with how pathetic and weak they were as a footy club, as an entity. They were parasites. Maggots. They didn't even deserve to be on the same field, in the same league, as Essendon.
The media build up followed a well worn script. Passing of the baton, reigning champs vs challenger etc etc. I remember at the time being almost insulted. This wasn't a passing of the baton. We were, and had been for some time, a vastly superior side to North. They were nothing. I knew it in my bones. Every single part of that club was inferior, in every way.
Lucky for me, apparently the players agreed with me.
I remember Corey McKernan. At the bounce, he had this screwed up, game face on - like he was totally up for this. The ball bounced... yeah, he wasn't up for it.
It was a blitzkrieg. Essendon smashed in nine goals in the first quarter. Pagan, aware that his team was about to be crushed, feebly attempted to stem the flow by dropping players back, and succeeded in restricting Essendon to 'only' 6 goals in the second quarter. So the team that had comfortably cantered in to wins by 7 or 8 goals responded by ripping Norths defense to shreds and pumping in ten goals in the third.
It was angry football. To my eyes, the Essendon players felt the same level of disdain for North as I was feeling. They pummeled and hurt them at every opportunity. It was as if they were personally insulted that this suburban level, insignificant s**t smear of a club had the audacity to so much as show up.
I wanted a fifth quarter. I'm not done beating up on you maggots.
125 points didn't feel like enough. It should have been double that.
Where's your game face now McKernan? That's right, * off with your head down.
The prelim two weeks later was a far more nervy affair. Not them. ANYONE but them. Oh for * sake Brisbane.....
It remains the most nervous I've ever been pre-game. Had we lost that prelim, I don't think I could have described the devastation. 21 points at half time was simply not enough. I felt sick.
At three quarter time we were 54 points up - a greater margin than any ever overcome at that stage of a game, and I still didn't feel good. When the game ended, and we had progressed to the Grand Final, I didn't feel like celebrating. I was relieved more than anything.
I remember finding the media coverage leading up to the Grand Final amusing. Of course, commentators had to try and make a case for WHY Melbourne could win. I think deep down we all knew they were a snowballs chance in hell, but hey, they had to make a case.
Jeff Farmer could be the difference, they said. Meh, maybe, I guess. Ah who am I kidding, no, no he can't.
The game happened. The inevitable happened. At half time, I cracked my first beer. The game was over. The resistance had lasted barely a quarter. Troy Simmonds had been flattened, Melbourne fans booed any time Michael Long went near the ball. Yeah cool, go for it.
Unlike the North game, the Essendon players didn't seen to have any particular dislike for Melbourne, so they coasted. It was a mere procession.
Siren sounds, Hird jumps. This guy is sitting in his lounge room, probably looking smug as *.
Medal presentations. My god Barnsey you are a bogan. But I love ya...
On to my pushy I got, and rode the four or five k's to get to my mates place, where I knew the party was going to be. I had a drink, and then another....
About halfway through the night my cousin arrived. I pounced out of the hallway with a 'GO BOMBERS!!!' and bounded back to the kitchen for another drink.
Some hours later I wasn't capable of pouring them any more, but they kept coming. A few hours more and I was laying half in the front door, half on the front veranda having a Chris Mew. Yeah that suede jacket will never be the same......
Woke up the next day - I s**t you not - not even the slightest hangover. Reality is I was probably still pissed, but I choose to believe that the football gods had given me their blessings to go forth and imbibe. And I did.
And thus ended the greatest single season in football history.
