User:Aaroncrick/Essendon Football Club in 2000

The failure of 1999 caused the players to redouble their efforts, having resolved to use that prelim defeat to motivate them like nothing else could. As a result, the 2000 season would prove to be the best Essendon, or perhaps any side in the league, has produced since Collingwood provided the league's only undefeated Home and Away season in 1929. Essendon would lose just one solitary match during the home-and-away season, winning 20 consecutive matches before losing to the Western Bulldogs in round 21 denying Essendon an undefeated season.

Essendon finished the home and away season at 21-1 and faced North Melbourne in the Qualifying Final. Many felt the Kangaroos had backed into the '99 flag due to Essendon's preliminary final stumble, and the Bombers unleashed all of their pent-up fury upon the hapless Kangaroos, kicking 31 goals and obliterating North to the tune of 125 points, at the time a finals record margin.

Essendon then drew Carlton again in the Preliminary Final, but lightning would not strike twice for the Blues. The Dons easily accounted for them by 45 points, then coolly dismissed an overmatched Melbourne by 60 points in the Grand Final the next week to win a record equalling 16th premiership, completing one of the most dominant single seasons in AFL/VFL history. It was especially sweet for James Hird, who had come back from his career-threatening injury to win the Norm Smith medal.