Essendon Vs North Melbourne 2000 Qualifying Final

Essendon met North Melbourne in the 2000 Qualifying Final. Essendon had gone the whole year up to this point with only 1 loss in the Home and Away Season and were the favourites to win the flag. North Melbourne had finished 4th in the regular season and were hoping to continue their good form leading into the finals.
On Saturday August 12th, these two sides met at the MCG to a crowd of 68, 443. What nobody was expecting was the annihilation that Essendon was about to produce to North Melbourne. In a show of pure class and dominance.
After North kicked the opening goal, the Bombers responded with 5 straight brilliant goals of their own. North Melbourne kicked the next 3 of 4 goals but Essendon would follow this with another 3 to end the first quarter at 9.1.55 to 4.2.26 and lead by 29 going into the first change.
They started off the second quarter with 2 goals apiece before essendon went on to kick the last 4 of the quarter. With some brilliant football being played by Essendon, the lead at half time had blown out to 57 points. Essendon 15.6.96 to North Melbourne 6.3.39
During the third quarter, Essendon broke the record for highest margin in a Qualifying Final held previously by Hawthorn in 1987. Essendon continued their demolition of North Melbourne by increasing their intensity. By the end of the third term, Essendon had not only increased the margin to 101 points, but they had also kicked 10 goals to 3 to finish the third quarter at 25.9.159 to North Melbourne 9.4.58.
By the fourth quarter, Essendon just couldn't do a thing wrong. Matthew Lloyd kicked his 100th goal for the season mid-way through the fourth quarter. By the end of the game, Essendon had also broken the record for highest recorded winning score in AFL Finals History which was previously held by Carlton when the scored 177 in the 1972 Grand Final.
Essendon had 13 players kick 1 goal or more. Matthew Lloyd kicked 7 and Joe Misiti had 41 posessions as well as picking up 4 goals. The final total was Essendon 31.12.198 to North Melbourne 11.7.73 with a final margin of 125 points. Essendon would carry this brilliant form into the rest of the finals. North Melbourne would go on to beat Hawthorn in the Semi Finals but would lose to eventual runners up Melbourne in the Preliminary Final
Essendon Goal Scorers: M. Lloyd 7, J. Hird 5, J. Misiti 4, G. Moorcroft 3, D. Bewick 2, B. Caracella 2, S. Lucas 2, S. Alessio 1, J. Blumfield 1, J. Johnson 1, M. Long 1, M. Mercuri 1, S. Wellman 1
North Melbourne Goal Scorers: D. King 7, W. Carey 1, S. Grant 1, B. Harvey 1, C. McKernan 1

[@ryanbasilio9548]

Probably the greatest team to ever play AFL.
The near perfect season.
24 from 25.
Not bad.👍🏻👍🏻😊😊

[@Alex-bb1xn]

Let's not forget they also won the pre-season cup and were undefeated in that tournament as well.

[@DougKercher]

Breathtaking football, great memories, all the young supporters should watch this because it hasn't been too good for them the last 20 years.

[@jezzalanko]

All those shrugged tackles and the fact that essendon didn't stop running all day says something they were so much more physically dominate then any other team

[@ryanbasilio9548]

Bombers Unlucky not to crack the 200 point barrier.

[@mashek331]

"One of the greatest exhibitions of Australian football you will ever see..." Proceeds to dismantle the reigning premiers by 125 points in a final.

[@johndefriee1982]

best team EVER!!!!

[@LTBurger]

Brisbane Lions team were much better and far more successful.

[@allanwhite3264]

How did Brisbane go against Essendon in 2000????

[@c2j9e]

A Google User answer me this then, how was brisbane's win loss record in 2001, 2002 & 2003?? And did brisbane win the minor premiership those years? No they didn't

[@EweTubio]

Ya forget how good Smokin’ Joe really was!

[@stevelozevski8151]

​@user-vk2wp4ot8hwhere did you get the 250 figure from you twit🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jimsnell8984]

Fabulous bombers team

[@Not1Dimensional]

So much for Essendon not able to win finals.

[@andrewweatherhead4127]

Joe Misiti. Legend.

[@russeljohnson9616]

What an unbelievable season

[@sobored9317]

Hird + Lloyd up forward lmao good luck stopping that

[@niccin7648]

AFL is the best soccer sucks so bad👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿In Australia 🇦🇺

[@huddome]

thought north were a bit unlucky that day

[@johndefriee1982]

unlucky not to have lost by 20 goals!!

[@mabiorcholappreciationpage]

One of the most perfect football games you will ever see a side play

[@TheAussieSlayer]

this team should of won at 2 or maybe 3 flags

[@russeljohnson9616]

TheAussieSlayer this team would of smashed any of the lions teams , cats 2007 - 2011 , hawthorn 2013 - 2015

[@trystanlewis1222]

This team was robbed cos the afl babied Brisbane

[@gggumball]

@@russeljohnson9616 didn't beat Brisbane

[@russeljohnson9616]

@@gggumball they did .they smashed them at the gabba by 64 points

[@MRHenHen]

@@trystanlewis1222😂😂😂😂

[@stevegutshot2663]

The Bombers could do no wrong.

[@stevelozevski8151]

​@user-vk2wp4ot8hyou're only 55 countries out you door knob🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Aussiepride88]

this game still gives me goosebumps

[@Aussiepride88]

@M what that got to do with anything 😂😂😂

[@gregzerovonic2198]

​@Aussiepride88 This guy is a mentally disabled loser

[@stevelozevski8151]

​@user-vk2wp4ot8hyou've now gone up to 250 countries. You absolute door knob 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🙏🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ErinCashmore-gc7dy]

Go Bombers