2001 Ansett Australia Cup

2001 Ansett Australia Cup
AFL pre-season competition
Season 2001
Teams 16
Winners Port Adelaide (1st title)
Matches played 27
Michael Tuck Medallist Adam Kingsley (Port Adelaide)

The 2001 Ansett Australia Cup was contested by all sixteen clubs of the Australian Football League prior to the beginning of the AFLs 2001 season. It ran for five weeks in February and March 2001. The competition took a round-robin format to provide all teams with at least 3 practice games to prepare for the 2001 regular season, with all clubs divided into four groups of four, and the group winners qualifying for the knockout semi finals. Group A comprised the defending premiers Essendon, Port Adelaide, Geelong and Sydney. Group B featured Kangaroos, Collingwood, West Coast and St Kilda. Group C featured Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Western Bulldogs and Adelaide while finally Group D comprised Hawthorn, Richmond, Fremantle and Melbourne.

In the group stages, the Brisbane Lions, Port Adelaide, Hawthorn and Kangaroos finished top of their respective groups and qualified for the semi finals. Port Adelaide won Group A with 3 wins out of 3, qualifying ahead of Sydney and Geelong. The win over Geelong that secured Port Adelaide a place in the semi finals was marred however by a serious broken leg suffered by key ruckman Brendon Lade. In Group B, Kangaroos won their place in the semi finals after a 28-point win in the final group game against Collingwood. Group C was won by Brisbane Lions after they defeated Carlton by 13 points in the deciding game of the group. Group D was secured by Hawthorn after a 100-point thumping of Melbourne meant they qualified ahead of Richmond on percentage.

In the knockout semi finals, Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide beat Hawthorn and Kangaroos respectively to qualify for the Grand Final. Port Adelaide trailed Kangaroos at 3/4 time but kicked the first 5 goals of the final term to secure a 16-point victory in front of their own fans at Football Park. In the other semi final at Colonial Stadium, the Brisbane Lions kicked the final 4 goals of the game against Hawthorn to win by 15 points. The win by Brisbane Lions was significant as it broke a finals hoodoo in Melbourne, and set up the first grand final between two Non Victorian/Interstate teams in VFL/AFL history.

Group stage

Group 1

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundDateCrowd
Geelong 4.10 (34) Sydney 6.11 (47) Marrara Oval Friday, 16 February 8500
Port Adelaide 16.25 (121) Essendon 5.12 (42) Football Park Saturday, 17 February 19,498
Port Adelaide 17.10 (112) Sydney 15.17 (107) Football Park Friday, 23 February 15,709
Essendon 12.18 (90) Geelong 17.10 (112) Colonial Stadium Friday, 23 February 22,829
Geelong 12.15 (87) Port Adelaide 16.9 (105) Colonial Stadium Saturday, 3 March 4474
Sydney 11.17 (83) Essendon 8.11 (59) Manuka Oval Saturday, 3 March 12,358

Group 2

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundDateCrowd
Collingwood 12.14 (86) St Kilda 10.8 (68) Colonial Stadium Friday, 16 February 30,072
West Coast 6.11 (47) Kangaroos 14.12 (96) Subiaco Oval Friday, 16 February 16,905
Kangaroos 14.12 (96) St Kilda 12.9 (81) Manuka Oval Saturday, 24 February 8157
West Coast 12.6 (78) Collingwood 12.8 (80) Subiaco Oval Saturday, 24 February 16,090
St Kilda 19.9 (123) West Coast 15.7 (97) Colonial Stadium Friday, 2 March 8642
Kangaroos 18.12 (120) Collingwood 14.8 (92) Colonial Stadium Saturday, 3 March 28,983

Group 3

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundDateCrowd
Adelaide 10.13 (73) Brisbane Lions 16.18 (114) Westpac Stadium Saturday, 17 February 8000
Western Bulldogs 14.8 (92) Carlton 16.10 (106) Colonial Stadium Saturday, 17 February 15,815
Carlton 10.12 (72) Adelaide 9.12 (66) Optus Oval Saturday, 24 February 7291
Brisbane Lions 5.15 (45) Western Bulldogs 9.7 (61) Bundaberg Rum Stadium Saturday, 24 February 5800
Adelaide 11.11 (77) Western Bulldogs 9.5 (59) Football Park Friday, 2 March 20,169
Brisbane Lions 10.14 (74) Carlton 9.7 (61) Gabba Saturday, 3 March 22,957

Group 4

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundDateCrowd
Fremantle 8.9 (57) Melbourne 14.14 (98) Subiaco Oval Saturday, 17 February 11,392
Hawthorn 13.11 (89) Richmond 6.9 (45) York Park Sunday, 18 February 13,958
Richmond 14.13 (97) Melbourne 9.11 (65) Optus Oval Sunday, 25 February 7875
Fremantle 10.12 (72) Hawthorn 5.16 (46) Subiaco Oval Sunday, 25 February 9193
Richmond 22.13 (145) Fremantle 7.9 (51) Optus Oval Sunday, 4 March 4391
Hawthorn 21.17 (143) Melbourne 6.7 (43) Colonial Stadium Sunday, 4 March 9813

Knockout Phase

Semi finals

Semi Finals
Friday, 9 March Port Adelaide 15.12 (102) def. Kangaroos 13.8 (86) Football Park (crowd: 18,516)
Saturday, 10 March Brisbane Lions 14.10 (94) def. Hawthorn 12.7 (79) Colonial Stadium (crowd: 15,866)

Grand final

Grand Final
Saturday, 17 March Port Adelaide def. Brisbane Lions Football Park (crowd: 35,304)
1.3 (9)
9.5 (59)
15.6 (96)
17.9 (111)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final
1.3 (9)
1.3 (9)
3.6 (24)
3.8 (26)
Michael Tuck Medal: Adam Kingsley (Port Adelaide)
Television broadcast: Seven Network

The Brisbane Lions (the eventual regular season premiers) were playing in its first grand final of any kind (since the merger with Fitzroy), while Port Adelaide were playing in their second pre-season grand final after going down to Hawthorn back in 1999. The Brisbane Lions were unhappy with the arrangements for the final, as they had to travel interstate for the 4th time in 5 games, while Port Adelaide played their 4th game at home.

In the final, Port Adelaide took out their first pre season title with a convincing 85-point thumping of the Brisbane Lions. After an even first 1/4, Port took control in the second term with an 8 goal to 0 blitz, during which Stuart Dew kicked 3 goals in 3 minutes, and comfortably held on to secure the first silverware the club had won since their 1997 entry into the AFL.

Knockout Chart

Semi Finals Grand Final
          
Port Adelaide 15 12 102
Kangaroos 13 8 86
Port Adelaide 17 9 111
Brisbane Lions 3 8 26
Brisbane Lions 14 10 94
Hawthorn 12 7 79

See also

References

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