2004 AFL Grand Final
Encyclopedia
The 2004 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football
game contested between the Port Adelaide Football Club
and the Brisbane Lions
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in Melbourne
on 25 September 2004. It was the 108th annual Grand Final
of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League
, staged to determine the premiers for 2004 AFL season
. The match was attended by 77,671 spectators. Port Adelaide won by a margin of 40 points, marking that club's first premiership victory.
. Port Adelaide were appearing in their first ever Grand Final and the Brisbane Lions were attempting to win their fourth consecutive premiership.
At the conclusion of the home and away season, Port Adelaide had finished first on the AFL ladder with 17 wins and 5 losses, winning the McClelland Trophy
for the third successive year. Brisbane had finished second with 16 wins and 6 losses. During the 2004 season, Port Adelaide's captain was ruckman Matthew Primus
, however he was injured for most of the season which allowed forward Warren Tredrea
to spend most of the time as captain.
Port Adelaide defeated Geelong
by 55 points in the Qualifying Final at AAMI Stadium
, which gave them a week off and a place in the Preliminary Final. Port Adelaide just defeated St Kilda by 6 points in the Preliminary Final.
Reigning premiers Brisbane defeated St Kilda by a massive 80 points the qualifying final at the Gabba. They then defeated Geelong by 9 points in the Preliminary Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
.
, a premiership winning defender with North Melbourne
in 1999, turned into a match-winning on-baller for the Power, and capped his day with being awarded the Norm Smith Medal for being judged the best player afield. His match statistics were: 19 kicks, 1 handball, 8 marks, 2 tackles, 3 goals and 2 behinds.
The fairytale of the afternoon was the story behind Josh Mahoney
, the until then little-known Port forward pocket had been cast aside by Collingwood
and the Western Bulldogs
in the seven years prior, trying his luck with Essendon's VFL squad in 2001 before switching to Williamstown
. He belatedly received a third chance at the highest level, and was instrumental in the Power's third quarter charge.
Following the match, Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams
was quite animated, his celebrations including a speech on the dais in which he uttered the now-famous words "Allan Scott
- you were wrong!". This was in reference to a comment made by Scott (a sponsor of the Port Adelaide Football Club), earlier in the 2004 season, that the club could not win a premiership under the coaching of Williams. Williams also made a mock choking gesture by holding his tie above his head like a noose as he stepped onto the arena, a reference to the breaking of Port Adelaide's reputation as "chokers". This reputation had been acquired after having lost in several previous finals series, despite dominating the home and away seasons in those years.
Port's victory denied Brisbane its fourth consecutive flag, leaving them one consecutive premiership short of Collingwood's record of four consecutive flags (a record which still stands today) from 1927 to 1930.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
game contested between the Port Adelaide Football Club
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
and the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on 25 September 2004. It was the 108th annual Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, staged to determine the premiers for 2004 AFL season
2004 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2004.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Wizard Home Loans Cup:The Wizard Home Loans Cup Final saw St...
. The match was attended by 77,671 spectators. Port Adelaide won by a margin of 40 points, marking that club's first premiership victory.
Background
This was the first ever AFL Grand Final in which both competing teams were based outside the state of VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. Port Adelaide were appearing in their first ever Grand Final and the Brisbane Lions were attempting to win their fourth consecutive premiership.
At the conclusion of the home and away season, Port Adelaide had finished first on the AFL ladder with 17 wins and 5 losses, winning the McClelland Trophy
McClelland Trophy
The McClelland Trophy is an Australian rules football trophy, currently awarded to the minor premiers in the Australian Football League each year...
for the third successive year. Brisbane had finished second with 16 wins and 6 losses. During the 2004 season, Port Adelaide's captain was ruckman Matthew Primus
Matthew Primus
Matthew Richard Primus is the current coach of the Port Adelaide Football Club and a former Australian rules footballer, captain and All Australian ruckman.-Early career :...
, however he was injured for most of the season which allowed forward Warren Tredrea
Warren Tredrea
Warren Gary Tredrea is retired Australian rules footballer with the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League . A forward, tall and weighing , Tredrea is the son of former Collingwood and Port Adelaide player Gary Tredrea.Tredrea was zone selected for the inaugural Port...
to spend most of the time as captain.
Port Adelaide defeated Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
by 55 points in the Qualifying Final at AAMI Stadium
AAMI Stadium
Football Park is an Australian rules football stadium located in West Lakes, a western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia...
, which gave them a week off and a place in the Preliminary Final. Port Adelaide just defeated St Kilda by 6 points in the Preliminary Final.
Reigning premiers Brisbane defeated St Kilda by a massive 80 points the qualifying final at the Gabba. They then defeated Geelong by 9 points in the Preliminary Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
.
Match summary
After a rugged, but absorbing first half, the Power proved too strong in the second stanza, winning comfortably in the end. Byron PickettByron Pickett
Byron Pickett is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played with three clubs in the AFL. He was known as a big game player as well as for his strength, hard bumps and tough approach to the game. Pickett is one of 12 players with two premiership medallions, a Norm Smith Medal...
, a premiership winning defender with North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
in 1999, turned into a match-winning on-baller for the Power, and capped his day with being awarded the Norm Smith Medal for being judged the best player afield. His match statistics were: 19 kicks, 1 handball, 8 marks, 2 tackles, 3 goals and 2 behinds.
The fairytale of the afternoon was the story behind Josh Mahoney
Josh Mahoney
Joshua William Paul "Josh" Mahoney , is a former professional Australian rules footballer.- VFL career :After beginning his career in the TAC Cup with the Western Jets, Mahoney moved to the Williamstown Seagulls in the VFL, playing 19 games with them in 1996...
, the until then little-known Port forward pocket had been cast aside by Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
in the seven years prior, trying his luck with Essendon's VFL squad in 2001 before switching to Williamstown
Williamstown, Victoria
Williamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Williamstown had a population of 12,733....
. He belatedly received a third chance at the highest level, and was instrumental in the Power's third quarter charge.
Following the match, Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams
Mark M. Williams
Mark "Choco" Williams is a former Australian rules footballer who coached the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League from 1999 to 2010...
was quite animated, his celebrations including a speech on the dais in which he uttered the now-famous words "Allan Scott
Allan Scott (businessman)
Archibald Allan Scott, AO was an Australian businessman.-Biography:He was best known for founding the truck organisation Scott's Transport in Mount Gambier, South Australia, which has since grown to be one of the biggest freight companies in Australia, rivalling Linfox.In 1997, Scott's became a...
- you were wrong!". This was in reference to a comment made by Scott (a sponsor of the Port Adelaide Football Club), earlier in the 2004 season, that the club could not win a premiership under the coaching of Williams. Williams also made a mock choking gesture by holding his tie above his head like a noose as he stepped onto the arena, a reference to the breaking of Port Adelaide's reputation as "chokers". This reputation had been acquired after having lost in several previous finals series, despite dominating the home and away seasons in those years.
Port's victory denied Brisbane its fourth consecutive flag, leaving them one consecutive premiership short of Collingwood's record of four consecutive flags (a record which still stands today) from 1927 to 1930.