# 2000 Ansett Australia Cup

The 2000 AFL Ansett Australia Cup was the Australian Football League pre-season Cup competition played in its entirety before the Australian Football League's 2000 Premiership Season began.
Unlike most pre-season cup competitions that start in February, the 2000 Cup started on 31 December 1999 with a one-off Match of the Millennium between Carlton and Collingwood, most notable for the competition record 12 goals by Brendan Fevola. The competition culminated with the Grand Final in February 2000 between Essendon, the eventual 2000 AFL Premiers, and the Kangaroos, the reigning 1999 AFL Premiers. Essendon's undefeated run through the pre-season was a precursor to their dominance in the premiership season, in which they only lost one match. The final was held in February, rather than March as per most other pre-seasons, due to the season being played earlier in the year so that the finals would not clash with the 2000 Summer Olympics to be held in Sydney in late September.

## Group stage
### Group A

| | Group A | Group A | Group A | |
| Friday, 28 January | Brisbane Lions 13.6 (84) | def. by | Sydney 17.10 (112) | Bundaberg Rum Stadium (crowd: 8,818) |
| Friday, 28 January | Kangaroos 10.16 (76) | def. | Richmond 9.11 (65) | Waverley Park (crowd: 16,512) |
| Saturday, 5 February | Richmond 11.16 (82) | def. by | Brisbane Lions 15.9 (99) | North Hobart Oval (crowd: 4,908) |
| Saturday, 5 February | Sydney 13.11 (89) | def. by | Kangaroos 17.10 (112) | Manuka Oval (crowd: 9,854) |
| Friday, 11 February | Kangaroos 11.8 (74) | def. | Brisbane Lions 10.8 (64) | Waverley Park (crowd: 6,518) |
| Saturday, 12 February | Sydney 12.14 (86) | def. | Richmond 12.11 (83) | Manuka Oval (crowd: 8,714) |

#### Group A Ladder

| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Kangaroos | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 262 | 218 | 120.18 | 12 |
| 2 | Sydney | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 287 | 277 | 103.61 | 8 |
| 3 | Brisbane Lions | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 247 | 250 | 98.80 | 4 |
| 4 | Richmond | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 230 | 281 | 81.85 | 0 |

### Group B

| | Group B | Group B | Group B | | |
| Friday, 31 December 1999 | Carlton 20.17 (137) | def. | Collingwood 7.7 (49) | M.C.G. (crowd: 16,678) | Report |
| Saturday, 29 January | Port Adelaide 13.12 (90) | def. | Collingwood 12.9 (81) | Football Park (crowd: 10,454) | |
| Saturday, 29 January | Carlton 22.14 (146) | def. | Fremantle 9.8 (62) | Waverley Park (crowd: 5,692) | |
| Saturday, 5 February | Fremantle 10.18 (78) | def. | Port Adelaide 10.9 (69) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 6,119) | |
| Saturday, 12 February | Port Adelaide 12.8 (80) | def. | Carlton 11.10 (76) | Football Park (crowd: 11,132) | |
| Saturday, 12 February | Collingwood 13.14 (92) | def. | Fremantle 3.11 (29) | Waverley Park (crowd: 7,752) | |

#### Group B Ladder

| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Carlton | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 359 | 207 | 173.43 | 8 |
| 2 | Port Adelaide | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 239 | 229 | 104.37 | 8 |
| 3 | Collingwood | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 222 | 293 | 75.77 | 4 |
| 4 | Fremantle | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 169 | 260 | 65.00 | 4 |

### Group C

| | Group C | Group C | Group C | |
| Sunday, 30 January | Adelaide 17.5 (107) | def. by | Melbourne 19.11 (125) | Football Park (crowd: 12,239) |
| Sunday, 30 January | Geelong 10.14 (74) | def. by | St Kilda 11.12 (78) | Waverley Park (crowd: 7,394) |
| Saturday, 5 February | St Kilda 9.12 (66) | def. by | Melbourne 13.14 (92) | Waverley Park (crowd: 10,533) |
| Sunday, 6 February | Adelaide 19.10 (124) | def. | Geelong 15.12 (102) | Football Park (crowd: 11,326) |
| Sunday, 13 February | Adelaide 14.11 (95) | def. by | St Kilda 15.12 (102) | Football Park (crowd: 13,086) |
| Monday, 14 February | Geelong 17.12 (114) | def. | Melbourne 11.16 (82) | Waverley Park (crowd: 4,952) |
| The Geelong vs. Melbourne match was originally scheduled to be played on Sunday 13th February at Shell Stadium, but due to a burst water main, the Melbourne Football Club deemed the surface unplayable and refused to play. The AFL rescheduled the match for the following night at Waverley Park. ||||||

#### Group C Ladder

| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Melbourne | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 299 | 303 | 98.68 | 8 |
| 2 | Adelaide | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 326 | 334 | 97.60 | 8 |
| 3 | St Kilda | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 246 | 253 | 97.23 | 8 |
| 4 | Geelong | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 300 | 280 | 107.14 | 4 |

### Group D

| | Group D | Group D | Group D | |
| Friday, 28 January | West Coast 8.10 (58) | def. by | Essendon 11.12 (78) | Marrara Oval (crowd: 13,600) |
| Saturday, 29 January | Hawthorn 4.14 (38) | def. by | Western Bulldogs 13.7 (85) | Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand (crowd: 11,666) |
| Friday, 4 February | Essendon 17.12 (114) | def. | Western Bulldogs 10.21 (81) | Waverley Park (crowd: 11,391) |
| Sunday, 6 February | Hawthorn 17.14 (116) | def. | West Coast 5.10 (40) | Waverley Park (crowd: 6,872) |
| Saturday, 12 February | West Coast 19.15 (129) | def. | Western Bulldogs 12.10 (82) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 9,285) |
| Sunday, 13 February | Hawthorn 10.16 (76) | def. by | Essendon 19.11 (125) | Waverley Park (crowd: 15,081) |

#### Group D Ladder

| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Essendon | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 317 | 215 | 147.44 | 12 |
| 2 | Western Bulldogs | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 248 | 292 | 84.93 | 8 |
| 3 | West Coast | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 216 | 323 | 66.88 | 4 |
| 4 | Hawthorn | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 230 | 281 | 81.85 | 0 |

## Semi finals

| | Semi finals | Semi finals | Semi finals | |
| Friday, 18 February | Kangaroos 13.19 (97) | def. | Carlton 11.10 (76) | Waverley Park (crowd: 12,641) |
| Saturday, 19 February | Melbourne 16.9 (105) | def. by | Essendon 19.17 (131) | Waverley Park (crowd: 16,384) |

### Grand Final

| | 2000 Ansett Australia Cup Grand Final | 2000 Ansett Australia Cup Grand Final | 2000 Ansett Australia Cup Grand Final | | |
| Saturday, 26 February (7:10 pm) | Kangaroos | def. by | Essendon | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 56,720) | |
| | 3.1 (19) 4.2 (28) 6.6 (42) 11.10 (76) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.5 (23) 7.12 (56) 10.17 (77) 16.21 (117) | Umpires: Coates, Allen, McLaren Michael Tuck Medal: Mark Mercuri (Essendon) Television broadcast: Seven Network | Umpires: Coates, Allen, McLaren Michael Tuck Medal: Mark Mercuri (Essendon) Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Bell 3; Calchorpe 2, Simpson 2, Scott, Sholl, McKernan, King | Bell 3; Calchorpe 2, Simpson 2, Scott, Sholl, McKernan, King | Goals | Mercuri 3; Lloyd 2, Alessio 2, Caracella 2, Rioli 2; Solomon, Bewick, J Johnson, Jacobs, McAlister | Mercuri 3; Lloyd 2, Alessio 2, Caracella 2, Rioli 2; Solomon, Bewick, J Johnson, Jacobs, McAlister |
| Bell, Archer, Harvey, Pickett | Bell, Archer, Harvey, Pickett | Best | Fletcher, Mercuri, Barnes, Misiti, Wellman, J Johnson, Solomon | Fletcher, Mercuri, Barnes, Misiti, Wellman, J Johnson, Solomon |
| Blakey (concussion), Stevens (ankle) | Blakey (concussion), Stevens (ankle) | Injuries | Long (hamstring), withdrawn from selected squad. | Long (hamstring), withdrawn from selected squad. |
| Carey (Roos) for allegedly striking Fletcher (Ess) in the first quarter. Martyn (Roos) for allegedly striking Lloyd (Ess) in the second quarter. | Carey (Roos) for allegedly striking Fletcher (Ess) in the first quarter. Martyn (Roos) for allegedly striking Lloyd (Ess) in the second quarter. | Reports | | |

## Practice Matches

| | Week 19-20th February | Week 19-20th February | Week 19-20th February | |
| Saturday, 19 February | Collingwood 12.6 (78) | def. | West Coast 6.14 (50) | Victoria Park |
| Saturday, 19 February | Western Bulldogs 14.11 (95) | def. | Fremantle 8.7 (55) | Whitten Oval (crowd: 7,500 est.) |
| Saturday, 19 February | Richmond 13.11 (89) | def. | Hawthorn 12.12 (84) | Devonport Oval (crowd: 7,114) |
| Saturday, 19 February | Brisbane Lions 14.17 (101) | def. | St Kilda 10.7 (67) | Giffin Park, Coorparoo |
| Sunday, 20 February | Sydney 11.11 (77) | def. by | Adelaide 12.10 (82) | Exies Oval, Griffith |
| Sunday, 20 February | Geelong 14.17 (101) | def. | Port Adelaide 10.7 (67) | Northern Oval, North Ballarat (crowd: 7,000 est.) |
| | Week 26-27th February | Week 26-27th February | Week 26-27th February | |
| Saturday, 26 February | Sydney 8.12 (60) | def. by | Collingwood 15.14 (104) | Manuka Oval (crowd: 3,500 est.) |
| Saturday, 26 February | Hawthorn 8.11 (59) | def. by | Carlton 14.9 (93) | Deakin Reserve, Shepparton (crowd: 5,000 est.) |
| Saturday, 26 February | West Coast 16.21 (117) | def. | Fremantle 15.22 (112) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5,000 est.) |
| Saturday, 26 February | Brisbane Lions 13.11 (89) | def. | Melbourne 10.8 (68) | Fankhauser Reserve, Southport (crowd: 5,000 est.) |
| Saturday, 26 February | St Kilda 14.11 (95) | def. | Richmond 5.6 (36) | Waverley Park |
| Sunday, 27 February | Richmond 10.8 (68) | def. by | Geelong 17.14 (116) | North Hobart Oval (crowd: 3,709) |
| Sunday, 27 February | Adelaide 19.9 (123) | def. | Port Adelaide 16.11 (107) | Encounter Bay Oval, Victor Harbour (crowd: 3,709) |