The 1997 Season saw Essendon celebrating its
125th anniversary
and the naming of its team of the century.
On the 7th March 2000 the inaugural meeting of
the "Premiership Players Club" was held at the MCG to help raise funds for
charity. Four Essendon players were included in the 20 players pictured on the
A4 sheet of 20 P stamps of the millennium issue. They were
Dick Reynolds,
Barry Davis,
Ken Fraser and
Simon Madden. The stamps were also
displayed on a set of 20 first day covers by Havilah Enterprises.
The 25th May 2000 marked the release of club and individual
2000
Personalised Stamps.
Season 2000 proved to be Essendon's, or for that matter
any other teams, most successful season. They went through the season loosing
only one game in round 21 to the Western Bulldogs. In the finals 45 points
was the closest margin and they easily won the
2000 Premiership
against Melbourne by 60 points.
On the 28th March 2001 the second annual meeting of the "Premiership
Players Club" was held at the MCG to help raise funds for charity. Two Essendon
players were included in the 20 players pictured on the A4 sheet of 20 P stamps
of the globe and map issue. They were
John Birt and
Norm McDonald. The stamps were also
displayed on a set of 20 first day covers by Havilah Enterprises.
The 2001 season has started very well with Bombers only
loosing to Carlton, Brisbane and Port Adelaide by the 17th round of the season.
On March 30th the
2001 Personalised Stamps
were issued. Back to Back premierships looked a real possibility. Unfortunately
the strong finishing Lions relegated them to second place and only one win out
of three very successful years started talk of recriminations.
On the 27th March 2002 the third annual meeting of the "Premiership
Players Club" was held at the MCG to help raise funds for charity. Two Essendon
players were included in the 20 players pictured on the A4 sheet of 20 P stamps
of the sand, sea and sky overlaid by the Southern Cross issue. They were
Alan Dale
and
Terry Danhier. The stamps were
also displayed on a set of 20 first day covers by First Class Collectables.
On the 15th May the Bombers
2002
Personalised Stamps were released.
2002 proved a difficult season. The Bombers ended the season 5th on the
ladder. They then defeated the Eagles but lost to Port Adelaide in a semifinal
in Adelaide.
The 2003 season was plagued by injury. The Annual Premiership
Players Club P stamp Sheet of 20 players was released on the 26th March 2003.
The Essendon players featured were
Dean Wallis
and
Jack Jones.
In April the
2003 Personalised Stamps were released
by Australia Post. The traditional Anzac Day clash, on the
25th April 2003,
between Essendon and Collingwood was won by the Bombers.
First Class Collectibles released a
cover
showing James Hird to commemorate
the event. Joe Misiti celebrated his 200th Game. First Class Collectibles
released a commemorative
cover.
Bill Hutchison
was elevated to 'Legend of the Game' in The Hall of Fame.
Mathew Lloyd
and
James Hird
were picked in the All
Australian Team. The Bombers made it into the second week of the Finals
defeating Fremantle at home but lost to Port Adelaide.
2004 started with the
Bombers the best placed of the Victorian teams. In mid April the
2004
Personalised Stamps were released. This year they were a booklet
of 20 stamps showing 10 players, rather than the A4 sheet.
Mark Harvey
and
Ted Leehane
were included in the 20
players of the "Premiership Players Club".
Adam McPhee
made the All Australian Team.
On the 1st April 2005 the Essendon Bombers
booklet of the
2005
Personalised Stamps was released. On 24th June 2005 Matthew
Lloyd played his 200th game for the Essendon Bombers.
A Commemorative Covers showing
Lloyd
was
released by First Class Collectables. The Indigenous Team Of
the Century was named at a lavish function at the Palladium on the 1st August 2005. First Class Collectables produced a set of covers. Signed player covers
included
Michael Long, On the weekend commencing
6th August 2005 Scott Lucas played his 200th Game for the Bombers.
A Commemorative Cover showing
Lucas
were released by First Class
Collectables. First
Class Collectables issued covers to commemorate the Best and Fairest
winners including
Jason Johnson.
On the 20th
March 2006 the Bombers
booklet of the
2006 Personalised Stamps was
released.
Onlycovers released the Captains series with covers including
Matthew Lloyd. Round 16 was the
Heritage Round with clubs wearing jumpers from a previous era. Onlycovers released a cover for each club
including the
Essendon FC.
The Bombers finished down the
ladder in 2007
with Australia Post issuing the
2007 Personalised Stamps.
2008 and 2009 were rebuilding years with them finishing in the bottom half
of the ladder in 2008 but making the finals in 2009 finishing eighth. Australia Post changed from the Prestige Booklet to the Folder
format issuing the
2008 Personalised Stamps
and
2009 Personalised Stamps.