Essendon taunted Brisbane Lions in 2001 AFL Grand Final with black armbands

UPDATE: JAMES Hird says the Essendon’s silent protest against Brisbane’s controversial intravenous drip program does not compare to Sam Mitchell’s drug taunt.

James Hird and Chris Scott. 2001 Grand Final. Essendon v Brisbane Lions. MCG.

ESSENDON coach James Hird says the Bombers’ silent protest in the 2001 Grand Final against Brisbane’s controversial intravenous drip program does not compare to Sam Mitchell’s drug taunt.

The Herald Sun has confirmed a group of Bombers wore black armbands around their forearms in an attempt to taunt their Brisbane rivals.

Brisbane used intravenous drips to rehydrate players at half time of games in 2001 until the controversial practice was banned by the AFL.

It was reported at the time that Essendon players wore the tape as a mark of respect to Michael Long, who missed the game due to a hamstring injury sustained at the final training session.

But a senior Essendon premiership player told the Herald Sun: “It definitely was to do with the (intravenous drip) regimen”.

Sean Wellman and Mark McVeigh wear black armbands.

It comes despite Essendon coach James Hird labelling Hawk Sam Mitchell “naïve” and “idiotic” for the injection jibe aimed at Bombers’ backman Michael Hibberd on Saturday.

Hird, who was captain in 2001, was one of the Essendon players who wore the forearm tape.

Brisbane champion Jonathan Brown took a swipe at Hird on Monday night and said the protest backfired.

“Talking about idiocy, I reckon that was idiocy by the Essendon players,” Brown said on Fox Footy’s On The Couch.

“In the 2001 Grand Final, to be focusing on that, it certainly didn’t do them any favours on the field on the day.”

But Hird said his strong stance against Mitchell’s actions was warranted.

“We believe that our players just need to be able to move on and I don’t think you can compare what happened to the Brisbane players to what’s happened to our players in any way,” Hird said on Tuesday.

“Our players have had to deal with this for three years and the Brisbane players ... it was nothing really that could come close to the way our players have been treated by people within the industry.”

Hird said the Bombers wanted to move on from the furore caused by Mitchell’s needle jibe.

He said he was not surprised Mitchell was cleared by the AFL, which took into account his immediate contrition and personal apology to Hibberd.

“I think Sam, from my recollection, apologised and we’re happy with that,” Hird said.

“So from our point of view it’s done.”

“He made the apology on TV straight after and in terms of our club and our players, we’re happy with that and we move on.”

League operations manager Mark Evans warned players not to repeat the supplement scandal sledge, saying they should consider their own reputations before making another similar gesture.

“(Players) have to accept they are displaying themselves publicly and it will be a reflection on them and their clubs,” Evans said.

“I actually ask players to consider ‘How do you wish to be viewed?

“People need to respect the position of the Essendon players. I would suspect now that we have seen it once that it won’t happen again.”

Brisbane triumphed by 26 points over the Bombers in the 2001 Grand Final to win the first of three-straight premierships.

Scott Lucas wears a black armband on his forearm during the 2001 Grand Final.

Premiership teammate Chris Johnson said he was unaware of Essendon’s motives, until two years later.

“I didn’t take any offence because I didn’t even know about it at the time,” Johnson said.

“I can’t remember them (Bombers) saying anything about it on the ground at the time.

“It was maybe just something to try and get an edge over a team that was better than them.”

Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews said the Lions were oblivious to Essendon’s mind games at the time.

The legendary four-time premiership coach said the Lions began the IV program to help rehydrate players for games in the hot Brisbane conditions.

He said the Lions stopped the practice and acknowledged it was a “bad look”.

“I don’t think it (Essendon’s taunt) occurred to us at the time,” Matthews said.

“But what we did was never illegal, it was all above board. We were just rehydrating them in the humid conditions.

“I look back on it now and think maybe we were pushing the edge a little bit and I can understand it was a bad look for footy.

“So, they (AFL) said you can’t do it and we stopped. I don’t have a guilty conscience about it.”