2001 Ansett Australia Cup

The 2001 Ansett Australia Cup was a pre-season competition involving all sixteen clubs of the Australian Football League (AFL), held before the start of the 2001 AFL season. The tournament ran from February to March 2001 and featured a round-robin format across four groups, each consisting of four teams. This structure aimed to provide each club with three practice games ahead of the regular season.

The sixteen clubs were divided into four groups: Group A (Essendon, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Sydney), Group B (Kangaroos, Collingwood, West Coast, St Kilda), Group C (Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Western Bulldogs, Adelaide), and Group D (Hawthorn, Richmond, Fremantle, Melbourne). In the group stages, Brisbane Lions won Group C, Port Adelaide topped Group A, Hawthorn secured Group D, and Kangaroos led Group B. These top-four teams advanced to the knockout semi-finals.

In the semi-finals, Brisbane Lions defeated Hawthorn, while Port Adelaide defeated Kangaroos, earning both teams a spot in the Grand Final. The Grand Final was significant as it marked the first time two non-Victorian teams (Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide) contested the premiership in AFL/VFL history. The match took place at Football Park, where Port Adelaide triumphed despite trailing at three-quarter time by securing five of the first six goals in the final term.

The Brisbane Lions' victory over Hawthorn in their semi-final was notable for breaking a finals hoodoo in Melbourne.