when did essendon last win a final

Essendon last won an AFL final on 4 September 2004, in an elimination final against Melbourne at the MCG.

Quick Scoop

• The match was the 2004 elimination final, where Essendon defeated Melbourne by 5 points.

• Since that game, Essendon have played multiple finals but lost every one, so 2004 remains their most recent finals win as of 2026.

• Several fan-made trackers and anniversary posts highlight that long drought, often counting the days since 4 September 2004.

Tiny bit of context

• AFL media pieces in 2019 explicitly described 4 September 2004 as the Bombers’ last finals win and noted the years and finals losses since.

• More recently, fan discussions and videos from 2023–2025 still refer to 2004 as Essendon’s most recent finals victory, confirming the drought has continued.

So if you’re just after the date: Essendon’s last finals win was on 4 September 2004.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.