On this day, September 18 1999, the Carlton Football Club added another big achievement to its rich history, making it a day that Carlton fans will never forget. 

Carlton vs. Essendon
Preliminary Final 
Saturday 18 September 1999
MCG  

Essendon was the overwhelming favourite, having finished a game clear on top of the ladder at the end of the home and away season. The Bombers had also smashed Sydney at the MCG in a qualifying final two weeks earlier. 

The Blues had battled through an indifferent season, finishing sixth on the ladder and with a raft of new players joining established stars in the line-up.

This match was expected to be a cakewalk for the Bombers. After all, with quality on every line – Fletcher, Wellman, Long, Alessio and Lloyd as the goal to goal line, how could you go wrong? 

What eventuated that afternoon would enter Carlton folklore, as the Blues, inspired by an incredible performance by Anthony Koutoufides in the midfield, would claim victory by one point and break Bombers hearts nationwide. 

Today, some 14 years on, we walked the halls of Visy Park and asked Carlton Football Club staff members what they remember about that special day. 

Alison Smirnoff, CFC TV Production Manager

"I was sitting on level one in the Great Southern Stand, in the AFL Members area with my mum. I think we were about 11 points down at three-quarter time. We were up at half-time, but Essendon came back in the third-quarter. I remember there were a couple of Essendon supporters at three-quarter time, talking about how they were planning to book Grand Final tickets at the end of the game, assuming that they had it in the bag. Mum and I exchanged looks, and we could just feel something in the air, that we both knew that something was going to happen. Then the siren went, and we were one point in front after my favourite player Fraser Brown laid the game saving tackle."

Luca Gonano, Digital Manager

"I don't think it was broadcast live on TV. Dad and I listened to the game on 3AW in our lounge room. It's the fondest memory that I have as a child with my old man, as once the siren sounded, I remember embracing him and jumping up and down. It's funny that one of the best memories of my dad, involves Carlton!"

Shane O'Sullivan, Football Administration Manager 

"I was recruiting and at the time of the game I was in Western Australia watching junior finals. At the time, when the game was getting close to the end, no one in the crowd was watching the poor kids, as everyone was in the club rooms watching the last few minutes of the game. It was such a high when the Blues got up and won. It was an amazing feeling to be amongst all those people, to see that end result."

Andrew McKay, General Manager Football Operations

"I tend to remember the negatives more than the positives. A couple of things come to mind, one was when I was playing on Mark Mercuri, and I went over to the boundary line to spoil a ball. I thought that the ball went out of bounds. However it kept rolling along the boundary line and then it came back inside to Mark, who was 40-metres out, right in front of goals. He kicked it, and it went through as a point - that was during the last couple of minutes of the game. Fraser (Brown) tackled Dean Wallis, and then it re-bounded back to Murph (Justin Murphy) and then the siren went with Murphy still holding the ball up in the air. It was a pretty intense game. You speak to so many Carlton supporters who either watched it on the TV or were there that day, and they say it was the best Carlton game that they have ever seen. It was a good one to win."

Tony De Bolfo, Historian and Journalist

"That was the day that Anthony Koutoufides ripped Essendon's heart out! It was the day of upsets. It was the day that Bracks toppled Kennett in the Victorian State Election. It was one of the great wins and one of the famous Carlton victories. Everyone who was there, would rate that game as good as watching a Premiership. I was in the Mezzanine Bar at the MCG, surrounded by Essendon supporters. When Justin Murphy took that mark with about seven seconds left, the bragging rights were magnificent. It was just a magnificent result."

Jason Reddick, Chief Financial Officer, Carlton Football Club

"My favourite memory of the day, was as a runner, having to go out on the ground and tell the players that there were two minutes left remaining in the game. When I went over to the half-back flank, Mark Mecuri picked up the ball and he was running in towards goal. I was running behind him and I just knew that if he kicked this goal, then we were done and dusted, as there wasn't enough time to come back. He missed. I then ran down into the goal square and told (Craig) Bradley and (Steven) Silvagni that there were only two minutes left. The ball then found its way into the middle, where Fraser Brown made that famous tackle. By that stage I had come off the ground and the ball made its way into Justin Murphy's hands on the half-forward flank. He kept looking over to the bench and we were counting down the final seconds of the game, and telling him to keep holding onto the ball. Of course, then siren went, and he raised the ball up. I raced out and we both embraced in a bear hug and fell onto the turf on the ground. It was a fantastic moment."