Essendon unfurled its 2000 Premiership flag at Colonial Stadium tonight, then celebrated in style by comprehensively defeating Port Adelaide by 38 points. Sparked early by the brilliance of Hird, Long, Caracella and Misiti, the Bombers piled on the pressure in the third quarter to run out easy winners, despite shuffling the team around late in the game. Lloyd kicked four and Hird and McVeigh three each as 14 individual goalkickers found their way onto the scoresheet in another great team performance that avenged the pre-season loss to Port.