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1903 VFL season

The 1903 VFL season was the seventh season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured eight clubs and ran from 2 May to 12 September, comprising a 17-round home-and-away season followed by a two-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.

1903 VFL premiership season
Collingwood 1903 VFL premiership team
Date2 May—12 September 1903
Teams8
PremiersCollingwood
2nd premiership
Minor premiersCollingwood
2nd minor premiership
Leading goalkicker medallistTeddy Lockwood (Collingwood)
33 goals
Matches played71
← 1902
1904 →

Collingwood won the premiership, defeating Fitzroy by two points in the 1903 VFL grand final; it was Collingwood's second (consecutive and overall) VFL premiership. Collingwood also won its second consecutive minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 15–2 win–loss record. Collingwood's Teddy Lockwood won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

Background

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In 1903, the VFL competition consisted of eight teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume their place on the field at any time during the match.

Each team played each other twice in a home-and-away season of 14 rounds. Then, based on ladder positions after those 14 rounds, three further 'sectional rounds' were played, with the teams ranked 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th playing in one section and the teams ranked 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th playing in the other.

Once the 17 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1903 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "Argus system".

Home-and-away season

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Round 1

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Essendon 3.3 (21) Fitzroy 11.7 (73) East Melbourne Cricket Ground 2 May 1903
Carlton 9.4 (58) Collingwood 5.7 (37) Princes Park 2 May 1903
South Melbourne 6.14 (50) Melbourne 5.13 (43) Lake Oval 2 May 1903
St Kilda 2.8 (20) Geelong 9.18 (72) Junction Oval 2 May 1903

Round 2

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Collingwood 13.14 (92) South Melbourne 3.6 (24) Victoria Park 9 May 1903
Melbourne 4.5 (29) Fitzroy 6.11 (47) MCG 9 May 1903
St Kilda 3.12 (30) Essendon 4.6 (30) Junction Oval 9 May 1903
Geelong 8.7 (55) Carlton 6.9 (45) SCG 3 August 1903

The match between Geelong and Carlton, originally to have been played at Corio Oval, was postponed due to a railway strike. It was played between Rounds 13 and 14, and was opportunistically moved to the Sydney Cricket Ground.[1]

Round 3

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Geelong 15.10 (100) Melbourne 4.8 (32) Corio Oval 16 May 1903
Fitzroy 12.17 (89) South Melbourne 3.4 (22) Brunswick Street Oval 16 May 1903
Collingwood 16.17 (113) St Kilda 5.3 (33) Victoria Park 16 May 1903
Essendon 5.5 (35) Carlton 7.14 (56) East Melbourne Cricket Ground 16 May 1903

Round 4

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Carlton 12.16 (88) St Kilda 1.4 (10) Princes Park 23 May 1903
South Melbourne 5.7 (37) Geelong 6.11 (47) Lake Oval 23 May 1903
Melbourne 3.7 (25) Essendon 4.4 (28) MCG 23 May 1903
Fitzroy 7.20 (62) Collingwood 6.9 (45) SCG 23 May 1903

Round 5

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Fitzroy 13.17 (95) St Kilda 3.10 (28) Brunswick Street Oval 30 May 1903
Essendon 10.13 (73) Geelong 5.10 (40) East Melbourne Cricket Ground 30 May 1903
Collingwood 10.17 (77) Melbourne 7.4 (46) Victoria Park 30 May 1903
South Melbourne 5.4 (34) Carlton 10.7 (67) Lake Oval 30 May 1903

Round 6

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Essendon 5.11 (41) South Melbourne 6.12 (48) East Melbourne Cricket Ground 6 June 1903
Carlton 8.8 (56) Fitzroy 4.5 (29) Princes Park 6 June 1903
St Kilda 8.9 (57) Melbourne 2.15 (27) Junction Oval 6 June 1903
Geelong 8.3 (51) Collingwood 12.12 (84) Corio Oval 6 June 1903

Round 7

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Fitzroy 8.14 (62) Geelong 3.4 (22) Brunswick Street Oval 8 June 1903
Collingwood 4.9 (33) Essendon 2.13 (25) Victoria Park 8 June 1903
South Melbourne 5.8 (38) St Kilda 6.11 (47) Lake Oval 8 June 1903
Melbourne 4.8 (32) Carlton 1.2 (8) MCG 8 June 1903

Round 8

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Melbourne 6.6 (42) South Melbourne 3.17 (35) MCG 13 June 1903
Geelong 5.9 (39) St Kilda 7.13 (55) Corio Oval 13 June 1903
Fitzroy 8.6 (54) Essendon 3.11 (29) Brunswick Street Oval 13 June 1903
Collingwood 12.9 (81) Carlton 10.7 (67) Victoria Park 13 June 1903

Round 9

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Fitzroy 4.10 (34) Melbourne 3.8 (26) Brunswick Street Oval 20 June 1903
Essendon 4.8 (32) St Kilda 4.5 (29) East Melbourne Cricket Ground 20 June 1903
Carlton 8.6 (54) Geelong 6.11 (47) Princes Park 20 June 1903
South Melbourne 4.11 (35) Collingwood 6.6 (42) Lake Oval 20 June 1903

Round 10

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Carlton 6.14 (50) Essendon 2.2 (14) Princes Park 4 July 1903
Melbourne 5.9 (39) Geelong 10.7 (67) MCG 4 July 1903
South Melbourne 5.7 (37) Fitzroy 7.11 (53) Lake Oval 4 July 1903
St Kilda 2.4 (16) Collingwood 5.11 (41) Junction Oval 4 July 1903

Round 11

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Geelong 9.13 (67) South Melbourne 3.12 (30) Corio Oval 11 July 1903
Essendon 3.16 (34) Melbourne 4.5 (29) East Melbourne Cricket Ground 11 July 1903
Collingwood 8.8 (56) Fitzroy 5.6 (36) Victoria Park 11 July 1903
St Kilda 4.3 (27) Carlton 8.14 (62) Junction Oval 11 July 1903

Round 12

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Carlton 7.8 (50) South Melbourne 2.8 (20) Princes Park 18 July 1903
St Kilda 5.11 (41) Fitzroy 5.8 (38) Junction Oval 18 July 1903
Geelong 13.11 (89) Essendon 6.8 (44) Corio Oval 18 July 1903
Melbourne 4.8 (32) Collingwood 11.8 (74) MCG 18 July 1903

Round 13

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Melbourne 4.8 (32) St Kilda 9.7 (61) MCG 25 July 1903
Collingwood 6.15 (51) Geelong 5.7 (37) Victoria Park 25 July 1903
South Melbourne 5.7 (37) Essendon 7.17 (59) Lake Oval 25 July 1903
Fitzroy 8.8 (56) Carlton 3.6 (24) Brunswick Street Oval 25 July 1903

Round 14

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Carlton 5.11 (41) Melbourne 8.8 (56) Princes Park 8 August 1903
Essendon 7.4 (46) Collingwood 11.7 (73) East Melbourne Cricket Ground 8 August 1903
Geelong 5.3 (33) Fitzroy 9.12 (66) Corio Oval 8 August 1903
St Kilda 12.9 (81) South Melbourne 4.8 (32) Junction Oval 8 August 1903

Pre-sectional ladder

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Section A
Section B
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Collingwood 14 12 2 0 899 568 158.3 48
2 Fitzroy 14 11 3 0 794 469 169.3 44
3 Carlton 14 9 5 0 726 533 136.2 36
4 Geelong 14 7 7 0 766 692 110.7 28
5 St Kilda 14 6 7 1 535 739 72.4 26
6 Essendon 14 5 8 1 511 666 76.7 22
7 Melbourne 14 3 11 0 490 713 68.7 12
8 South Melbourne 14 2 12 0 479 820 58.4 8

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Source: AFL Tables

Round 15 (Sectional round 1)

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Melbourne 5.2 (32) Carlton 9.13 (67) MCG 15 August 1903
Collingwood 3.12 (30) St Kilda 2.6 (18) Victoria Park 15 August 1903
Essendon 8.7 (55) Fitzroy 10.14 (74) East Melbourne Cricket Ground 15 August 1903
South Melbourne 8.8 (56) Geelong 12.14 (86) Lake Oval 15 August 1903

Round 16 (Sectional round 2)

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Carlton 5.11 (41) Collingwood 6.7 (43) Princes Park 22 August 1903
Geelong 15.12 (102) Essendon 4.7 (31) Corio Oval 22 August 1903
Fitzroy 11.17 (83) South Melbourne 3.5 (23) Brunswick Street Oval 22 August 1903
St Kilda 7.12 (54) Melbourne 4.7 (31) Junction Oval 22 August 1903

Round 17 (Sectional round 3)

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
St Kilda 3.10 (28) Carlton 4.7 (31) Junction Oval 29 August 1903
Collingwood 13.13 (91) Melbourne 5.10 (40) Victoria Park 29 August 1903
Essendon 14.10 (94) South Melbourne 5.7 (37) East Melbourne Cricket Ground 29 August 1903
Geelong 3.9 (27) Fitzroy 5.4 (34) Corio Oval 29 August 1903

Ladder

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(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Collingwood (P) 17 15 2 0 1063 667 159.4 60
2 Fitzroy 17 14 3 0 985 574 171.6 56
3 Carlton 17 11 6 0 865 636 136.0 44
4 Geelong 17 9 8 0 981 813 120.7 36
5 St Kilda 17 7 9 1 635 831 76.4 30
6 Essendon 17 6 10 1 691 879 78.6 26
7 Melbourne 17 3 14 0 593 925 64.1 12
8 South Melbourne 17 2 15 0 595 1083 54.9 8

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 47.1
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

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Semi-finals

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date Attendance
Fitzroy 11.15 (81) Geelong 4.5 (29) MCG 5 September 1903 15,000
Collingwood 4.3 (27) Carlton 3.5 (23) Brunswick Street Oval 5 September 1903 16,600

Grand final

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Main article: 1903 VFL grand final
Grand final
Saturday, 12 September (3:10 pm) Collingwood 4.7 (31) def. Fitzroy 3.11 (29) Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 32,363)

Win–loss table

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The following table can be sorted from biggest winning margin to biggest losing margin for each round. If two or more matches in a round are decided by the same margin, these margins are sorted by percentage (i.e. the lowest-scoring winning team is ranked highest and the lowest-scoring losing team is ranked lowest). Opponents are listed above the margins and home matches are in bold.

+ Win Qualified for finals
- Loss X Bye
Draw Eliminated
Team Home-and-away season Ladder Finals series
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 SF GF
Carlton COL
+21		 GEE
-10		 ESS
+21		 STK
+78		 SM
+33		 FIT
+27		 MEL
-24		 COL
-14		 GEE
+7		 ESS
+36		 STK
+35		 SM
+30		 FIT
-32		 MEL
-15		 MEL
+35		 COL
-2		 STK
+3		 3
(11–6–0)		 COL
-4
Collingwood CAR
-21		 SM
+68		 STK
+80		 FIT
-17		 MEL
+31		 GEE
+33		 ESS
+8		 CAR
+14		 SM
+7		 STK
+25		 FIT
+20		 MEL
+42		 GEE
+14		 ESS
+27		 STK
+12		 CAR
+2		 MEL
+51		 1
(15–2–0)		 CAR
+4		 FIT
+2
Essendon FIT
-52		 STK
0		 CAR
-21		 MEL
+3		 GEE
+33		 SM
-7		 COL
-8		 FIT
-25		 STK
+3		 CAR
-36		 MEL
+5		 GEE
-45		 SM
+22		 COL
-27		 FIT
-19		 GEE
-71		 SM
+57		 6
(6–10–1)
Fitzroy ESS
+52		 MEL
+18		 SM
+67		 COL
+17		 STK
+67		 CAR
-27		 GEE
+40		 ESS
+25		 MEL
+8		 SM
+16		 COL
-20		 STK
-3		 CAR
+32		 GEE
+33		 ESS
+19		 SM
+60		 GEE
+7		 2
(14–3–0)		 GEE
+52		 COL
-2
Geelong STK
+52		 CAR
+10		 MEL
+68		 SM
+10		 ESS
-33		 COL
-33		 FIT
-40		 STK
-16		 CAR
-7		 MEL
+28		 SM
+37		 ESS
+45		 COL
-14		 FIT
-33		 SM
+30		 ESS
+71		 FIT
-7		 4
(9–8–0)		 FIT
-52
Melbourne SM
-7		 FIT
-18		 GEE
-68		 ESS
-3		 COL
-31		 STK
-30		 CAR
+24		 SM
+7		 FIT
-8		 GEE
-28		 ESS
-5		 COL
-42		 STK
-29		 CAR
+15		 CAR
-35		 STK
-23		 COL
-51		 7
(3–14–0)
South Melbourne MEL
+7		 COL
-68		 FIT
-67		 GEE
-10		 CAR
-33		 ESS
+7		 STK
-9		 MEL
-7		 COL
-7		 FIT
-16		 GEE
-37		 CAR
-30		 ESS
-22		 STK
-49		 GEE
-30		 FIT
-60		 ESS
-57		 8
(2–15–0)
St Kilda GEE
-52		 ESS
0		 COL
-80		 CAR
-78		 FIT
-67		 MEL
+30		 SM
+9		 GEE
+16		 ESS
-3		 COL
-25		 CAR
-35		 FIT
+3		 MEL
+29		 SM
+49		 COL
-12		 MEL
+23		 CAR
-3		 5
(7–9–1)

Source: AFL Tables

Season notes

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  • Boundary umpires were added to some VFL matches, relieving the field umpire of the task of returning the ball to play from the boundary, and would be made permanent from 1904.
  • Following their Round 1 loss to Geelong, St Kilda had played 100 VFL games for a record of two wins and 98 losses.
  • The Round 2 match between Geelong and Carlton on 9 May was postponed after a railway strike on the afternoon of 8 May prevented the Carlton team from getting to Geelong. The league decided to use the opportunity to promote the game in Sydney, and arranged to play the match on Saturday, 1 August at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but due to heavy rain, the match was postponed [2] to Monday, 3 August before a crowd of 5,000; Geelong won 8.7 (55) to 6.9 (45).[3] In Round 3, Melbourne had to travel to Geelong by boat as the strike still had not been resolved.
  • On 23 May, a crowd of 18,000 attended the round 4 match between Fitzroy and Collingwood at the Sydney Cricket Ground; Fitzroy won 7.20 (62) to 6.9 (45). Players wore large numbers on the back of their guernseys to assist the crowd.
  • St Kilda's win over South Melbourne in Round 7 was its first away win in 54 VFL matches; the 53 consecutive away losses is an AFL/VFL record. It was also St Kilda's first senior away win since defeating Port Melbourne in 1894, after 77 consecutive winless away matches (including three draws) and 62 consecutive away losses.
  • 1903 was the first time that the VFL Premiership was decided on the last kick of the day. The usually accurate Fitzroy captain Gerald Brosnan missed the goal from 30 metres out, and Fitzroy lost to Collingwood by two points.

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ Rodgers, Stephen, Every Game Ever Played, VFL/AFL Results 1897–1991, Ringwood, VIC: Viking O'Neal, p. 36
  2. ^ "To-day's football". Evening News. Sydney, NSW. 4 August 1903. p. 4.
  3. ^ "Geelong v. Carlton". Australian Town and Country Journal. Sydney, NSW. 5 August 1903. p. 51.
  • Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN 0-670-86814-0

Sources

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