1903 VFL season
Template:Short description Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox 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.
Template:AFL Col won the premiership, defeating Template:AFL Fit 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
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
Round 1
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Ess | 3.3 (21) | Template:AFL Fit | 11.7 (73) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 2 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Car | 9.4 (58) | Template:AFL Col | 5.7 (37) | Princes Park | 2 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL SM | 6.14 (50) | Template:AFL Mel | 5.13 (43) | Lake Oval | 2 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL | 2.8 (20) | Template:AFL Gee | 9.18 (72) | Junction Oval | 2 May 1903 Template:S-end
Round 2
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Col | 13.14 (92) | Template:AFL SM | 3.6 (24) | Victoria Park | 9 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Mel | 4.5 (29) | Template:AFL Fit | 6.11 (47) | MCG | 9 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL | 3.12 (30) | Template:AFL Ess | 4.6 (30) | Junction Oval | 9 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Gee | 8.7 (55) | Template:AFL Car | 6.9 (45) | SCG | 3 August 1903 Template:S-end
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.<ref name="Every">Template:Cite book</ref>
Round 3
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Gee | 15.10 (100) | Template:AFL Mel | 4.8 (32) | Corio Oval | 16 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Fit | 12.17 (89) | Template:AFL SM | 3.4 (22) | Brunswick Street Oval | 16 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Col | 16.17 (113) | Template:AFL | 5.3 (33) | Victoria Park | 16 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Ess | 5.5 (35) | Template:AFL Car | 7.14 (56) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 16 May 1903 Template:S-end
Round 4
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Car | 12.16 (88) | Template:AFL | 1.4 (10) | Princes Park | 23 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL SM | 5.7 (37) | Template:AFL Gee | 6.11 (47) | Lake Oval | 23 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Mel | 3.7 (25) | Template:AFL Ess | 4.4 (28) | MCG | 23 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Fit | 7.20 (62) | Template:AFL Col | 6.9 (45) | SCG | 23 May 1903 Template:S-end
Round 5
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Fit | 13.17 (95) | Template:AFL | 3.10 (28) | Brunswick Street Oval | 30 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Ess | 10.13 (73) | Template:AFL Gee | 5.10 (40) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 30 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Col | 10.17 (77) | Template:AFL Mel | 7.4 (46) | Victoria Park | 30 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL SM | 5.4 (34) | Template:AFL Car | 10.7 (67) | Lake Oval | 30 May 1903 Template:S-end
Round 6
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Ess | 5.11 (41) | Template:AFL SM | 6.12 (48) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 6 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Car | 8.8 (56) | Template:AFL Fit | 4.5 (29) | Princes Park | 6 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL | 8.9 (57) | Template:AFL Mel | 2.15 (27) | Junction Oval | 6 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Gee | 8.3 (51) | Template:AFL Col | 12.12 (84) | Corio Oval | 6 June 1903 Template:S-end
Round 7
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Fit | 8.14 (62) | Template:AFL Gee | 3.4 (22) | Brunswick Street Oval | 8 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Col | 4.9 (33) | Template:AFL Ess | 2.13 (25) | Victoria Park | 8 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL SM | 5.8 (38) | Template:AFL | 6.11 (47) | Lake Oval | 8 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Mel | 4.8 (32) | Template:AFL Car | 1.2 (8) | MCG | 8 June 1903 Template:S-end
Round 8
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Mel | 6.6 (42) | Template:AFL SM | 3.17 (35) | MCG | 13 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Gee | 5.9 (39) | Template:AFL | 7.13 (55) | Corio Oval | 13 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Fit | 8.6 (54) | Template:AFL Ess | 3.11 (29) | Brunswick Street Oval | 13 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Col | 12.9 (81) | Template:AFL Car | 10.7 (67) | Victoria Park | 13 June 1903 Template:S-end
Round 9
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Fit | 4.10 (34) | Template:AFL Mel | 3.8 (26) | Brunswick Street Oval | 20 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Ess | 4.8 (32) | Template:AFL | 4.5 (29) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 20 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Car | 8.6 (54) | Template:AFL Gee | 6.11 (47) | Princes Park | 20 June 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL SM | 4.11 (35) | Template:AFL Col | 6.6 (42) | Lake Oval | 20 June 1903 Template:S-end
Round 10
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Car | 6.14 (50) | Template:AFL Ess | 2.2 (14) | Princes Park | 4 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Mel | 5.9 (39) | Template:AFL Gee | 10.7 (67) | MCG | 4 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL SM | 5.7 (37) | Template:AFL Fit | 7.11 (53) | Lake Oval | 4 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL | 2.4 (16) | Template:AFL Col | 5.11 (41) | Junction Oval | 4 July 1903 Template:S-end
Round 11
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Gee | 9.13 (67) | Template:AFL SM | 3.12 (30) | Corio Oval | 11 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Ess | 3.16 (34) | Template:AFL Mel | 4.5 (29) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 11 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Col | 8.8 (56) | Template:AFL Fit | 5.6 (36) | Victoria Park | 11 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL | 4.3 (27) | Template:AFL Car | 8.14 (62) | Junction Oval | 11 July 1903 Template:S-end
Round 12
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Car | 7.8 (50) | Template:AFL SM | 2.8 (20) | Princes Park | 18 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL | 5.11 (41) | Template:AFL Fit | 5.8 (38) | Junction Oval | 18 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Gee | 13.11 (89) | Template:AFL Ess | 6.8 (44) | Corio Oval | 18 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Mel | 4.8 (32) | Template:AFL Col | 11.8 (74) | MCG | 18 July 1903 Template:S-end
Round 13
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Mel | 4.8 (32) | Template:AFL | 9.7 (61) | MCG | 25 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Col | 6.15 (51) | Template:AFL Gee | 5.7 (37) | Victoria Park | 25 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL SM | 5.7 (37) | Template:AFL Ess | 7.17 (59) | Lake Oval | 25 July 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Fit | 8.8 (56) | Template:AFL Car | 3.6 (24) | Brunswick Street Oval | 25 July 1903 Template:S-end
Round 14
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Car | 5.11 (41) | Template:AFL Mel | 8.8 (56) | Princes Park | 8 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Ess | 7.4 (46) | Template:AFL Col | 11.7 (73) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 8 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Gee | 5.3 (33) | Template:AFL Fit | 9.12 (66) | Corio Oval | 8 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL | 12.9 (81) | Template:AFL SM | 4.8 (32) | Junction Oval | 8 August 1903 Template:S-end
Pre-sectional ladder
| Section A | |
| Section B |
Template:Australian rules football ladder start |- style=background:#E6E6FA | 1 || align=left | Template:AFL Col || 14 || 12 || 2 || 0 || 899 || 568 || 158.3 || 48 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 2 || align=left | Template:AFL Fit || 14 || 11 || 3 || 0 || 794 || 469 || 169.3 || 44 |- style=background:#E6E6FA | 3 || align=left | Template:AFL Car || 14 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 726 || 533 || 136.2 || 36 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 4 || align=left | Template:AFL Gee || 14 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 766 || 692 || 110.7 || 28 |- style=background:#E6E6FA | 5 || align=left | Template:AFL || 14 || 6 || 7 || 1 || 535 || 739 || 72.4 || 26 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 6 || align=left | Template:AFL Ess || 14 || 5 || 8 || 1 || 511 || 666 || 76.7 || 22 |- style=background:#E6E6FA | 7 || align=left | Template:AFL Mel || 14 || 3 || 11 || 0 || 490 || 713 || 68.7 || 12 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 8 || align=left | Template:AFL SM || 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)
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Mel | 5.2 (32) | Template:AFL Car | 9.13 (67) | MCG | 15 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Col | 3.12 (30) | Template:AFL | 2.6 (18) | Victoria Park | 15 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Ess | 8.7 (55) | Template:AFL Fit | 10.14 (74) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 15 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL SM | 8.8 (56) | Template:AFL Gee | 12.14 (86) | Lake Oval | 15 August 1903 Template:S-end
Round 16 (Sectional round 2)
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Car | 5.11 (41) | Template:AFL Col | 6.7 (43) | Princes Park | 22 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Gee | 15.12 (102) | Template:AFL Ess | 4.7 (31) | Corio Oval | 22 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Fit | 11.17 (83) | Template:AFL SM | 3.5 (23) | Brunswick Street Oval | 22 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL | 7.12 (54) | Template:AFL Mel | 4.7 (31) | Junction Oval | 22 August 1903 Template:S-end
Round 17 (Sectional round 3)
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL | 3.10 (28) | Template:AFL Car | 4.7 (31) | Junction Oval | 29 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Col | 13.13 (91) | Template:AFL Mel | 5.10 (40) | Victoria Park | 29 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Ess | 14.10 (94) | Template:AFL SM | 5.7 (37) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 29 August 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Gee | 3.9 (27) | Template:AFL Fit | 5.4 (34) | Corio Oval | 29 August 1903 Template:S-end
Ladder
| (P) | Premiers |
| Qualified for finals |
Template:Australian rules football ladder start |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 1 || align=left | Template:AFL Col (P) || 17 || 15 || 2 || 0 || 1063 || 667 || 159.4 || 60 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 2 || align=left | Template:AFL Fit || 17 || 14 || 3 || 0 || 985 || 574 || 171.6 || 56 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 3 || align=left | Template:AFL Car || 17 || 11 || 6 || 0 || 865 || 636 || 136.0 || 44 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 4 || align=left | Template:AFL Gee || 17 || 9 || 8 || 0 || 981 || 813 || 120.7 || 36 |- | 5 || align=left | Template:AFL || 17 || 7 || 9 || 1 || 635 || 831 || 76.4 || 30 |- | 6 || align=left | Template:AFL Ess || 17 || 6 || 10 || 1 || 691 || 879 || 78.6 || 26 |- | 7 || align=left | Template:AFL Mel || 17 || 3 || 14 || 0 || 593 || 925 || 64.1 || 12 |- | 8 || align=left | Template:AFL SM || 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
Semi-finals
Template:S-start |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date | Attendance |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Fit | 11.15 (81) | Template:AFL Gee | 4.5 (29) | MCG | 5 September 1903 | 15,000 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | Template:AFL Col | 4.3 (27) | Template:AFL Car | 3.5 (23) | Brunswick Street Oval | 5 September 1903 | 16,600 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" Template:S-end
Grand final
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:AFLGameHeader Template:AFLGame Template:AFLGameFooter
Win–loss table
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.
Template:Australian rules football win–loss table legend
Source: AFL Tables
Season notes
- 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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- The Round 2 match between Geelong and Carlton on 9 May was postponed after a snap railway strike on the afternoon of 8 May prevented the Carlton team from reaching Geelong when the Blues were halfway through the trip,<ref name="chat">Template:Cite podcast</ref> leaving the club unable to arrange travel by boat on such short notice.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In Round 3, when the strike still had not been resolved, Melbourne travelled to Geelong by boat.<ref name="Every"/>
- As there was no vacant Saturday in the fixture to play at Geelong,<ref name="chat"/> the league decided to use an opportunity to promote the game in Sydney, and arranged to play the match on Saturday, 1 August at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Due to heavy rain, the match was postponed again<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> to Monday, 3 August before a crowd of 5,000; Geelong won 8.7 (55) to 6.9 (45).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- 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 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
- The VFL's leading goalkicker was Teddy Lockwood of Collingwood with 35 goals.
- South Melbourne took the "wooden spoon" in 1903.
References
Further reading
Sources
- 1903 VFL season at AFL Tables
- 1903 VFL season at Australian Football