1903 VFL season

Last updated

1903 VFL premiership season
Collingwood 1903 VFL premiers.jpg
Collingwood 1903 VFL premiership team
Date2 May – 12 September 1903
Teams8
Premiers Collingwood
2nd premiership
Minor premiers Collingwood
2nd minor premiership
Leading goalkicker medallist Teddy Lockwood (Collingwood)
33 goals
Matches played71
  1902
1904  

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.

Contents

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

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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

Section A
Section B
#TeamPWLDPFPA%Pts
1 Collingwood 141220899568158.348
2 Fitzroy 141130794469169.344
3 Carlton 14950726533136.236
4 Geelong 14770766692110.728
5 St Kilda 1467153573972.426
6 Essendon 1458151166676.722
7 Melbourne 14311049071368.712
8 South Melbourne 14212047982058.48

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

Round 15 (Sectional round 1)

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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)

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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)

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDate
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

(P)Premiers
Qualified for finals
#TeamPWLDPFPA%Pts
1 Collingwood (P)1715201063667159.460
2 Fitzroy 171430985574171.656
3 Carlton 171160865636136.044
4 Geelong 17980981813120.736
5 St Kilda 1779163583176.430
6 Essendon 17610169187978.626
7 Melbourne 17314059392564.112
8 South Melbourne 172150595108354.98

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

Finals series

Semi-finals

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreVenueDateAttendance
Fitzroy 11.15 (81) Geelong 4.5 (29) MCG 5 September 190315,000
Collingwood 4.3 (27) Carlton 3.5 (23) Brunswick Street Oval 5 September 190316,600

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

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.

+WinQualified for finals
LossXBye
DrawEliminated
TeamHome-and-away seasonLadderFinals series
1234567891011121314151617SFGF
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: [2]

Season notes

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 Rodgers, Stephen (ed.). Every Game Ever Played, VFL/AFL Results 1897–1991. Ringwood, VIC: Viking O'Neal. p. 36.
  2. 1 2 "1903". AFL Tables.
  3. Rogers (ed.). Every Game Ever Played. p. 35.
  4. 1 2 "A chat with longtime AFL statistician, Col Hutchinson". A Yank on the Footy (Podcast). 11 September 2023.
  5. "Football – Junior Association". Colac Herald . 12 May 1903. p. 3.
  6. "To-day's football". Evening News. Sydney, NSW. 4 August 1903. p. 4.
  7. "Geelong v. Carlton". Australian Town and Country Journal. Sydney, NSW. 5 August 1903. p. 51.

Further reading

Sources