2003 Brisbane Broncos season

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2003 Brisbane Broncos season
  2002 2004  

The 2003 Brisbane Broncos season was the sixteenth in the history of the Brisbane Broncos. Coached by Wayne Bennett and captained by Gorden Tallis, they competed in the NRL's 2003 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season 8th (out of 15) and making the finals for the 12th consecutive year. The Broncos were then knocked out in the first match against eventual premiers, the Penrith Panthers.

Contents

Season summary

In the pre-season Bruno Cullen replaced Shane Edwards as Broncos Chief Executive Officer. The Brisbane Broncos had a strong start to the 2003 season, winning 11 of their first 14 games, but later breaking the club's longest losing streak record by losing their last 8 games straight. Brisbane still made it to the finals, finishing the regular season in 8th position, but lost the Qualifying Final to the Penrith Panthers 28-18. The 2003 season was the first in the Broncos' history in which they lost more games than they won. In the first half of the 2003 season, whilst still at ANZ Stadium, the Broncos were only beaten once (by the New Zealand Warriors in round five). However, upon returning to Suncorp Stadium in round 12, the Broncos only won a home match once (defeating the Sydney Roosters in round 16).

A total of twelve Broncos players were selected to play in the mid-season 2003 State of Origin series, making them the most heavily represented club. Also in 2003 the Rugby World Cup was played in Australia. As a testament to the quality of the athletes produced at the Broncos, three of the club's former players would feature in two of the top three finishing teams of the rugby union world's peak competition, all of them having played together in the Broncos' 2000 premiership-winning side: Lote Tuquri with Wendell Sailor for Australia and Brad Thorn for New Zealand.

The Broncos were once again in the upper echelons of the ladder before losing their last eight games and falling to eighth place, nearly missing the finals for the first time since 1991.

Fullback Darren Lockyer was named the Broncos' player of the season.

Match results

RoundOpponentResultBro.Opp.DateVenueCrowdPosition
1 Penrith Panthers Win242016 Mar Penrith Football Stadium 6/15
2 South Sydney Rabbitohs Win222023 Mar Sydney Football Stadium 4/15
3 Cronulla Sharks Win30430 Mar ANZ Stadium 2/15
4 North Queensland Cowboys Win32245 Apr Dairy Farmers Stadium 2/15
5 New Zealand Warriors Loss123213 Apr ANZ Stadium 4/15
6 Sydney Roosters Loss202718 Apr Sydney Football Stadium 6/15
7 Parramatta Eels Win201425 Apr Parramatta Stadium 5/15
8 Wests Tigers Win3864 May Leichhardt Oval 3/15
9 North Queensland Cowboys Win381211 May ANZ Stadium 2/15
10 Melbourne Storm Win361618 May ANZ Stadium 1/15
11 Canterbury Bulldogs Win24023 May Telstra Stadium 1/15
12 Newcastle Knights Loss22321 Jun Suncorp Stadium 3/15
13Bye2/15
14* Canberra Raiders Win242015 Jun Canberra Stadium 1/15
15Bye1/15
16* Sydney Roosters Win10827 Jun Suncorp Stadium 1/15
17 St George Illawarra Dragons Loss16324 Jul WIN Stadium 1/15
18 Canterbury Bulldogs Loss44011 Jul Suncorp Stadium 3/15
19* Melbourne Storm Win262220 Jul Olympic Park 3/15
20 Manly Sea Eagles Loss202626 Jul Suncorp Stadium 4/15
21 Cronulla Sharks Loss10202 Aug Toyota Park 5/15
22 Penrith Panthers Loss6138 Aug Suncorp Stadium 5/15
23 Wests Tigers Loss101216 Aug Suncorp Stadium 5/15
24 New Zealand Warriors Loss142224 Aug Ericsson Stadium 7/15
25 Parramatta Eels Loss141630 Aug Suncorp Stadium 8/15
26 St George Illawarra Dragons Loss25265 Sep Suncorp Stadium 8/15
Qualif. Final Penrith Panthers Loss182814 Sep Penrith Football Stadium
*Game following a State of Origin match

Ladder

PosTeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts
1 Panthers colours.svg Penrith Panthers (P)2418062659527+13240
2 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 2417072680445+23538
3 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2416082702419+28336
4 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 2416082620463+15736
5 Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 2415092564486+7834
6 New Zealand colours.svg New Zealand Warriors 2415092545510+3534
7 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 24140102632635-332
8 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 24120122497464+3328
9 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 24110132570582-1226
10 St. George colours.svg St George Illawarra Dragons 24110132548593-4526
11 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys 24100142606629-2324
12 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2480162497704-20720
13 Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers 2470172470598-12818
14 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 2470172557791-23418
15 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs 2430212457758-30110

Scorers

PlayerTriesGoalsFGPoints
Michael De Vere 1269/970186
Darren Lockyer 92/3141
Shaun Berrigan 100040
Brent Tate 90036
Stuart Kelly 80032
Casey McGuire 80032
Tonie Carroll 60024
Dane Carlaw 50020
Scott Minto 50020
Ben Ikin 40016
Gorden Tallis 40016
Petero Civoniceva 30012
Craig Frawley 30012
Corey Parker 30012
Richard Swain 02/304
Neale Wyatt 1004
Shane Webcke 1004
Carl Webb 1004
Scott Prince*00/100

(*Did not technically score any points.)

Honours

League

Club

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References

  1. "Honour Board". broncos.com.au. Brisbane Broncos. Archived from the original on 26 January 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2013.

27°27′53″S153°0′34″E / 27.46472°S 153.00944°E / -27.46472; 153.00944 (Suncorp Stadium)