1903 VFL season-Cedar Herald Index

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, ran from 2 May until 12 September, and comprised a 17-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.

The premiership was won by the Collingwood Football Club for the second time and second time consecutively, after it defeated by two points in the 1903 VFL Grand Final.

1903 VFL season

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.

1903 VFL season

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.

1903 VFL season

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

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 3.3 (21) | | 11.7 (73) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 2 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.4 (58) | | 5.7 (37) | Princes Park | 2 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.14 (50) | | 5.13 (43) | Lake Oval | 2 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 2.8 (20) | | 9.18 (72) | Junction Oval | 2 May 1903

Round 2

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.14 (92) | | 3.6 (24) | Victoria Park | 9 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 4.5 (29) | | 6.11 (47) | MCG | 9 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 3.12 (30) | | 4.6 (30) | Junction Oval | 9 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.7 (55) | | 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.

Round 3

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 15.10 (100) | | 4.8 (32) | Corio Oval | 16 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.17 (89) | | 3.4 (22) | Brunswick Street Oval | 16 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 16.17 (113) | | 5.3 (33) | Victoria Park | 16 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.5 (35) | | 7.14 (56) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 16 May 1903

Round 4

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.16 (88) | | 1.4 (10) | Princes Park | 23 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.7 (37) | | 6.11 (47) | Lake Oval | 23 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 3.7 (25) | | 4.4 (28) | MCG | 23 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.20 (62) | | 6.9 (45) | SCG | 23 May 1903

Round 5

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.17 (95) | | 3.10 (28) | Brunswick Street Oval | 30 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.13 (73) | | 5.10 (40) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 30 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.17 (77) | | 7.4 (46) | Victoria Park | 30 May 1903 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.4 (34) | | 10.7 (67) | Lake Oval | 30 May 1903