2003 AFL Grand Final
Encyclopedia
The 2003 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football
game contested between the Brisbane Lions
and the Collingwood Football Club
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in Melbourne
on 27 September 2003. It was the 107th annual Grand Final
of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League
, staged to determine the premiers for the 2003 AFL season
.
The game was played in front of 79,451 spectators, a smaller attendance than previous years owing to the construction of new seating at the ground for the 2006 Commonwealth Games
. Brisbane won by a margin of 50 points, marking that club's third consecutive premiership victory.
, losing by a margin of 9 points.
At the conclusion of the home and away season, Port Adelaide had finished first on the AFL ladder with 18 wins and 4 losses, winning their second successive McClelland Trophy
. Collingwood had finished second with 15 wins and 7 losses.
The 2003 Grand Final had a unique build-up. History certainly repeated itself this year as Anthony Rocca
, a Collingwood forward and thought to be one of the most important players in the team, was suspended during the week for an elbow to the head of a Port Adelaide Power player during the Preliminary Final. This suspension was thought to be a major blow to the Magpies' chances.
The build-up was further magnified due to the Lions' chance of being the first team since the Melbourne Demons in the 1950s to win three successive premierships. Collingwood had achieved this feat twice, winning four successive premierships from 1927-30. Attention was also focussed on whether the Magpies would avenge their close loss to the Lions in the previous year's Grand Final.
In the week leading up to the Grand Final, Collingwood's Nathan Buckley
was awarded the Brownlow Medal
, which was tied between Buckley, Sydney Swans
' Adam Goodes
and Adelaide Crows
' Mark Ricciuto
.
Collingwood fought back early in the third quarter, kicking the first two goals after the main break, but could not maintain their intensity and still had a long lead ahead of them at the last break, trailing 9.7 (61) to Brisbane's 14.12 (96). The Magpies were at risk of being absolutely humiliated as the Lions piled on six goals during the last quarter, but Collingwood saved face by scoring three late goals, reducing the margin to 50 points.
Final scores: Brisbane 20.14 (134) defeated Collingwood 12.12 (84).
Simon Black
of the Lions was awarded the Norm Smith Medal
for being judged the best player afield. Jason Akermanis
kicked 5 goals for Brisbane.
With this win, Brisbane became AFL Premiers for the third consecutive year. They would go on to contest a fourth consecutive Grand Final in the 2004 AFL Grand Final
, but would lose that game to the Port Adelaide Power.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
game contested between the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
and the Collingwood Football Club
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on 27 September 2003. It was the 107th annual Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, staged to determine the premiers for the 2003 AFL season
2003 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2003.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:...
.
The game was played in front of 79,451 spectators, a smaller attendance than previous years owing to the construction of new seating at the ground for the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
. Brisbane won by a margin of 50 points, marking that club's third consecutive premiership victory.
Background
Brisbane had appeared in the AFL Grand Final for the past two years, winning both contests. Collingwood had competed against Brisbane in the previous year's Grand Final2002 AFL Grand Final
The 2002 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 2002. It was the 106th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
, losing by a margin of 9 points.
At the conclusion of the home and away season, Port Adelaide had finished first on the AFL ladder with 18 wins and 4 losses, winning their second successive McClelland Trophy
McClelland Trophy
The McClelland Trophy is an Australian rules football trophy, currently awarded to the minor premiers in the Australian Football League each year...
. Collingwood had finished second with 15 wins and 7 losses.
The 2003 Grand Final had a unique build-up. History certainly repeated itself this year as Anthony Rocca
Anthony Rocca
Anthony Rocca is a former Australian rules footballer who has played with the Sydney Swans and Collingwood in the Australian Football League...
, a Collingwood forward and thought to be one of the most important players in the team, was suspended during the week for an elbow to the head of a Port Adelaide Power player during the Preliminary Final. This suspension was thought to be a major blow to the Magpies' chances.
The build-up was further magnified due to the Lions' chance of being the first team since the Melbourne Demons in the 1950s to win three successive premierships. Collingwood had achieved this feat twice, winning four successive premierships from 1927-30. Attention was also focussed on whether the Magpies would avenge their close loss to the Lions in the previous year's Grand Final.
In the week leading up to the Grand Final, Collingwood's Nathan Buckley
Nathan Buckley
Nathan Charles Buckley is a former professional Australian rules football player, commentator and coach, best known for his time as captain of the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
was awarded the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
, which was tied between Buckley, Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
' Adam Goodes
Adam Goodes
Adam Goodes is a professional Australian rules football player with the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League ....
and Adelaide Crows
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
' Mark Ricciuto
Mark Ricciuto
Mark Anthony Ricciuto is a former Australian rules football player, who played for the Adelaide Crows in the Australian Football League...
.
Match summary
The Lions dominated the Magpies and led throughout the match, leading 5.5 (35) to the Magpies' 3.3 (21) at quarter time. They stretched their lead in the second quarter, leading 11.7 (73) to 4.7 (31) at half time.Collingwood fought back early in the third quarter, kicking the first two goals after the main break, but could not maintain their intensity and still had a long lead ahead of them at the last break, trailing 9.7 (61) to Brisbane's 14.12 (96). The Magpies were at risk of being absolutely humiliated as the Lions piled on six goals during the last quarter, but Collingwood saved face by scoring three late goals, reducing the margin to 50 points.
Final scores: Brisbane 20.14 (134) defeated Collingwood 12.12 (84).
Simon Black
Simon Black
Simon Black is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.Black is a midfielder with a reputation for hard work and skill...
of the Lions was awarded the Norm Smith Medal
Norm Smith Medal
The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
for being judged the best player afield. Jason Akermanis
Jason Akermanis
Jason Dean Akermanis is an Australian rules football player. He is a Brownlow Medallist and triple premiership player who played for the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs...
kicked 5 goals for Brisbane.
With this win, Brisbane became AFL Premiers for the third consecutive year. They would go on to contest a fourth consecutive Grand Final in the 2004 AFL Grand Final
2004 AFL Grand Final
The 2004 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Port Adelaide Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 2004. It was the 108th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
, but would lose that game to the Port Adelaide Power.