Gerald Brosnan had a chance to win Fitzroy the premiership with a set shot for goal off the last kick of the game but missed narrowly to give Collingwood back-to-back flags.
Collingwood's Jim Addison, despite playing in just his third game, was the only multiple goalkicker. Both Ern Jenkins and Bert Sharpe of Fitzroy were celebrating their 100th VFL games.
After the home-and-away season (which lasted for seventeen matches, including the "first round" of fourteen matches and a "second round" of three matches), Collingwood was top of the ladder with a record of 15–2 and a percentage of 159.4; Fitzroy finished second with a record of 14–3 and a percentage of 171.6.
The finals were contested using the variation of the amended Argus system seen between 1902 and 1906. Fitzroy faced fourth-placed Geelong in the First Semi-Final, and won by 52 points, and Collingwood faced third-placed Carlton in the Second Semi-Final and won by four points. Collingwood and Fitzroy then faced off to decide the premiers.
Right to challengeedit
Under the variation of the Argus System in use between 1902 and 1906, the club with the best record in all matches (including finals) could have challenged for the premiership if it had not won this game.
However, the team that won this game would have become the team with the best record, depriving the other team of the right to challenge, meaning the winner of this match would automatically win the premiership.
Entering the match, Collingwood had a record of 16–2, and Fitzroy had a record of 15–3, but a superior percentage. Therefore, a Collingwood win would have their 17–2 record have ranked above Fitzroy's 15–4, and while a Fitzroy win would have left both clubs level on 16–3, Fitzroy would have been ranked above Collingwood on percentage.
This is different from the ruling which would have been used under the more widely known variation of the Argus System, which was in use from 1907 to 1930. In that variation, the team with the best record in matches excluding finals had the right to challenge; as Collingwood had the best record after 17 weeks, it would have retained the right to challenge regardless of finals results.[1]
^Rodgers, Stephen (1992), Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results, 1897–1991 (3rd ed.), Ringwood, VIC: Viking O'Neil
1903 VFL Grand Final statistics
The Official statistical history of the AFL 2004
Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN0-670-86814-0
1903, grand, final, 1903, grand, final, australian, rules, football, game, contested, between, collingwood, football, club, fitzroy, football, club, held, melbourne, cricket, ground, melbourne, september, 1903, annual, grand, final, victorian, football, league. The 1903 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Fitzroy Football Club held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 12 September 1903 It was the 6th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League staged to determine the premiers for the 1903 VFL season The match attended by 32 263 spectators was won by Collingwood by a margin of 2 points marking that club s second successive premiership victory 1903 VFL grand finalCollingwood Fitzroy4 7 31 3 11 29 1 2 3 4COL 2 3 15 3 4 22 3 6 24 4 7 31 FIT 2 2 14 2 5 17 2 8 20 3 11 29 Date12 September 1903StadiumMelbourne Cricket GroundAttendance32 263UmpiresDick Gibson 1902 AFL Grand Final 1904 Gerald Brosnan had a chance to win Fitzroy the premiership with a set shot for goal off the last kick of the game but missed narrowly to give Collingwood back to back flags Collingwood s Jim Addison despite playing in just his third game was the only multiple goalkicker Both Ern Jenkins and Bert Sharpe of Fitzroy were celebrating their 100th VFL games Contents 1 Lead up 1 1 Right to challenge 2 Teams 3 Statistics 3 1 Goalkickers 3 2 Attendance 4 References 5 See alsoLead up edit nbsp Gerald Brosnan player of Fitz Roy After the home and away season which lasted for seventeen matches including the first round of fourteen matches and a second round of three matches Collingwood was top of the ladder with a record of 15 2 and a percentage of 159 4 Fitzroy finished second with a record of 14 3 and a percentage of 171 6 The finals were contested using the variation of the amended Argus system seen between 1902 and 1906 Fitzroy faced fourth placed Geelong in the First Semi Final and won by 52 points and Collingwood faced third placed Carlton in the Second Semi Final and won by four points Collingwood and Fitzroy then faced off to decide the premiers Right to challenge edit Under the variation of the Argus System in use between 1902 and 1906 the club with the best record in all matches including finals could have challenged for the premiership if it had not won this game However the team that won this game would have become the team with the best record depriving the other team of the right to challenge meaning the winner of this match would automatically win the premiership Entering the match Collingwood had a record of 16 2 and Fitzroy had a record of 15 3 but a superior percentage Therefore a Collingwood win would have their 17 2 record have ranked above Fitzroy s 15 4 and while a Fitzroy win would have left both clubs level on 16 3 Fitzroy would have been ranked above Collingwood on percentage This is different from the ruling which would have been used under the more widely known variation of the Argus System which was in use from 1907 to 1930 In that variation the team with the best record in matches excluding finals had the right to challenge as Collingwood had the best record after 17 weeks it would have retained the right to challenge regardless of finals results 1 Teams edit nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Collingwood nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Fitzroy Collingwood B George Lockwood Bill Proudfoot Alf Dummett HB Matthew Fell Jack Monohan Bob Rush C Charlie Pannam Con McCormack Eddie Drohan HF Teddy Lockwood Ted Rowell Lardie Tulloch c F Arthur Leach Jim Addison Harry Pears Foll Jack Incoll George Angus Dick Condon Res Coach Fitzroy B Alf Sharp Ern Jenkins Lou Barker HB Wally Naismith Jim Sharp Fred Fontaine C Tammy Beauchamp Harry Clarke Frank Brophy HF Alf Wilkinson Gerald Brosnan c Chris Kiernan F Percy Trotter Les Millis Bert Sharpe Foll Bill Walker Herbert Milne Bill McSpeerin Res Coach Umpire Dick GibsonStatistics editGoalkickers edit nbsp Collingwood Premier team Collingwood Addison 2 Condon 1 T Lockwood 1 Fitzroy McSpeerin 1 Millis 1 Milne 1 Attendance edit MCG crowd 32 263References edit Rodgers Stephen 1992 Every Game Ever Played VFL AFL Results 1897 1991 3rd ed Ringwood VIC Viking O Neil 1903 VFL Grand Final statistics The Official statistical history of the AFL 2004 Ross J ed 100 Years of Australian Football 1897 1996 The Complete Story of the AFL All the Big Stories All the Great Pictures All the Champions Every AFL Season Reported Viking Ringwood 1996 ISBN 0 670 86814 0See also edit1903 VFL season Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1903 VFL grand final amp oldid 1170157613, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
