1903 VFL Season

These are the results for the 1903 season of the Victorian Football League (currently known as the Australian Football League).

It featured seventeen rounds in a double round-robin format with three sectional rounds. It should be noted that teams did not necessarily play their matches following the same order as the nominal round numbers of those matches this season. Collingwood were the minor premiers.

The season ended with a finals series following the First Amended Argus system. Collingwood were the premiers, with Lardie Tulloch as the premiership captain.

Season Details

Name: 1903 VFL Season
Teams: 8
Rounds: 17 (inc. 3 sectional rounds)
Finals System: First Amended Argus System
Matches: 71

Team Details

Team Home Ground Coach (Appointed) Coach (Caretaker)
Carlton Princes Park Jack Worrall
Collingwood Victoria Park
Essendon East Melbourne
Fitzroy Brunswick Street Oval
Geelong Corio Oval
Melbourne MCG
South Melbourne Lakeside Oval
St Kilda Junction Oval

Season Results

Premiers: Collingwood
Runners-Up: Fitzroy
Minor Premiers: Collingwood

Team Results

Minor Premiership Results

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA GF BF GA BA
Collingwood 1st 15 -0- 2 60 159.4% 1,063 667 147 181 90 127
Fitzroy 2nd 14 -0- 3 56 171.6% 985 574 133 187 76 118
Carlton 3rd 11 -0- 6 44 136.0% 865 636 118 157 88 108
Geelong 4th 9 -0- 8 36 120.7% 981 813 137 159 108 165
St Kilda 5th 7 -1- 9 30 76.4% 635 831 83 137 107 189
Essendon 6th 6 -1- 10 26 78.6% 691 879 91 145 120 159
Melbourne 7th 3 -0- 14 12 64.1% 593 925 77 131 124 181
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 15 8 54.9% 595 1,083 75 145 148 195

Major Premiership Results

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA GF BF GA BA
Collingwood 1st 17 -0- 2 68 155.9% 1,121 719 155 191 96 143
Fitzroy 2nd 15 -0- 4 60 172.7% 1,095 634 147 213 84 130
Carlton 3rd 11 -0- 7 44 133.9% 888 663 121 162 92 111
Geelong 4th 9 -0- 9 36 113.0% 1,010 894 141 164 119 180

Overall Premiership Results

Team Position (Outcome)
Collingwood 1st Premiers
Fitzroy 2nd Runners-Up
Carlton 3rd Defeated by Collingwood (Semi Final)
Geelong 4th Defeated by Fitzroy (Semi Final)
St Kilda 5th Did not qualify for finals
Essendon 6th Did not qualify for finals
Melbourne 7th Did not qualify for finals
South Melbourne 8th Did not qualify for finals

Ladder Chart

This chart is based on the nominal round, i.e. only one result (win, loss, draw, bye) per round, which may result in not being accurate from a chronological perspective. The positions during the finals series is determined via bespoke logic. You can click on the teams in the legend to add/remove their respective results.

Season Fixture

Regular Season

Round 1

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 02/05/1903 3:00 PM Carlton v Collingwood Princes Park 58 - 37
SAT 02/05/1903 3:00 PM Essendon v Fitzroy East Melbourne 21 - 73
SAT 02/05/1903 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Melbourne Lakeside Oval 50 - 43
SAT 02/05/1903 3:00 PM St Kilda v Geelong Junction Oval 20 - 72

Round 1 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Geelong 1st 1 -0- 0 4 360.0% 72 20
Fitzroy 2nd 1 -0- 0 4 347.6% 73 21
Carlton 3rd 1 -0- 0 4 156.8% 58 37
South Melbourne 4th 1 -0- 0 4 116.3% 50 43
Melbourne 5th 0 -0- 1 0 86.0% 43 50
Collingwood 6th 0 -0- 1 0 63.8% 37 58
Essendon 7th 0 -0- 1 0 28.8% 21 73
St Kilda 8th 0 -0- 1 0 27.8% 20 72

Round 2

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 09/05/1903 3:00 PM Collingwood v South Melbourne Victoria Park 92 - 24
SAT 09/05/1903 3:00 PM Melbourne v Fitzroy MCG 29 - 47
SAT 09/05/1903 3:00 PM St Kilda v Essendon Junction Oval 30 - 30
MON 03/08/1903 3:00 PM Geelong v Carlton SCG 55 - 45

Round 2 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 2 -0- 0 8 240.0% 120 50
Geelong 2nd 2 -0- 0 8 195.4% 127 65
Collingwood 3rd 1 -0- 1 4 157.3% 129 82
Carlton 4th 1 -0- 1 4 112.0% 103 92
South Melbourne 5th 1 -0- 1 4 54.8% 74 135
Essendon 6th 0 -1- 1 2 49.5% 51 103
St Kilda 7th 0 -1- 1 2 49.0% 50 102
Melbourne 8th 0 -0- 2 0 74.2% 72 97

Round 3

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 16/05/1903 3:00 PM Collingwood v St Kilda Victoria Park 113 - 33
SAT 16/05/1903 3:00 PM Essendon v Carlton East Melbourne 35 - 56
SAT 16/05/1903 3:00 PM Fitzroy v South Melbourne Brunswick Street Oval 89 - 22
SAT 16/05/1903 3:00 PM Geelong v Melbourne Corio Oval 100 - 32

Round 3 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 3 -0- 0 12 290.3% 209 72
Geelong 2nd 3 -0- 0 12 234.0% 227 97
Collingwood 3rd 2 -0- 1 8 210.4% 242 115
Carlton 4th 2 -0- 1 8 125.2% 159 127
South Melbourne 5th 1 -0- 2 4 42.9% 96 224
Essendon 6th 0 -1- 2 2 54.1% 86 159
St Kilda 7th 0 -1- 2 2 38.6% 83 215
Melbourne 8th 0 -0- 3 0 52.8% 104 197

Round 4

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 23/05/1903 3:00 PM Carlton v St Kilda Princes Park 88 - 10
SAT 23/05/1903 3:00 PM Fitzroy v Collingwood SCG 62 - 45
SAT 23/05/1903 3:00 PM Melbourne v Essendon MCG 25 - 28
SAT 23/05/1903 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Geelong Lakeside Oval 37 - 47

Round 4 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 4 -0- 0 16 231.6% 271 117
Geelong 2nd 4 -0- 0 16 204.5% 274 134
Carlton 3rd 3 -0- 1 12 180.3% 247 137
Collingwood 4th 2 -0- 2 8 162.1% 287 177
Essendon 5th 1 -1- 2 6 62.0% 114 184
South Melbourne 6th 1 -0- 3 4 49.1% 133 271
St Kilda 7th 0 -1- 3 2 30.7% 93 303
Melbourne 8th 0 -0- 4 0 57.3% 129 225

Round 5

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 30/05/1903 3:00 PM Collingwood v Melbourne Victoria Park 77 - 46
SAT 30/05/1903 3:00 PM Essendon v Geelong East Melbourne 73 - 40
SAT 30/05/1903 3:00 PM Fitzroy v St Kilda Brunswick Street Oval 95 - 28
SAT 30/05/1903 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Carlton Lakeside Oval 34 - 67

Round 5 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 5 -0- 0 20 252.4% 366 145
Carlton 2nd 4 -0- 1 16 183.6% 314 171
Geelong 3rd 4 -0- 1 16 151.7% 314 207
Collingwood 4th 3 -0- 2 12 163.2% 364 223
Essendon 5th 2 -1- 2 10 83.5% 187 224
South Melbourne 6th 1 -0- 4 4 49.4% 167 338
St Kilda 7th 0 -1- 4 2 30.4% 121 398
Melbourne 8th 0 -0- 5 0 57.9% 175 302

Round 6

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 06/06/1903 3:00 PM Carlton v Fitzroy Princes Park 56 - 29
SAT 06/06/1903 3:00 PM Essendon v South Melbourne East Melbourne 41 - 48
SAT 06/06/1903 3:00 PM Geelong v Collingwood Corio Oval 51 - 84
SAT 06/06/1903 3:00 PM St Kilda v Melbourne Junction Oval 57 - 27

Round 6 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 5 -0- 1 20 196.5% 395 201
Carlton 2nd 5 -0- 1 20 185.0% 370 200
Collingwood 3rd 4 -0- 2 16 163.5% 448 274
Geelong 4th 4 -0- 2 16 125.4% 365 291
Essendon 5th 2 -1- 3 10 83.8% 228 272
South Melbourne 6th 2 -0- 4 8 56.7% 215 379
St Kilda 7th 1 -1- 4 6 41.9% 178 425
Melbourne 8th 0 -0- 6 0 56.3% 202 359

Round 7

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
MON 08/06/1903 3:00 PM Collingwood v Essendon Victoria Park 33 - 25
MON 08/06/1903 3:00 PM Fitzroy v Geelong Brunswick Street Oval 62 - 22
MON 08/06/1903 3:00 PM Melbourne v Carlton MCG 32 - 8
MON 08/06/1903 3:00 PM South Melbourne v St Kilda Lakeside Oval 38 - 47

Round 7 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 6 -0- 1 24 204.9% 457 223
Carlton 2nd 5 -0- 2 20 162.9% 378 232
Collingwood 3rd 5 -0- 2 20 160.9% 481 299
Geelong 4th 4 -0- 3 16 109.6% 387 353
Essendon 5th 2 -1- 4 10 83.0% 253 305
St Kilda 6th 2 -1- 4 10 48.6% 225 463
South Melbourne 7th 2 -0- 5 8 59.4% 253 426
Melbourne 8th 1 -0- 6 4 63.8% 234 367

Round 8

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 13/06/1903 3:00 PM Collingwood v Carlton Victoria Park 81 - 67
SAT 13/06/1903 3:00 PM Fitzroy v Essendon Brunswick Street Oval 54 - 29
SAT 13/06/1903 3:00 PM Geelong v St Kilda Corio Oval 39 - 55
SAT 13/06/1903 3:00 PM Melbourne v South Melbourne MCG 42 - 35

Round 8 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 7 -0- 1 28 202.8% 511 252
Collingwood 2nd 6 -0- 2 24 153.6% 562 366
Carlton 3rd 5 -0- 3 20 142.2% 445 313
Geelong 4th 4 -0- 4 16 104.4% 426 408
St Kilda 5th 3 -1- 4 14 55.8% 280 502
Essendon 6th 2 -1- 5 10 78.6% 282 359
Melbourne 7th 2 -0- 6 8 68.7% 276 402
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 6 8 61.5% 288 468

Round 9

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 20/06/1903 3:00 PM Carlton v Geelong Princes Park 54 - 47
SAT 20/06/1903 3:00 PM Essendon v St Kilda East Melbourne 32 - 29
SAT 20/06/1903 3:00 PM Fitzroy v Melbourne Brunswick Street Oval 34 - 26
SAT 20/06/1903 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Collingwood Lakeside Oval 35 - 42

Round 9 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 8 -0- 1 32 196.0% 545 278
Collingwood 2nd 7 -0- 2 28 150.6% 604 401
Carlton 3rd 6 -0- 3 24 138.6% 499 360
Geelong 4th 4 -0- 5 16 102.4% 473 462
Essendon 5th 3 -1- 5 14 80.9% 314 388
St Kilda 6th 3 -1- 5 14 57.9% 309 534
Melbourne 7th 2 -0- 7 8 69.3% 302 436
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 7 8 63.3% 323 510

Round 10

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 04/07/1903 3:00 PM Carlton v Essendon Princes Park 50 - 14
SAT 04/07/1903 3:00 PM Melbourne v Geelong MCG 39 - 67
SAT 04/07/1903 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Fitzroy Lakeside Oval 37 - 53
SAT 04/07/1903 3:00 PM St Kilda v Collingwood Junction Oval 16 - 41

Round 10 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 9 -0- 1 36 189.8% 598 315
Collingwood 2nd 8 -0- 2 32 154.7% 645 417
Carlton 3rd 7 -0- 3 28 146.8% 549 374
Geelong 4th 5 -0- 5 20 107.8% 540 501
Essendon 5th 3 -1- 6 14 74.9% 328 438
St Kilda 6th 3 -1- 6 14 56.5% 325 575
Melbourne 7th 2 -0- 8 8 67.8% 341 503
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 8 8 63.9% 360 563

Round 11

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 11/07/1903 3:00 PM Collingwood v Fitzroy Victoria Park 56 - 36
SAT 11/07/1903 3:00 PM Essendon v Melbourne East Melbourne 34 - 29
SAT 11/07/1903 3:00 PM Geelong v South Melbourne Corio Oval 67 - 30
SAT 11/07/1903 3:00 PM St Kilda v Carlton Junction Oval 27 - 62

Round 11 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 9 -0- 2 36 170.9% 634 371
Collingwood 2nd 9 -0- 2 36 154.7% 701 453
Carlton 3rd 8 -0- 3 32 152.4% 611 401
Geelong 4th 6 -0- 5 24 114.3% 607 531
Essendon 5th 4 -1- 6 18 77.5% 362 467
St Kilda 6th 3 -1- 7 14 55.3% 352 637
Melbourne 7th 2 -0- 9 8 68.9% 370 537
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 9 8 61.9% 390 630

Round 12

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 18/07/1903 3:00 PM Carlton v South Melbourne Princes Park 50 - 20
SAT 18/07/1903 3:00 PM Geelong v Essendon Corio Oval 89 - 44
SAT 18/07/1903 3:00 PM Melbourne v Collingwood MCG 32 - 74
SAT 18/07/1903 3:00 PM St Kilda v Fitzroy Junction Oval 41 - 38

Round 12 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Collingwood 1st 10 -0- 2 40 159.8% 775 485
Fitzroy 2nd 9 -0- 3 36 163.1% 672 412
Carlton 3rd 9 -0- 3 36 157.0% 661 421
Geelong 4th 7 -0- 5 28 121.0% 696 575
Essendon 5th 4 -1- 7 18 73.0% 406 556
St Kilda 6th 4 -1- 7 18 58.2% 393 675
Melbourne 7th 2 -0- 10 8 65.8% 402 611
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 10 8 60.3% 410 680

Round 13

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 25/07/1903 3:00 PM Collingwood v Geelong Victoria Park 51 - 37
SAT 25/07/1903 3:00 PM Fitzroy v Carlton Brunswick Street Oval 56 - 24
SAT 25/07/1903 3:00 PM Melbourne v St Kilda MCG 32 - 61
SAT 25/07/1903 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Essendon Lakeside Oval 37 - 59

Round 13 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Collingwood 1st 11 -0- 2 44 158.2% 826 522
Fitzroy 2nd 10 -0- 3 40 167.0% 728 436
Carlton 3rd 9 -0- 4 36 143.6% 685 477
Geelong 4th 7 -0- 6 28 117.1% 733 626
Essendon 5th 5 -1- 7 22 78.4% 465 593
St Kilda 6th 5 -1- 7 22 64.2% 454 707
Melbourne 7th 2 -0- 11 8 64.6% 434 672
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 11 8 60.5% 447 739

Round 14

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 08/08/1903 3:00 PM Carlton v Melbourne Princes Park 41 - 56
SAT 08/08/1903 3:00 PM Essendon v Collingwood East Melbourne 46 - 73
SAT 08/08/1903 3:00 PM Geelong v Fitzroy Corio Oval 33 - 66
SAT 08/08/1903 3:00 PM St Kilda v South Melbourne Junction Oval 81 - 32

Round 14 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Collingwood 1st 12 -0- 2 48 158.3% 899 568
Fitzroy 2nd 11 -0- 3 44 169.3% 794 469
Carlton 3rd 9 -0- 5 36 136.2% 726 533
Geelong 4th 7 -0- 7 28 110.7% 766 692
St Kilda 5th 6 -1- 7 26 72.4% 535 739
Essendon 6th 5 -1- 8 22 76.7% 511 666
Melbourne 7th 3 -0- 11 12 68.7% 490 713
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 12 8 58.4% 479 820

Round 15 (Sectional Round 1)

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 15/08/1903 2:30 PM Collingwood v St Kilda Victoria Park 30 - 18
SAT 15/08/1903 2:30 PM Essendon v Fitzroy East Melbourne 55 - 74
SAT 15/08/1903 2:30 PM Melbourne v Carlton MCG 32 - 67
SAT 15/08/1903 2:30 PM South Melbourne v Geelong Lakeside Oval 56 - 86

Round 15 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Collingwood 1st 13 -0- 2 52 158.5% 929 586
Fitzroy 2nd 12 -0- 3 48 165.6% 868 524
Carlton 3rd 10 -0- 5 40 140.4% 793 565
Geelong 4th 8 -0- 7 32 113.9% 852 748
St Kilda 5th 6 -1- 8 26 71.9% 553 769
Essendon 6th 5 -1- 9 22 76.5% 566 740
Melbourne 7th 3 -0- 12 12 66.9% 522 780
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 13 8 59.1% 535 906

Round 16 (Sectional Round 2)

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 22/08/1903 2:30 PM Carlton v Collingwood Princes Park 41 - 43
SAT 22/08/1903 2:30 PM Fitzroy v South Melbourne Brunswick Street Oval 83 - 23
SAT 22/08/1903 2:30 PM Geelong v Essendon Corio Oval 102 - 31
SAT 22/08/1903 2:30 PM St Kilda v Melbourne Junction Oval 54 - 31

Round 16 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Collingwood 1st 14 -0- 2 56 155.0% 972 627
Fitzroy 2nd 13 -0- 3 52 173.9% 951 547
Carlton 3rd 10 -0- 6 40 137.2% 834 608
Geelong 4th 9 -0- 7 36 122.5% 954 779
St Kilda 5th 7 -1- 8 30 75.9% 607 800
Essendon 6th 5 -1- 10 22 70.9% 597 842
Melbourne 7th 3 -0- 13 12 66.3% 553 834
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 14 8 56.4% 558 989

Round 17 (Sectional Round 3)

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 29/08/1903 2:30 PM Collingwood v Melbourne Victoria Park 91 - 40
SAT 29/08/1903 2:30 PM Essendon v South Melbourne East Melbourne 94 - 37
SAT 29/08/1903 2:30 PM Geelong v Fitzroy Corio Oval 27 - 34
SAT 29/08/1903 2:30 PM St Kilda v Carlton Junction Oval 28 - 31

Round 17 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Collingwood 1st 15 -0- 2 60 159.4% 1,063 667
Fitzroy 2nd 14 -0- 3 56 171.6% 985 574
Carlton 3rd 11 -0- 6 44 136.0% 865 636
Geelong 4th 9 -0- 8 36 120.7% 981 813
St Kilda 5th 7 -1- 9 30 76.4% 635 831
Essendon 6th 6 -1- 10 26 78.6% 691 879
Melbourne 7th 3 -0- 14 12 64.1% 593 925
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 15 8 54.9% 595 1,083

Finals Series

The positions of teams going into the finals:

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA GF BF GA BA
Collingwood 1st 15 -0- 2 60 159.4% 1,063 667 147 181 90 127
Fitzroy 2nd 14 -0- 3 56 171.6% 985 574 133 187 76 118
Carlton 3rd 11 -0- 6 44 136.0% 865 636 118 157 88 108
Geelong 4th 9 -0- 8 36 120.7% 981 813 137 159 108 165
St Kilda 5th 7 -1- 9 30 76.4% 635 831 83 137 107 189
Essendon 6th 6 -1- 10 26 78.6% 691 879 91 145 120 159
Melbourne 7th 3 -0- 14 12 64.1% 593 925 77 131 124 181
South Melbourne 8th 2 -0- 15 8 54.9% 595 1,083 75 145 148 195

Final Round 1

Semi Final

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 05/09/1903 2:30 PM Collingwood v Carlton Brunswick Street Oval 27 - 23 16,600
SAT 05/09/1903 2:30 PM Fitzroy v Geelong MCG 81 - 29 15,000

Final Round 1 Ladder

Team Pos. W-D-L, PP & P% PF PA
Collingwood 1st 16 -0- 2 64 158.0% 1,090 690
Fitzroy 2nd 15 -0- 3 60 176.8% 1,066 603
Carlton 3rd 11 -0- 7 44 133.9% 888 663
Geelong 4th 9 -0- 9 36 113.0% 1,010 894

Final Round 2

Final (Grand Final)

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 12/09/1903 3:10 PM Collingwood v Fitzroy MCG 31 - 29 32,363

Final Round 2 Ladder

Team Pos. W-D-L, PP & P% PF PA
Collingwood* 1st 17 -0- 2 68 155.9% 1,121 719
Fitzroy 2nd 15 -0- 4 60 172.7% 1,095 634
Carlton 3rd 11 -0- 7 44 133.9% 888 663
Geelong 4th 9 -0- 9 36 113.0% 1,010 894
* : right to challenge