20.14 (134) 12.12 (84) 5.5 (35) 11.7 (73) 14.12 (96) 20.14 (134) Champion Brisbane Lions Stadium Melbourne Cricket Ground | BL 5.5 (35) 11.7 (73) 14.12 (96) COLL 3.3 (21) Date 27 September 2003 Attendance 79,451 | |
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Location Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia Similar 2002 AFL Grand Final, 2001 AFL Grand Final, 2004 AFL Grand Final, 2005 AFL Grand Final, 1999 AFL Grand Final | ||
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. Brisbane won by a margin of 50 points, marking that club's third consecutive premiership victory and third premiership overall.
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It was the 107th annual Grand Final of the Australian Football League (formerly the Victorian 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.
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 Final, 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 player during the Preliminary Final. This suspension was considered a major blow to the Magpies' chances. Brisbane's had numerous key players under injury clouds, including captain Michael Voss with an injured knee, Nigel Lappin with broken ribs and both Alastair Lynch and Martin Pike with hamstring injuries.
The build-up was further magnified due to the Lions' chance of being the first team since Melbourne in the 1950s to win three successive premierships. Collingwood had achieved this feat, 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's Adam Goodes and Adelaide's Mark Ricciuto.
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 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 Port Adelaide.