2003 VFL season explained

Competition:	vfl
Year:	2003
Teams:	13
Premiers:	Williamstown
Count:	13
Minor Premiers:	Port Melbourne
Mpcount:	16
Prevseason:	2002
Nextseason:	2004

The 2003 Victorian Football League season was the 122nd season of the Australian rules football competition.

The premiership was won by the Williamstown Football Club, after defeating Box Hill by 29 points in the Grand Final on 21 September.

League membership and affiliations

There were several changes to the VFL–AFL reserves affiliations prior to the 2003 season:^[1]

, which had been partially affiliated with Port Melbourne, withdrew from having any connection with the VFL, instead electing to field a stand-alone reserves team in the AFL Canberra competition.^[2] Sydney broke off the affiliation with one year left on the contract, prompting a lawsuit from Port Melbourne.^[3]
The, after spending the previous three years using the Murray Kangaroos as its VFL-affiliate, became affiliated with Port Melbourne. The Murray Kangaroos club, which had been a joint venture operation between the Kangaroos and the Ovens & Murray Football League, dropped out of the VFL and folded.
, which had been fielding its reserves team in the VFL, became affiliated with the Northern Bullants. The Carlton reserves withdrew from the VFL.
, which had been fielding its reserves team in the VFL, became affiliated with Bendigo. Under the affiliation, Bendigo adopted Essendon's black and red guernsey, and changed its nickname from Diggers to Bombers. The Essendon reserves withdrew from the VFL.

As a result of the changes, the VFL was reduced from sixteen teams to thirteen. was now the only one of the ten Victorian AFL clubs left fielding its own reserves team in the VFL, with nine clubs in VFL-AFL affiliations.

Ladder

Grand Final

Awards

The Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal was won for a record fifth consecutive year by Nick Sautner (Northern Bullants), who kicked 82 goals.^[4]
The J. J. Liston Trophy was won by David Robbins (Sandringham), who polled 16 votes. It was Robbins' second Liston Trophy, having previously won the award in 2000. Robbins finished ahead of Stephen Jurica (North Ballarat), who finished second with 15 votes, and Jordan Doering (Tasmania) and Adrian Fletcher (Williamstown), who were equal third with 14 votes. Jeremy Clayton (Port Melbourne) polled the most votes with 20, but was ineligible to win the award due to suspension.^[5]
The Fothergill–Round Medal was won by Aaron Davey (Port Melbourne).^[6]
Williamstown won the reserves premiership. Williamstown 20.15 (135) defeated the Northern Bullants 12.11 (83) in the Grand Final, held as a curtain-raiser to the Seniors Grand Final on 21 September.^[7]

Notable events

The VFL granted a favourable fixture to the three stand-alone VFL clubs, Tasmania, North Ballarat and Frankston to try to assist them financially. The clubs were given extra home games (Tasmania had twelve home games for the year, and North Ballarat and Frankston had ten) and they were given extra Sunday matches to avoid clashes with the local competitions which were still mainly played on Saturdays.^[8]

Notes and References

Fiddian, Marc (2004); The VFA; A History of the Victorian Football Association 1877–1995; p. 188
Web site: Unearthing roots of Harbour City talent. The Age. 31 July 2011. 3 August 2003.
News: The Age. Melbourne, VIC. Port Melbourne to take Swans to court. 7 March 2003. 31 July 2016.
Web site: Frosty Miller Medallists. 4 August 2016. Fox Sports Pulse. 25 May 2016.
Web site: JJ Liston Trophy Night. 14 May 2009. 4 August 2016. Fox Sports Pulse.
Web site: Fothergill–Round Medallists. 20 December 2014. 29 October 2014. Sportingpulse.
News: Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. 62. 22 September 2003. Sport scoreboard.
News: Three VFL clubs get extra aid. 31 July 2016. 3 April 2003. Dan Oakes. The Age. Melbourne, VIC.