Grand Final #14 - 2003

[Harrysz]

No. 14 – 2003 – Brisbane Lions 134 defeated Collingwood 84

In my description of the 1980 Grand Final, I wrote that Collingwood was very competitive, for about five minutes. The same could not be said of the 2003 Grand Final. I still have nightmares recalling the opening bounce with Clark Keating smashing the ball forward and Brisbane being incessantly in attack. In the previous year’s Grand Final, Scott Burns had tried to iron out Michael Voss. This time he tried to get Jonathan Brown. Neither action was successful and Voss and Brown went on to play pivotal games in the two Grand Finals.

In the second quarter, Reece Shaw got the ball and attempted to elude Alistair Lynch who was a much bigger and slower player. Shaw slipped, the ball fell out of his hands and Lynch grabbed it and kicked a goal from a severe angle. That incident demonstrated Collingwood’s ineptitude on that day. Interestingly, Collingwood went into the match as favourites, having finished higher on the ladder than Brisbane and having beaten them in a close game in the qualifying final. Furthermore, four Brisbane players were under injury clouds although Collingwood’s best forward Anthony Rocca was suspended. But the outcome of this match was never in doubt.

That Brisbane side which won three Grand Finals in a row is the best side I have seen. The mid- field comprised Michael Voss, Simon Black (who won the Norm Smith medal), Jason Akermanis and Luke Power. At full forward was Alistair Lynch and at centre half forward was Jonathan Brown. At centre half back was Justin Leppitsch. They also had Nigel Lapin, Shaun Hart and some guy called Craig McRae.

It took Collingwood quite a long while to recover from the thumping in 2003 and they missed the finals in 2004 and 2005. This entitled them to a priority draft pick and during that period, they drafted Dale Thomas and Scott Pendlebury. They weren’t too shabby.

[piedys]

[Pies4shaw]

^ I think the loss of Rocca to suspension was a huge problem in that game. Big Ant was both our best ruckman and best tall forward, so he was a double match-up problem for opposition teams. Walker, who replaced him, couldn't really do either job to AFL standard and most certainly couldn't do both. Rocca was our only point of difference and with him missing, we were a poor team. The other thing, of course, was that the Bears pulverised us in the late-season game on a dry MCG track so badly it wasn't even a contest - they killed the game in the first 15 minutes and then toyed with us. The QF was played at night and in driving rain and Didak turned the game in those conditions with some remarkable kicking. Given what they'd done to us on a dry ground a few weeks before, it made no sense that Collingwood were favourites.

[Presti35]

One of my worst football memories.

[David]

The moment when, at the age of 14, I discovered what it's really like to be a Collingwood supporter. I've endured some disappointing grand final losses immediately before and since, but none hurt as much as this.

[think positive]

nah the less than a goal one was worse, when roccas goal was not called a goal and we were robbed yet again

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

Never been angrier than after this game, I foolishly believed it was our turn.

I stopped believing in 'turns' after that, you gotta be ruthless. Thats the real football lesson from the Lions dynasty

[think positive]

yup, and having an extra $650k in the cap helps!

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

Never gave us a hope in hell once Rocca was rubbed out. Still went though, it was like watching a slow car crash. This year has been so healing

[RudeBoy]

Malthouse coached abysmally in that GF, playing Jason Cloke at full forward, a position he'd never played, after having a great season as a key defender.

[Damien]

Thankfully I was the recipient of a full days corporate package that day which commenced at Crown Palladium at 7am at which time I had my first Carlton Draught. Needless to say by about half time I was blind which meant I didn’t have to endure that debacle sober. Brisbane’s GF experience was priceless for them that day, led by Voss, who revelled in humiliating us on the biggest stage. He was a pretty inspirational leader for them. We’ll do that next year. Go in as underdogs against some young brash team who think they’re gunna win it and our 2023 experience will see us wipe the floor with em 😈

[Presti35]

[Jezza]

Probably the most gut wrenching Grand Final I've seen in terms of hope and expectation. 2018 was very painful as well, but this one always sticks out in my mind after 20 years.

We did well to get as far as we did with the talent on paper, but once Rocca was suspended it was game over.

The fact that we were favourites is remarkable in itself, but I understand the context as we beat Brisbane in the QF and easily beat Port in the PF.

Winning this year has significantly eased the pain of the 02/03 GF losses.

[Skids]

This one was a debacle. Watching the last training session at VP with thousands of others and I saw some clown handing out Collingwood 2003 Premiers bumper stickers. That gave me a very bad feeling, which was realised in the first minutes of the match.
Such a disappointment after demolishing Port the week prior.
11 players with less than 10 disposals ensures you're going to struggle.

[jayaykay]