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 Power player during the Preliminary Final. This suspension was thought to be a major blow to the Magpies' chances.
The build-up was further magnified due to the Lions' chance of being the first team since the Melbourne Demons in the 1950s to win three successive premierships. Collingwood had achieved this feat twice, 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 Swans' Adam Goodes and Adelaide Crows' Mark Ricciuto.
Read more about this topic: 2003 AFL Grand Final
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