2003 VFL season

League membership and affiliations

• , 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. Sydney broke off the affiliation with one year left on the contract, prompting a lawsuit from Port Melbourne.
• , 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 North Melbourne 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.

Premiership season

Ladder

Finals Series

Grand Final

Awards

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

  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 and they were given extra Sunday matches to avoid clashes with the local competitions which were still mainly played on Saturdays.