The 2003 NRL premiership was the 96th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the sixth run by the National Rugby League. Fifteen teams competed, with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles returning in place of their failed joint-venture club, the Northern Eagles. Ultimately, the Penrith Panthers defeated reigning champions, the Sydney Roosters in the 2003 NRL grand final, claiming their first premiership since 1991.

Season summary Season 2003 brought in the new "golden point" extra time rule, where after 80 minutes, if the game was drawn, then 10 minutes of extra time was played until one team scored the winning point(s). The salary cap for the 2003 season was A$3.25 million per club for their 25 highest-paid players.

The first round of the Premiership improved on the previous year's in terms of attendance and television ratings. The major story this season was the resurgence of the Penrith Panthers, who won their second premiership in their history since joining the competition in 1967. Coached by John Lang and captained by Craig Gower, the Panthers were the surprise minor premiers and would continue their outstanding form in the finals, beating the Broncos, Warriors and finally the Roosters in the grand final.

The Dally M Medal ceremony was cancelled by the NRL after negotiations with the players' union, the Rugby League Professionals Association, stalled. All votes for the award were destroyed. It was later revealed that with one round of the regular season to play, Craig Gower was leading both Brad Fittler and Clinton Schifcofske by one point in the overall points tally. However, with the ceremony officially cancelled more than a week out from the awards, no points were allocated in the final round of the season.

At the end of the season, Chris Anderson would lose his job at Cronulla-Sutherland, while Peter Sharp was dismissed as the Sea Eagles coach. Trainer and former Manly star, Des Hasler would replace Sharp as head coach in 2004.

Also at the end of the season, a squad of players from the NRL premiership went on the 2003 Kangaroo tour.

A major flaw of the fixture was that the previous season's Grand Finalists, the New Zealand Warriors and Sydney Roosters, did not meet until the penultimate round of the regular season.

Teams The lineup of fifteen teams for the 2003 premiership remained unchanged from the previous season, except that the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles name and colours rejoined the competition since their merger with North Sydney Bears in 1999, taking the place of the failed Northern Eagles, Manly Warringah returned as a stand-alone in 2002, but played under the Northern Eagles name and colours Brisbane Broncos 16th seasonGround: Suncorp StadiumCoach: Wayne BennettCaptain: Gorden TallisBulldogs 69th seasonGround: Sydney Showground & Telstra StadiumCoach: Steve FolkesCaptain: Steve PriceCanberra Raiders 22nd seasonGround: Canberra StadiumCoach: Matthew ElliottCaptain: Simon WoolfordCronulla-Sutherland Sharks 37th seasonGround: Toyota StadiumCoach: Chris AndersonCaptain: Brett KimmorleyManly-Warringah Sea Eagles 54th seasonGround: Brookvale OvalCoach: Peter SharpCaptain: Steve MenziesMelbourne Storm 6th seasonGround: Olympic ParkCoach: Craig BellamyCaptain: Stephen KearneyNew Zealand Warriors 9th seasonGround: Ericsson StadiumCoach: Daniel AndersonCaptain: Stacey JonesNewcastle Knights 16th seasonGround: EnergyAustralia StadiumCoach: Michael HaganCaptain: Andrew JohnsNorth Queensland Cowboys 9th seasonGround: Dairy Farmers StadiumCoach: Graham MurrayCaptain: Paul BowmanParramatta Eels 57th seasonGround: Parramatta StadiumCoach: Brian SmithCaptain: Nathan CaylessPenrith Panthers 37th seasonGround: CUA StadiumCoach: John LangCaptain: Craig GowerSouth Sydney Rabbitohs 94th seasonGround: Aussie StadiumCoach: Paul LangmackCaptain: Bryan FletcherSt. George Illawarra Dragons 5th seasonGround: Kogarah Oval & WIN StadiumCoach: Nathan BrownCaptain: Trent BarrettSydney Roosters 96th seasonGround: Aussie StadiumCoach: Ricky StuartCaptain: Brad FittlerWests Tigers 4th seasonGround: Campbelltown Stadium & Leichhardt OvalCoach: Tim SheensCaptain: Darren Senter

Records and statistics Anthony Minichiello ran 4,571 metres with the ball in 2003, more than any other player in the competition. Nathan Brown became the youngest non-playing coach in premiership history at the age of 29. Brown had retired from playing in 2001 after a neck injury in a trial game. Referee Bill Harrigan's tenth grand final in 2003, the final match of his career, stands as the record for the most grand finals officiated by a referee. On 23 August the Parramatta Eels beat the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 74–4, at the time the third highest winning margin for a club game in Australian rugby league history. Also on 23 August, the North Queensland Cowboys beat the South Sydney Rabbitohs 60–8, at the time the biggest win and most points in a match in Cowboys history. The Brisbane Broncos set a record for their longest losing streak, from round 20 to the 4th qualifying final. This was equalled again from round 22, 2005 to round 1, 2006 inclusive, and then broken when the club lost thirteen consecutive matches between round 10, 2020 and round 2, 2021 inclusive. The Penrith Panthers became the first team to win the minor premiership and hold bottom spot on the ladder in the same season. The Penrith Panthers won 8 matches in a row from 19 April - 7 June, most wins in a row in the club's history. This was broken in season 2020, when the club won seventeen consecutive matches between round six and the preliminary final inclusive. The Bulldogs equalled their worst defeat with a 50–4 loss to the Melbourne Storm in round 22. The Brisbane Broncos suffered their worst ever defeat at Suncorp Stadium, losing to the Bulldogs 40–4 in round 18. This was later eclipsed by a 56–18 loss to the New Zealand Warriors in round 12, 2013, and then again with a 59–0 loss to the Sydney Roosters in round 4, 2020. They also only recorded one victory at the Stadium in season 2003, which came two weeks earlier with a 10–8 win over the Sydney Roosters (who, at that time had not won at Suncorp since 1991, however this drought ended in 2005).

Advertising In 2003 the NRL sacked their advertising agency of the previous two years, Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney, and took the unusual step of coming up with their own in-house creative concept. Former Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks player and then current Parramatta Eels assistant coach Alan Wilson hit upon the idea of using the Hoodoo Gurus' 1987 hit "What's My Scene?" with reworked lyrics as "That's My Team".

"and another thing, I'm discovering lately, I'm a bit crazy, for my rugby league team "

Wilson is a friend of Hoodoo Gurus singer Dave Faulkner and made the necessary arrangements which included re-uniting the band to re-record the track. Faulkner is a long-time supporter of the Sharks and the original film clip of "What's My Scene?" had included shots of band members in Wests and Cronulla-Sutherland jumpers.

The ad focuses on the grass roots supporters at all levels of the game and in its finished version includes shots of fans from the Cessnock Goannas, a proud Bulldogs supporter and a Penrith teenager with a broken leg signed by her heroes. These images are included with the usual fare of pre-season team training images, big-hits, clever passes and post-try celebrations.B&T magazine article 2003

To produce the ad the League returned to the agency who created and produced the Tina Turner campaigns from 1989 to 1995 - Hertz Walpole Advertising by now renamed MJW Hakuhodo.

Regular season

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 F1 F2 F3 GF Brisbane BroncosPEN+4SOU+2CRO+26NQL+8NZL−20SYD−7PAR+6WTI+32NQL+26MEL+20CBY+24NEW−10XCAN+4XSYD+2SGI−16CBY−36MEL+4*MAN−6CRO−10PEN−7WTI−2NZL−8PAR−2SGI−1PEN−10 Canberra RaidersNQL+32WTI+7SGI+4PEN+12PAR+14XCBY+4SOU+22MEL−20PEN−8NZL+8CRO+6PAR+36BRI−4NZL−8XMEL−10SGI+1WTI+2CRO+28SYD−4MAN+35NQL−6NEW+8CBY+5SYD−7MEL−12NZL−1 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsSOU+8NZL−4WTI+32PAR+20NEW−6SGI−10CAN−4NZL+6SYD+6SGI+2BRI−24WTI−6SYD+10MAN+14MEL+14PEN−2NEW+34BRI+36XNQL+20SOU+50MEL+46MAN+32XCAN−5CRO+14NZL−26MEL+30SYD−10 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksMEL−4XBRI−26SYD−20MEL−6NEW−8XSGI−16MAN+24SOU+16NEW+6CAN−6NZL−17WTI+2MAN−18NQL+6PEN−20WTI−32NZL−7CAN−28BRI+10SYD−8SGI+9PAR−70SOU+20CBY−14 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesXNQL−10NZL−4WTI−26SGI+26MEL+6SOU+8PEN−1CRO−24PAR+2*NQL−11XWTI+8CBY−14CRO+18SGI−14PAR−11NZL−8SYD−24BRI+6NEW−8CAN−35CBY−32SYD−30PEN−26MEL−30 Melbourne StormCRO+4PEN+26XNEW−16CRO+6MAN−6NQL−20NEW+40CAN+20BRI−20PAR+2SYD−7SOU−27PEN+20CBY−14WTI+8CAN+10NQL+6BRI−4*SOU+18NZL+2CBY−46PAR+38SGI+8XMAN+30CAN+12CBY−30 Newcastle KnightsNZL+10SYD−4PAR−18MEL+16CBY+6CRO+8WTI+28MEL−40SOU+14SYD−22CRO−6BRI+10XSGI+2PEN−28PAR+14CBY−34XPEN−13WTI−40MAN+8NQL+36NZL+16CAN−8SGI+34NQL+8SYD−28 New Zealand WarriorsNEW−10CBY+4MAN+4SOU+22BRI+20NQL+6PEN−14CBY−6PAR+2XCAN−8PEN−22CRO+17PAR−2CAN+8SOU+1*NQL−20MAN+8CRO+7XMEL−2SGI+10NEW−16BRI+8SYD+2WTI+16CBY+26CAN+1PEN−8 North Queensland CowboysCAN−32MAN+10SOU+7BRI−8SYD−32NZL−6MEL+20XBRI−26WTI+18MAN+11SGI+20PEN−4*SYD−1PAR−2CRO−6NZL+20MEL−6SGI−20CBY−20XNEW−36CAN+6SOU+52WTI+20NEW−8 Parramatta EelsSYD−18SGI−2NEW+18CBY−20CAN−14WTI+20BRI−6SYD−32NZL−2MAN−2*MEL−2SOU+24CAN−36NZL+2NQL+2NEW−14MAN+11XSOU+14SGI+26WTI+3XMEL−38CRO+70BRI+2PEN−18 Penrith PanthersBRI−4MEL−26SYD+1CAN−12XSOU+2NZL+14MAN+1SGI+4CAN+8WTI+22NZL+22NQL+4*MEL−20NEW+28CBY+2CRO+20SOU+6NEW+13SYD−14SGI−6BRI+7XWTI+16MAN+26PAR+18BRI+10XNZL+8SYD+12 South Sydney RabbitohsCBY−8BRI−2NQL−7NZL−22WTI+10PEN−2MAN−8CAN−22NEW−14CRO−16SGI−2PAR−24MEL+27XSGI−14NZL−1*SYD−28PEN−6PAR−14MEL−18CBY−50WTI+2SYD−10NQL−52CRO−20X St. George Illawarra DragonsWTI−4PAR+2CAN−4XMAN−26CBY+10SYD+4CRO+16PEN−4CBY−2SOU+2NQL−20XNEW−2SOU+14MAN+14BRI+16CAN−1NQL+20PAR−26PEN+6NZL−10CRO−9MEL−8NEW−34BRI+1 Sydney RoostersPAR+18NEW+4PEN−1CRO+20NQL+32BRI+7SGI−4PAR+32CBY−6NEW+22XMEL+7CBY−10NQL+1WTI−8BRI−2SOU+28XMAN+24PEN+14CAN+4CRO+8SOU+10MAN+30NZL−2CAN+7NEW+28XCBY+10PEN−12 Wests TigersSGI+4CAN−7CBY−32MAN+26SOU−10PAR−20NEW−28BRI−32XNQL−18PEN−22CBY+6MAN−8CRO−2SYD+8MEL−8XCRO+32CAN−2NEW+40PAR−3SOU−2BRI+2PEN−16NQL−20NZL−16 Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 F1 F2 F3 GF

Bold – Home game X – Bye * – Golden point game Opponent for round listed above margin

Ladder

Finals series HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd Qualifying Finals Canberra Raiders18 – 30 Melbourne Storm12 September 2003Canberra StadiumTim Mander14,094 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs22 – 48 New Zealand Warriors13 September 2003Sydney ShowgroundBill Harrigan18,312 Sydney Roosters36 – 8 Newcastle Knights13 September 2003Aussie StadiumSean Hampstead23,853 Penrith Panthers28 – 18 Brisbane Broncos14 September 2003Penrith Football StadiumSteve Clark18,534 Semi-finals New Zealand Warriors17 – 16 Canberra Raiders20 September 2003Aussie StadiumTim Mander31,616 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs30 – 0 Melbourne Storm21 September 2003Aussie StadiumBill Harrigan19,367 Preliminary Finals Sydney Roosters28 – 18 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs27 September 2003Aussie StadiumBill Harrigan41,123 Penrith Panthers28 – 20 New Zealand Warriors28 September 2003Telstra StadiumTim Mander43,174

Finals Chart

Grand Final

Player statistics The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 26.

Top 5 point scorers PointsPlayerTriesGoalsField Goals270 Hazem El Masri81190230 Josh Hannay10950208 Clinton Schifcofske8872180 Michael De Vere12660170 Matt Orford7710 Top 5 try scorers TriesPlayer24 Rhys Wesser21 Matt Sing21 Scott Donald20 Joel Monaghan19 Nigel Vagana19 Billy Slater

Top 5 goal scorers GoalsPlayer119 Hazem El Masri95 Josh Hannay87 Clinton Schifcofske71 Matt Orford69 Mark Riddell

2003 Transfers

Players