This is a list of National Soccer League (NSL) champions. The NSL was the elite football (soccer) competition in Australia from 1977 until 2004,[ 1] when the competition was scrapped and replaced in 2005 by the fully professional A-League .[ 2]
National Soccer League Champions [ edit ]
From 1977 until 1983, the winner was the top placed team at the end of the season. From 1984 until 1986, the competition was split into two conferences, with playoffs to decide two grand finalists who met over two legs. In 1987 the system reverted to the pre 1984 system. From 1988 until the demise of the league in 2004, various playoff systems were used to decide the champion.
Season
Grand Final Date
Winning Team
Score
Losing Team
Location
GF Attendance
Joe Marston Medal
1977
—
Sydney City (1)
By Table
Marconi Stallions
—
—
—
1978
—
West Adelaide (1)
By Table
Sydney City
—
—
—
1979
—
Marconi Stallions (1)
By Table
Heidelberg United
—
—
—
1980
—
Sydney City (2)
By Table
Heidelberg United
—
—
—
1981
—
Sydney City (3)
By Table
South Melbourne
—
—
—
1982
—
Sydney City (4)
By Table
St George
—
—
—
1983
—
St George (1)
By Table
Sydney City
—
—
—
1984
24 October 1984
South Melbourne (1)
2–1
Sydney Olympic
Olympic Park , Melbourne (1)
10,000
—
28 October 1984
1–2
St. George Stadium , Sydney (1)
11,221
1985
4 September 1985
Brunswick Juventus (1)
0–1
Sydney City
St. George Stadium , Sydney (2)
2,491
—
8 September 1985
1–0
Olympic Park , Melbourne (2)
7,560
1986
12 October 1986
Adelaide City (1)
0–1
Sydney Olympic
Hindmarsh Stadium , Adelaide (1)
12,232
—
19 October 1986
3–1
Parramatta Stadium , Sydney (1)
14,032
1987
—
APIA Leichhardt (1)
By Table
Preston Lions
—
—
—
1988
4 September 1988
Marconi Stallions (2)
2–2 (5–4 Penalties)
Sydney United
Parramatta Stadium , Sydney (2)
17,064
—
1989
13 August 1989
Marconi Stallions (3)
1–0 (a.e.t.)
Sydney Olympic
Parramatta Stadium , Sydney (3)
23,387
—
1989–90
20 May 1990
Sydney Olympic (1)
2–0
Marconi Stallions
Parramatta Stadium , Sydney (4)
26,353
Abbas Saad (Sydney Olympic )
1990–91
5 May 1991
South Melbourne (2)
1–1 (5–4 Penalties)
Melbourne Knights
Olympic Park , Melbourne (3)
21,338
Josip Biskic (Melbourne Knights )
1991–92
3 May 1992
Adelaide City (2)
0–0 (4–2 Penalties)
Melbourne Knights
Olympic Park , Melbourne (4)
15,463
Alex Tobin (Adelaide City )
1992–93
16 May 1993
Marconi Stallions (4)
1–0
Adelaide City
Parramatta Stadium , Sydney (5)
13,376
Milan Ivanovic (Adelaide City )
1993–94
1 May 1994
Adelaide City (3)
1–0
Melbourne Knights
Olympic Park , Melbourne (5)
13,790
Alex Tobin (Adelaide City )
1994–95
7 May 1995
Melbourne Knights (1)
2–0
Adelaide City
Hindmarsh Stadium , Adelaide (2)
15,573
Steve Horvat (Melbourne Knights )
1995–96
26 May 1996
Melbourne Knights (2)
2–1
Marconi Stallions
Olympic Park , Melbourne (6)
14,258
Andrew Marth (Melbourne Knights )
1996–97
25 May 1997
Brisbane Strikers (1)
2–0
Sydney United
Lang Park , Brisbane (1)
40,446
Alan Hunter (Brisbane Strikers )
1997–98
16 May 1998
South Melbourne (3)
2–1
Carlton S.C.
Olympic Park , Melbourne (7)
16,000
Fausto De Amicis (South Melbourne )
1998–99
30 May 1999
South Melbourne (4)
3–2
Sydney United
Olympic Park , Melbourne (8)
15,194
Goran Lozanovski (South Melbourne )
1999–2000
11 June 2000
Wollongong Wolves (1)
3–3 (7–6 Penalties)
Perth Glory
Subiaco Oval , Perth (1)
43,242
Scott Chipperfield (Wollongong Wolves )
2000–01
3 June 2001
Wollongong Wolves (2)
2–1
South Melbourne
Parramatta Stadium , Sydney (6)
13,402
Matthew Horsley (Wollongong Wolves )
2001–02
12 May 2002
Sydney Olympic (2)
1–0
Perth Glory
Subiaco Oval , Perth (2)
42,735
Ante Milicic (Sydney Olympic )
2002–03
1 June 2003
Perth Glory (1)
2–0
Sydney Olympic
Subiaco Oval , Perth (3)
38,111
Simon Colosimo (Perth Glory )
2003–04
4 April 2004
Perth Glory (2)
1–0 (a.e.t.)
Parramatta Power
Parramatta Stadium , Sydney (7)
9,630
Ahmad Elrich (Parramatta Power )
The numbers in brackets indicate the number of championships won by a team, or the number of Grand Finals held in a city.
Playoff Series Champions [ edit ]
From 1977–1983 and 1987, the top placed team at the end of the regular season was declared champion. However a compromise format was devised between the traditional first past the post system and the Australian system of finals. A Playoff series was conducted in these years except for the 1977, 1981 & 1983 seasons, however the winner of the Playoff Series didn't become champion of the NSL.
Season
Grand Final Date
Winning Team
Score
Losing Team
Location
GF Attendance
1978
17 September 1978
Sydney City (1)
4–2
Marconi Stallions
Sydney Sports Ground , Sydney (1)
9,136
1979
28 October 1979 4 November 1979
Sydney City (2)
1–0 1–1
Brisbane City
Wentworth Park , Sydney (1) Perry Park , Brisbane (1)
2,532 4,200
1980
26 October 1980
Heidelberg United (1)
4–0
Sydney City
Canberra Stadium , Canberra (1)
11,126
1982
3 October 1982
St George (1)
3–1
Sydney City
Penrith Stadium , Sydney (1)
6,495
1987
1 November 1987
St George (2)
4–0
APIA Leichhardt
Parramatta Stadium , Sydney (1)
6,961
The numbers in brackets indicate the number of playoff series won by a team, or the number of Grand Finals held in a city.
The NSL also held a cup competition , which was held initially during the regular season, before gradually becoming a pre-season warm-up tournament. It was discontinued after the 1996–97 season.
Season
Cup Final Date
Winning Team
Score
Losing Team
Location
Cup Final Attendance
1977
9 October 1977
Brisbane City (1)
1–1 (5–3 Penalties)
Marconi Stallions
Perry Park , Brisbane (1)
9,000
1978
8 October 1978
Brisbane City (2)
2–1
Adelaide City
Perry Park , Brisbane (2)
6,964
1979
30 September 1979
Adelaide City (1)
3–1
St George
Olympic Sports Field , Adelaide (1)
9,554
1980
5 October 1980 15 October 1980
Marconi Stallions (1)
0–0 (a.e.t.) 3–0 (Replay)
Heidelberg United
Olympic Park , Melbourne (1) Marconi Stadium , Sydney (1)
7,000 5,000
1981
20 September 1981
Brisbane Lions (1)
3–1
West Adelaide
Canberra Stadium , Canberra (1)
6,132
1982
12 September 1982
APIA Leichhardt (1)
2–1
Heidelberg United
Olympic Park , Melbourne (2)
7,000
1983
6 November 1983 13 November 1983
Sydney Olympic (1)
1–0 1–0
Heidelberg United
St. George Stadium , Sydney (1) Olympic Park , Melbourne (3)
9,420 6,000
1984
13 September 1984
Newcastle Rosebud United (1)
1–0
Melbourne Knights
Olympic Park , Melbourne (4)
5,000
1985
11 August 1985
Sydney Olympic (2)
2–1
Preston Lions
St. George Stadium , Sydney (2)
11,187
1986
17 September 1986
Sydney City (1)
3–2 (a.e.t.)
West Adelaide
Hindmarsh Stadium , Adelaide (1)
5,200
1987
14 October 1987 18 October 1987
Sydney United (1)
1–0 1–0
South Melbourne
St. George Stadium , Sydney (3) Olympic Park , Melbourne (5)
5,845 6,000
1988
14 August 1988
APIA Leichhardt (2)
0–0 (5–3 Penalties)
Brunswick Juventus
Marconi Stadium , Sydney (2)
5,200
1989
20 August 1989
Adelaide City (2)
2–0
Sydney Olympic
Hindmarsh Stadium , Adelaide (2)
10,000
1989–90
25 April 1990
South Melbourne (1)
4–1
Sydney Olympic
Olympic Park , Melbourne (6)
7,000
1990–91
7 April 1991
Parramatta Eagles (1)
1–0
Preston Lions
Marconi Stadium , Sydney (3)
8,749
1991–92
7 April 1992
Adelaide City (3)
2–1
Marconi Stallions
Hindmarsh Stadium , Adelaide (3)
6,500
1992–93
18 April 1993
Heidelberg United (1)
2–0
Parramatta Eagles
Marconi Stadium , Sydney (4)
4,596
1993–94
17 October 1993
Parramatta Eagles (2)
2–0
Sydney United
Marconi Stadium , Sydney (5)
5,156
1994–95
16 October 1994
Melbourne Knights (1)
6–0
Heidelberg United
Olympic Park , Melbourne (7)
6,000
1995–96
27 January 1996
South Melbourne (2)
3–1
Newcastle Breakers
Lakeside Stadium , Melbourne (1)
5,000
1996–97
6 October 1996
Collingwood Warriors (1)
1–0
Marconi Stallions
Lakeside Stadium , Melbourne (2)
2,327
The numbers in brackets indicate the number of cups won by a team, or the number of Cup Finals held in a city.
National Youth League [ edit ]
The NSL also had a national youth competition , consisting of a variety teams, both from within and outside of the NSL's membership. The competition began in 1984, and was ended at the same time as the NSL, in 2004.
Seasons Grand Finals Clubs
Competition Statistics and awards Associated competitions