List of NSL champions


This is a list of National Soccer League champions. The NSL was the elite football competition in Australia from 1977 until 2004, when the competition was scrapped and replaced in 2005 by the fully professional A-League.

National Soccer League Champions

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.
SeasonGrand Final DateWinning TeamScoreLosing TeamLocationGF AttendanceJoe Marston Medal
1977- Sydney City By Table Marconi Stallions---
1978- West Adelaide By Table Sydney City---
1979- Marconi Stallions By Table Heidelberg United---
1980- Sydney City By Table Heidelberg United---
1981- Sydney City By Table South Melbourne---
1982- Sydney City By Table St George---
1983- St George By Table Sydney City---
198424 October 1984 South Melbourne 2-1 Sydney OlympicOlympic Park, Melbourne 10,000-
198428 October 1984 South Melbourne 1-2 Sydney OlympicSt. George Stadium, Sydney 11,221-
19854 September 1985 Brunswick Juventus 0-1 Sydney CitySt. George Stadium, Sydney 2,491-
19858 September 1985 Brunswick Juventus 1-0 Sydney CityOlympic Park, Melbourne 7,560-
198612 October 1986 Adelaide City 0-1 Sydney OlympicHindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide 12,232-
198619 October 1986 Adelaide City 3-1 Sydney OlympicParramatta Stadium, Sydney 14,032-
1987- APIA Leichhardt By Table Preston Lions---
19884 September 1988 Marconi Stallions 2-2 Sydney UnitedParramatta Stadium, Sydney 17,064-
198913 August 1989 Marconi Stallions 1-0 Sydney OlympicParramatta Stadium, Sydney 23,387-
1989–9020 May 1990 Sydney Olympic 2-0 Marconi StallionsParramatta Stadium, Sydney 26,353 Abbas Saad
1990–915 May 1991 South Melbourne 1-1 Melbourne KnightsOlympic Park, Melbourne 21,338 Josip Biskic
1991–923 May 1992 Adelaide City 0-0 Melbourne KnightsOlympic Park, Melbourne 15,463 Alex Tobin
1992–9316 May 1993 Marconi Stallions 1-0 Adelaide CityParramatta Stadium, Sydney 13,376 Milan Ivanovic
1993–941 May 1994 Adelaide City 1-0 Melbourne KnightsOlympic Park, Melbourne 13,790 Alex Tobin
1994–957 May 1995 Melbourne Knights 2-0 Adelaide CityHindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide 15,573 Steve Horvat
1995–9626 May 1996 Melbourne Knights 2-1 Marconi StallionsOlympic Park, Melbourne 14,258 Andrew Marth
1996–9725 May 1997 Brisbane Strikers 2-0 Sydney UnitedLang Park, Brisbane 40,446 Alan Hunter
1997–9816 May 1998 South Melbourne 2-1 Carlton S.C.Olympic Park, Melbourne 16,000 Fausto De Amicis
1998–9930 May 1999 South Melbourne 3-2 Sydney UnitedOlympic Park, Melbourne 15,194 Goran Lozanovski
1999–200011 June 2000 Wollongong Wolves 3-3 Perth GlorySubiaco Oval, Perth 43,242 Scott Chipperfield
2000–013 June 2001 Wollongong Wolves 2-1 South MelbourneParramatta Stadium, Sydney 13,402 Matthew Horsley
2001–0212 May 2002 Sydney Olympic 1-0 Perth GlorySubiaco Oval, Perth 42,735 Ante Milicic
2002–031 June 2003 Perth Glory 2-0 Sydney OlympicSubiaco Oval, Perth 38,111 Simon Colosimo
2003–044 April 2004 Perth Glory 1-0 Parramatta PowerParramatta Stadium, Sydney 9,630 Ahmad Elrich

''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

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.
SeasonGrand Final DateWinning TeamScoreLosing TeamLocationGF Attendance
197817 September 1978 Sydney City 4-2 Marconi StallionsSydney Sports Ground, Sydney 9,136
197928 October 1979
4 November 1979		 Sydney City 1-0
1-1		 Brisbane CityWentworth Park, Sydney
Perry Park, Brisbane 		2,532
4,200
198026 October 1980 Heidelberg United 4-0 Sydney CityCanberra Stadium, Canberra 11,126
19823 October 1982 St George 3-1 Sydney CityPenrith Stadium, Sydney 6,495
19871 November 1987 St George 4-0 APIA LeichhardtParramatta Stadium, Sydney 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.

NSL Cup Winners

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 season 1996/97.
SeasonCup Final DateWinning TeamScoreLosing TeamLocationCup Final Attendance
19779 October 1977 Brisbane City 1-1 Marconi StallionsPerry Park, Brisbane 9,000
19788 October 1978 Brisbane City 2-1 Adelaide CityPerry Park, Brisbane 6,964
197930 September 1979 Adelaide City 3-1 St GeorgeOlympic Sports Field, Adelaide 9,554
19805 October 1980
15 October 1980		 Marconi Stallions 0-0
3-0 		Heidelberg UnitedOlympic Park, Melbourne
Marconi Stadium, Sydney 		7,000
5,000
198120 September 1981 Brisbane Lions 3-1 West AdelaideCanberra Stadium, Canberra 8,132
198212 September 1982 APIA Leichhardt 2-1 Heidelberg UnitedOlympic Park, Melbourne 7,000
19836 November 1983
13 November 1983		 Sydney Olympic 1-0
1-0		 Heidelberg UnitedSt. George Stadium, Sydney
Olympic Park, Melbourne 		9,420
6,000
198413 September 1984 Newcastle Rosebud United 1-0 Melbourne KnightsOlympic Park, Melbourne 5,000
198511 August 1985 Sydney Olympic 2-1 Preston LionsSt. George Stadium, Sydney 11,187
198617 September 1986 Sydney City 3-2 West AdelaideHindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide 5,200
198714 October 1987
18 October 1987		 Sydney United 1-0
1-0		 South MelbourneSt. George Stadium, Sydney
Olympic Park, Melbourne 		5,845
6,000
198814 August 1988 APIA Leichhardt 0-0 Brunswick JuventusMarconi Stadium, Sydney 5,200
198920 August 1989 Adelaide City 2-0 Sydney OlympicHindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide 10,000
1989–9025 April 1990 South Melbourne 4-1 Sydney OlympicOlympic Park, Melbourne 7,000
1990–917 April 1991 Parramatta Eagles 1-0 Preston LionsMarconi Stadium, Sydney 8,749
1991–927 April 1992 Adelaide City 2-1 Marconi StallionsHindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide 6,500
1992–9318 April 1993 Heidelberg United 2-0 Parramatta EaglesMarconi Stadium, Sydney 4,596
1993–9417 October 1993 Parramatta Eagles 2-0 Sydney UnitedMarconi Stadium, Sydney 5,156
1994–9516 October 1994 Melbourne Knights 6-0 Heidelberg UnitedOlympic Park, Melbourne 6,000
1995–9627 January 1996 South Melbourne 3-1 Newcastle BreakersLakeside Stadium, Melbourne 5,000
1996–976 October 1996 Collingwood Warriors 1-0 Marconi StallionsLakeside Stadium, Melbourne 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

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.
YearChampionRunner upScoreVenue
1984South Melbourne HellasMelita Eagles3–2
1985Sydney CityHeidelberg Alexander3-0
1986Australian Institute of SportSunshine George Cross3–0
1987Sydney OlympicSunshine George Cross1-0
1988MarconiSunshine George Cross2-1
1989Sunshine George CrossMarconi3–2
1989/1990Melbourne CroatiaAPIA Leichhardt2–1
1990/1991South MelbourneSydney Olympic3–2
1991/1992Sydney CroatiaSouth Melbourne3–1
1992/1993West AdelaideAustralian Institute of Sport1–0
1993/1994South MelbourneSydney United2–0
1994/1995Sydney UnitedMelbourne Knights1-0
1995/1996Marconi StallionsWest Adelaide3–1
1996/1997Melbourne KnightsSydney United1–0
1997/1998Australian Institute of SportAdelaide City4-1
1998/1999Australian Institute of SportAdelaide City8–1Knights Stadium
1999/2000CarltonParramatta Power1-0
2000/2001Melbourne KnightsMarconi Stallions3–2
2001/2002Parramatta PowerMelbourne Knights2-0
2002/2003Parramatta PowerWhittlesea Stallions6-2
2003/2004Canberra DeakinSouth Melbourne2–1