List of NSL champions


This is a list of National Soccer League champions. The NSL was the elite football (soccer) 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

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 the 1996–97 season.
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 6,132
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.
YearChampionScoreRunner upVenue
1984South Melbourne Hellas3–2Melita Eagles
1985Sydney City3–0Heidelberg Alexander
1986Australian Institute of Sport3–0Sunshine George Cross
1987Sydney Olympic1–0Sunshine George Cross
1988Marconi2–1Sunshine George Cross
1989Sunshine George Cross3–2Marconi
1989–1990Melbourne Croatia2–1APIA Leichhardt
1990–1991South Melbourne3–2Sydney Olympic
1991–1992Sydney Croatia3–1South Melbourne
1992–1993West Adelaide1–0Australian Institute of Sport
1993–1994South Melbourne2–0Sydney United
1994–1995Sydney United1–0Melbourne Knights
1995–1996Marconi Stallions3–1West Adelaide
1996–1997Melbourne Knights1–0Sydney United
1997–1998Australian Institute of Sport4–1Adelaide City
1998–1999Australian Institute of Sport8–1Adelaide CityKnights Stadium
1999–2000Carlton1–0Parramatta Power
2000–2001Melbourne Knights3–2Marconi Stallions
2001–2002Parramatta Power2–0Melbourne Knights
2002–2003Parramatta Power6–2Whittlesea Stallions
2003–2004Canberra Deakin2–1South Melbourne