From 1977 until 1983, the NSL Champion was decided by who was the top-placed team on the ladder at the end of the season.
|
Year: |
Champions: |
|
1977 |
Sydney City |
|
1978 |
West Adelaide |
|
1979 |
Marconi Stallions |
|
1980 |
Sydney City |
|
1981 |
Sydney City |
|
1982 |
Sydney City |
|
1983 |
St George |
From 1984 until 1986, the competition was split into two conferences, with play-offs to decide two grand finalists who met over two legs.
|
Year: |
Champions: |
Runners-up: |
Score: |
|
1984 |
South Melbourne |
Sydney Olympic |
4-2 on aggregate |
|
1985 |
Brunswick Juventus |
Sydney City |
2-1 on aggregate |
|
1986 |
Adelaide City |
Sydney Olympic |
3-2 on aggregate |
In 1987, the system reverted back to the initial mechanics of the NSL, with the Champion being the team who finished first on the table. This lasted for just one year.
|
Year: |
Champions: |
|
1987 |
APIA Leichhardt |
From 1988 until the last season in 2004, a one-off Grand Final was used to determine the Champion.
|
Season: |
Champions: |
Runners-up: |
Score: |
|
1988 |
Marconi Stallions |
Sydney United |
2-2 (5-4 on penalties) |
|
1989 |
Marconi Stallions |
Sydney Olympic |
1-0 a.e.t |
|
1989-90 |
Sydney Olympic |
Marconi Stallions |
2-0 |
|
1990-91 |
South Melbourne |
Melbourne Knights |
1-1 (5-4 on penalties) |
|
1991-92 |
Adelaide City |
Melbourne Knights |
0-0 (4-2 on penalties) |
|
1992-93 |
Marconi Stallions |
Adelaide City |
1-0 |
|
1993-94 |
Adelaide City |
Melbourne Knights |
1-0 |
|
1994-95 |
Melbourne Knights |
Adelaide City |
2-0 |
|
1995-96 |
Melbourne Knights |
Marconi Stallions |
2-1 |
|
1996-97 |
Brisbane Strikers |
Sydney United |
2-0 |
|
1997-98 |
South Melbourne |
Carlton SC |
2-1 |
|
1998-99 |
South Melbourne |
Sydney United |
3-2 |
|
1999-00 |
Wollongong Wolves |
Perth Glory |
3-3 (7-6 on penalties) |
|
2000-01 |
Wollongong Wolves |
South Melbourne |
2-1 |
|
2001-02 |
Sydney Olympic |
Perth Glory |
1-0 |
|
2002-03 |
Perth Glory |
Sydney Olympic |
2-0 |
|
2003-04 |
Perth Glory |
Parramatta Power |
1-0 a.e.t |
JOE MARSTON MEDAL (Best player in the Grand Final)
|
Season: |
Joe Marston Medallist: |
Club: |
|
1989-90 |
|
Sydney Olympic |
|
1990-91 |
|
Melbourne Knights |
|
1991-92 |
|
Adelaide City |
|
1992-93 |
|
Adelaide City |
|
1993-94 |
|
Adelaide City |
|
1994-95 |
|
Melbourne Knights |
|
1995-96 |
|
Melbourne Knights |
|
1996-97 |
|
Brisbane Strikers |
|
1997-98 |
|
South Melbourne |
|
1998-99 |
|
South Melbourne |
|
1999-00 |
|
Wollongong Wolves |
|
2000-01 |
|
Wollongong Wolves |
|
2001-02 |
|
Sydney Olympic |
|
2002-03 |
|
Perth Glory |
|
2003-04 |
|
Parramatta Power |
See a full list of Joe Marston Medal Winners (NSL & A-League)
Johnny Warren Medal (best player of the season)
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1989–90 |  Željko Adžić |
Melbourne Croatia |
| 1990–91 |  Milan Ivanovic |
Adelaide City |
| 1991–92 | Josip Biskic |
Melbourne CSC |
| 1992–93 | Paul Trimboli |
South Melbourne |
| 1993–94 | Mark Viduka |
Melbourne Knights |
| 1994–95 | Mark Viduka |
Melbourne Knights |
| 1995–96 | Damian Mori |
Adelaide City |
| 1996–97 | Kresimir Marusic |
Sydney United |
| 1997–98 | Paul Trimboli |
South Melbourne |
| 1998–99 | Brad Maloney |
Marconi-Fairfield |
| 1999–2000 | Scott Chipperfield |
Wollongong Wolves |
| 2000–01 | Scott Chipperfield |
Wollongong Wolves |
| 2001–02 |  Fernando Rech |
Brisbane Strikers |
| 2002–03 | Damian Mori |
Perth Glory |
| 2003–04 | Ante Milicic |
Parramatta Power |
See a full list of Johnny Warren Medal Winners (NSL & A-League)
NSL Player of the Year
Before the Johnny Warren Medal was introduced in 1990, the best player of the season was awarded the 'NSL Player of the Year'.
From 1977 until 1985 the vote was done by referees. Between 1986-88, two winners were announced, one voted by the referees and one voted by the players. Then in 1989, it was only the players voting.
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 |
|
Marconi |
| 1978 | Ken Boden |
Newcastle United |
| 1979 | Ivo Prskalo |
Marconi |
| 1980 |  Jim Hermiston |
Brisbane Lions |
| 1981 | Bobby Russell |
Adelaide City |
| 1982 | Peter Katholos |
Sydney Olympic |
| 1983 | Joe Watson |
Sydney City |
| 1984 | Sergio Melta |
Adelaide City |
| 1985 | Graham Honeyman |
West Adelaide |
| 1986 | Bobby Russell Graham Arnold* |
South Melbourne Sydney Croatia |
| 1987 |
|
Brunswick Juventus Marconi |
| 1988 | Paul Wade Frank Farina* |
South Melbourne Marconi |
| 1989 | Zlatko Nastevski |
Marconi |
* Player-voted award Referee-voted award
NSL Cup
The National Soccer League Cup (NSL Cup) was an annual knockout cup competition which ran from 1977 to 1997.
| Year | Winners | Result | Runners-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Brisbane City | 1–1 (5-3 Penalties) | Marconi Stallions |
| 1978 | Brisbane City | 2–1 | Adelaide City |
| 1979 | Adelaide City | 3–1 | St George |
| 1980 | Marconi Stallions | 0–0 (a.e.t.) 3–0 (Replay) |
Heidelberg United |
| 1981 | Brisbane Lions | 3–1 | West Adelaide |
| 1982 | APIA Leichhardt | 2–1 | Heidelberg United |
| 1983 | Sydney Olympic | 1–0 1–0 |
Heidelberg United |
| 1984 | Newcastle Rosebud United | 1–0 | Melbourne Knights |
| 1985 | Sydney Olympic | 2–1 | Preston Lions |
| 1986 | Sydney City | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | West Adelaide |
| 1987 | Sydney United | 1–0 1–0 |
South Melbourne |
| 1988 | APIA Leichhardt | 0–0 (5–3 Penalties) | Brunswick Juventus |
| 1989 | Adelaide City | 2–0 | Sydney Olympic |
| 1989–90 | South Melbourne | 4–1 | Sydney Olympic |
| 1990–91 | Parramatta Eagles | 1–0 | Preston Lions |
| 1991–92 | Adelaide City | 2–1 | Marconi Stallions |
| 1992–93 | Heidelberg United | 2–0 | Parramatta Eagles |
| 1993–94 | Parramatta Eagles | 2–0 | Sydney United |
| 1994–95 | Melbourne Knights | 6–0 | Heidelberg United |
| 1995–96 | South Melbourne | 3–1 | Newcastle Breakers |
| 1996–97 | Collingwood Warriors | 1–0 | Marconi Stallions |
