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Australian
National Soccer League
2003-2004 Season

National Soccer League - R.I.P
(born 2 Apr 1977 died 4 Apr 2004)

We at BOTN are just the same as you all - the true football fans of Australia who can now only reminisce following the last game of the NSL - 2707 players, 5829 games, and 16159 goals on from that day on 2nd April 1977 when the national Phillips Soccer League commenced. Over 40 clubs have come and now gone! Names such as Mooroolbark, Sydney City 'Slickers', West Adelaide, Heidelburg. Some like Newcastle Breakers, Morwell Falcons , Carlton, and Northern Spirit gone alas for good (even the Grand Finalist Parramatta Power), and others are playing in State Leagues - such as St George and Adelaide City (there already) may be joined by Melbourne Knights, Sydney Olympic, and others. The new League is still 16-17 months away and the true fans of the game can only hope this great gamble will pay off! This writer urges you all to keep the faith, follow and support football at what ever level you can, even adopt a local State League team in the interim - but make sure our leaders know they must deliver! [Opinion: Chris Dunkerley]

As for the BOTN team - we'll carry on over the rest of 2004 bringing you updates on internationals, opinion, Women's NSL, features and news etc. - while we take stock of where we may take the 'good ship' In The Back Of The Net in the future.

Golden Goal Clinches Double
4/4/04
Eamon Duffy
Parramatta Power 0 - Perth Glory 1




(Glory to Perth! Photo: Chris Dunkerley)

At a rain soaked Parramatta Stadium in front of just 9,630 (600 of whom had travelled from Perth), Perth Glory produced probably the gutsiest performance in their 8 year history to wrestle the NSL championship from the red hot favorites in a back-to-back win. The fact that it took a golden goal in a match that was expected to provide a goalfest is testimony to the efforts of both sides and the atrocious conditions. And so against all the odds this Glory side that was decimated by change in the off season and had to play most of the first round games away from home had overcome all the obstacles to go down in history as the last winners of the NSL Championship and only the 4th side in its history to win both the Premiership and Championship. [ More ... ]

Glory Take Last NSL
Grand Final in Extra Time
4/4/04
Chris Dunkerley
Parramatta Power 0 - Perth Glory 1




(Glory to Perth! Photo: Chris Dunkerley)

Perth Glory battled Parramatta Power and torrential rain to take out the 28th and final NSL Grand Final at Parramatta Stadium by 1-0 this afternoon. The rain had come to Sydney earlier in the day but it started up in 'buckets' just after kick-off and ponded on the surface making passing a bit of a lottery. Parramatta dominated sections of the game but Perth adapted well to the conditions. Despite Perth striker Damian Mori butchering two chances in regular time, it was he who supplied the ball for substitute Nick Mrdja to score 8 minutes into 'sudden-death' extra time. [ More ... ]

Grand Final - Some Information

Squads: Parramatta Power: C Bolton (gk); J Sobczyk, A Ceccoli, S Colosimo, M Beauchamp, M Thompson, T Dodd, A Gumprecht, A Milicic, F Rech, L Pantelis, A Elrich, P O'Grady, S Petrovski, P Zorbas, D Beltrame (gk); Perth Glory: J Petkovic (gk), M Bingley, J Coyne, J North, S Murphy, J Harnwell, T Pondeljak, N Mrdja, B Despotovski, D Mori, B Hassell, A Caceres, M Byrnes, W Srhoj, A Danze, V Matassa (gk).
Ticketting Information: Gates open 1pm, with special events & entertainment - Game at 3pm
Parramatta Stadium, O'Connell Street Parramatta. Tickets are on sale through Ticketek (+extra charge). Reserved Only - Western Grandstand and Terrace - Adult $30.00, Concession $20.00, Junior (5-16) $20.00, U5 (On Knee) Free; Unreserved - Eastern Grandstand and Terrace, and ends - North and South - Adult $20.00, Concession $15.00, Junior (10-16) $15.00 Under 10 Free & Family Ticket $55.00 (includes to 2 Adults and 2 children 10-16 yrs)

Glory Blast Back
Into Grand Final
28/3/04
Tom Niedrich
Perth Glory 5 - Adelaide United 0




(Despotovski's free kick! Photo: Tom Niedrich)

Perth Glory returned to the realm of credible title contenders with an emphatic wiping of the floor with Adelaide United. The gulf between second and third was very evident, as Glory was never troubled in a match that saw some key players finally hit form. A certain spark that had been missing over previous weeks had been re-ignited and it was no less than a solid team performance that saw Glory put 5 goals past Adelaide to book their spot in the Grand Final at Parramatta Stadium next Sunday. [ More ... ]

NYL: Canberra Deakin Win
Northern vs Southern
Play-Off for Champion
27/3/04
ASA
Canberra Deakin 2 - South Melbourne 1


National Youth League: Canberra Deakin have been crowned National Youth League champions for the first time after defeating Southern Division Champions South Melbourne 2-1 at the Belconnen Soccer Centre in Canberra on Saturday in front of over 1,000 fans. The win in the last ever NYL Grand Final completes a remarkable trifecta for the Canberra side that had already claimed the NYL Northern Division Championship and Premiership. Final score: Canberra Deakin 2 (Andrew Barisic 16', Nathan Caldwell 75') vs South Melbourne 1 (Steven O'Dor 67'). [ Previous results ]

New League: ASA Announces
an 8 Team League

The new national competition will start in 2005 with eight teams - one team each from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Newcastle and New Zealand (Auckland), with the final team to be selected from among the remaining expressions of interest (EOI). The EOI document for the new competition will be released by ASA in mid-April, with the submission period open for six weeks until the end of May 2004, followed by an evaluation period of a further six weeks before the eight teams are announced in mid-July. Whilst the formal commencement of the new 28 week national competition will be July/August 2005, there will be a ‘soft’ opening season in early 2005 with a 10 week shortened format. [ ASA article]

NSL: Finals Configuration
6/3/04
Alan Clark

Week 5 - w/e Sunday 4 April
Grand Final
Game F: Winner Game C1-2 (Parramatta Power 0 v Perth Glory 1) Winner Game E)
(Venue is home city of Winner Game C1-2 - Parramatta Stadium)
Grand Final winner Perth Glory is the final NSL Champions - 2003/2004

Week 4 - w/e Sunday 28 March
Preliminary Final
Game E: Loser Game C1-2 (Perth Glory) v Winner Game D (Adelaide United)
(Venue is home of Loser Game C1-2 - Perth)
Preliminary Semi-Final loser eliminated, winner to Grand Final

Week 3 - w/e Sunday 21 March
Major Semi-Final - Second Leg
Game A2: Perth Glory 0 v Parramatta Power 2
(Second Leg venue is reverse of First Leg)
Major Semi-Final loser (Perth) to Game E, winner (Power) to Grand Final
Minor Semi-Final
Game D: Adelaide United 2 v South Melbourne 1
(Venue is determined by higher-ranked winner)
Minor Semi-Final loser eliminated, winner to Game E

Week 2 - w/e Sunday 14 March
Major Semi-Final - First Leg
Game A1: Parramatta Power (2nd) 4 vs Perth Glory (1st) 2
(First Leg venue determined by Perth Glory as higher-ranked team)
Elimination Finals - Second Leg
Game B2: Brisbane Strikers 4 v Adelaide Utd 1
Game C2: South Melbourne 2 v Marconi Stallions 0
(Second Leg venues are reverse of First Leg)
Elimination Final loser is eliminated, winner to Game D

Week 1 - w/e Sunday 7 March
Elimination Finals - First Leg
Game B1: Adelaide Utd (3rd) 3 v Brisbane Strikers (6th) 0
Game C1: Marconi Stallions (4th) 0 v South Melbourne (5th) 0
(First Leg venues determined by higher-ranked team in fixture)

 

 

28th & Last
NSL Grand Final
Results & Reports
0
1

Back to Finals Week 4
 
 

League Table

Round 26 in Last NSL Premiership

#

Team

Pl

Wo

Dr

Lo

Gf

Ga

Dif

Pts

1

Perth Glory

24

18

3

3

56

22

34

57

2

Parramatta

24

16

3

5

58

30

28

51

3

Adelaide U

24

11

7

6

28

25

3

40

4

Marconi

24

10

8

6

29

24

5

38

5

South Melb

24

11

4

9

39

21

18

37

6

Brisbane

24

9

5

10

28

33

-5

32

7

Nth Spirit

24

9

3

12

31

33

-2

30

8

Syd Olympic

24

7

8

9

26

31

-5

29

9

Wollongong

24

8

5

11

34

41

-7

29

10

Syd United

24

7

8

9

18

25

-7

29

11

Newcastle

24

6

6

12

18

33

-15

24

12

Melb Knights

24

6

5

13

21

41

-20

23

13

Kingz FC

24

4

3

17

24

51

-27

15

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Match
Grand Final

Sunday 4.4.04

  • Parramatta Power vs Perth Glory - Parramatta Stadium - 3:00pm (AEST)

    (2.30pm CST, 1pm WST); TV: SBS TV - LIVE to all states; Radio: 6PR 882AM 1pm (WST) live broadcast (Perth only)

All times are the local ones!

Next Fixtures


Premiership Player 2003-04

After 3 Rounds - Shaun Murphy (PG)

After 6 Rounds - Tom Pondeljak (PG) / Vaughan Coveny (SM)
After 9 Rounds - Andre Gumprecht (PP)
After 12 Rounds - Andre Gumprecht (PP)
After 15 Rounds - Andrew Crews (WW) / Andre Gumprecht (PP)
After 18 Rounds - Andre Gumprecht (PP)
After 21 Rounds - Andre Gumprecht (PP) / Tom Pondeljak (PG)
After 24 Rounds - Tom Pondeljak (PG)
After 26 Rounds - Tom Pondeljak (PG)

Points 3, 2, 1 are awarded by BOTN writers on games
they cover! Note that not all games are covered. Listings will be made after each 3 rounds.

Perth Glory's Tom Pondeljak
Winner of Back Of The Net's 2003-2004
Premiership Player Of The Year

See the Full listing to the final 2003-04 Premiership round.

Perth Glory's Andre Gumprecht
Winner of Back Of The Net's 2002-2003
Premiership Player Of The Year

Photo: Sharon Smith 2003
By kind permission of
The West Australian Online

See the Full listing to the final 2002-03 Premiership round.

Newcastle United's Robbie Middleby
Winner of Back of the Net's 2001-2002
Premiership Player Of The Year

About Us

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