# 2002–03 Perth Glory SC season

The 2002–03 Perth Glory SC season was the club's seventh season after joining the National Soccer League (NSL) in 1996. Perth Glory finished second in the regular season before winning the championship playoff to qualify for the 2003 NSL Grand Final. The Glory won the grand final to finish the season as champions.

## Club administration

In September, minority owner Paul Afkos sold his share of the club, leaving Nick Tana as majority owner alongside David Rodwell.
In November, the club announced that Future Glory, the club's youth team would not participate in the 2003 Soccer West Coast Premier League.

## Review and events
### September

The Glory opened the season with a 2–0 win over Parramatta Power in Sydney. This result was later reversed and a 3–0 win awarded to the Power.

## Match results
### NSL regular season

Perth Glory's score is shown first in each case.
Perth Glory in the 2002–03 National Soccer League regular season :
| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Perth Glory scorers | Att. |
| 21 September 2002 | Parramatta Stadium, Sydney (A) | Parramatta Power | 0–3 | Horsley, Despotovski | 4,155 |
| 29 September 2002 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Brisbane Strikers | 3–4 | Hassell, Mori (2) | 10,573 |
| 6 October 2002 | Ericsson Stadium, Auckland (A) | Football Kingz | 1–0 | Mori | 3,282 |
| 13 October 2002 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Newcastle United | 1–0 | Mori | 10,448 |
| 20 October 2002 | Bob Jane Stadium, Melbourne (A) | South Melbourne | 0–2 | | 6,194 |
| 27 October 2002 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Sydney United | 2–0 | Mori (2) | 7,595 |
| 1 November 2002 | North Sydney Oval, Sydney (A) | Northern Spirit | 3–1 | Hassell, Miller, Mori | 2,918 |
| 17 November 2002 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Wollongong Wolves | 3–1 | Hassell (2), Mrdja | 12,801 |
| 24 November 2002 | Toyota Park, Sydney (A) | Olympic Sharks | 1–2 | Hassell | 5,020 |
| 1 December 2002 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Adelaide Force | 1–0 | Hassell | 9,687 |
| 8 December 2002 | Knights Stadium, Melbourne (A) | Melbourne Knights | 4–1 | Mrdja, Mori (2), Hassell | 4,770 |
| 15 December 2002 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Marconi-Fairfield | 3–0 | Mori (3) | 8,903 |
| 21 December 2002 | Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane (A) | Brisbane Strikers | 1–1 | Despotovski | 2,283 |
| 29 December 2002 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Parramatta Power | 2–1 | Miller, Tarka | 9,203 |
| 4 January 2003 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Football Kingz | 5–0 | Horsley, Pryce, Despotovski, Gumprecht (2) | 10,092 |
| 10 January 2003 | Energy Australia Stadium, Newcastle (A) | Newcastle United | 1–0 | Mrdja | 6,125 |
| 18 January 2003 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | South Melbourne | 2–0 | Gumprecht, Despotovski | 11,173 |
| 26 January 2003 | Sydney United Sports Centre, Sydney (A) | Sydney United | 1–1 | Edgar Aldrighi Júnior | 2,021 |
| 1 February 2003 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Northern Spirit | 3–0 | Mori (2), Caceres | 9,979 |
| 16 February 2003 | WIN Stadium, Wollongong (A) | Wollongong Wolves | 6–1 | Despotovski (2) Mori, Caceres (2), Mrdja | 3,132 |
| 22 February 2003 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Olympic Sharks | 0–1 | | 13,517 |
| 28 February 2003 | Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide (A) | Adelaide Force | 2–0 | Harnwell, Mori | 3,677 |
| 8 March 2003 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Melbourne Knights | 3–1 | Horsley, Despotovski, Mrdja | 9,176 |
| 16 March 2003 | Marconi Stadium, Sydney (A) | Marconi-Fairfield | 0–2 | | 9,176 |

### NSL championship playoff

Perth Glory's score is shown first in each case.
Perth Glory in the 2002–03 National Soccer League championship playoff :
| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Perth Glory scorers | Att. |
| 22 March 2003 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Northern Spirit | 5–0 | Despotovski (4), Caceres | 6,437 |
| 30 March 2003 | Parramatta Stadium, Sydney (A) | Parramatta Power | 1–2 | Harnwell | 2,214 |
| 5 April 2003 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Adelaide Force | 3–1 | Mori, Hassell, Despotovski | 10,292 |
| 13 April 2003 | Toyota Park, Sydney (A) | Olympic Sharks | 2–1 | Mori, Mrdja | 3,631 |
| 19 April 2003 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Newcastle United | 4–0 | Despotovski (2), Byrnes, Mori | 11,141 |
| 25 April 2003 | North Sydney Oval, Sydney (A) | Northern Spirit | 3–0 | Mori, Gumprecht, Despotovski | 3,088 |
| 2 May 2003 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Parramatta Power | 6–1 | Mori (2), Despotovski (3), Mrdja | 9,707 |
| 9 May 2003 | Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide (A) | Adelaide Force | 2–1 | Hassell, Despotovski | 4,484 |
| 17 May 2003 | Perth Oval, Perth (H) | Olympic Sharks | 1–0 | Mori | 8,904 |
| 23 May 2003 | Energy Australia Stadium, Newcastle (A) | Newcastle United | 0–1 | | 3,301 |

### Grand final

| GK | 1 | Jason Petkovic |
| MF | 2 | Matt Horsley |
| DF | 3 | Jamie Harnwell |
| MF | 4 | Bradley Hassell | | 60' |
| MF | 6 | Andre Gumprecht |
| MF | 7 | Scott Miller |
| FW | 10 | Bobby Despotovski (c) | | 87' |
| FW | 16 | Damian Mori | | 89' |
| DF | 18 | Shane Pryce |
| DF | 22 | Simon Colosimo |
| DF | 23 | David Tarka | 40' | |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 20 | Vince Matassa |
| FW | 9 | Nik Mrdja | | 89' |
| DF | 12 | Mark Byrnes | | 60' |
| MF | 15 | Edgar Aldrighi Júnior | | 87' |
| FW | 21 | Adrian Caceres |
| Head coach: ||
| Mich d'Avray ||
| Joe Marston Medal: ||
| Simon Colosimo (Perth Glory) ||
| GK | 1 | Clint Bolton |
| DF | 4 | Paul Kohler | | 80' |
| DF | 6 | Ante Jurić (c) |
| MF | 8 | Tom Pondeljak |
| FW | 9 | Ante Milicic |
| MF | 10 | Troy Halpin |
| MF | 11 | Jade North |
| FW | 17 | Jeromy Harris | | 76' |
| FW | 18 | Joel Porter | 58' | 80' |
| DF | 23 | Andrew Packer |
| MF | 27 | Hiroyuki Ishida |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 20 | Brett Hughes |
| MF | 7 | Wayne Srhoj | | 80' |
| FW | 12 | Franco Parisi | | 80' |
| MF | 14 | Greg Owens | | 76' |
| DF | 24 | Andrew Durante |
| Head coach: ||
| Lee Sterrey ||
| Assistant referees: Kevin Humphreys, John Bowdler Fourth official: Eddie Lennie | Match rules 90 minutes 30 minutes of extra time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. |

## Club

Coaching staff :
| Position | Staff |
| Head coach | Mich d'Avray |
| Assistant coach | Alan Vest |

## Player details

List of squad players, including number of appearances by competition
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Regular season | Regular season | Finals series | Finals series |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | AUS | Jason Petkovic | 34 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | AUS | Matthew Horsley | 29 | 3 | 19 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| 3 | DF/FW | AUS | Jamie Harnwell | 29 | 3 | 19 | 1 | 10 | 2 |
| 4 | DF | AUS | Bradley Hassell | 29 | 8 | 19 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
| 5 | DF | AUS | Craig Deans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | GER | André Gumprecht | 34 | 4 | 24 | 3 | 10 | 1 |
| 7 | MF | AUS | Scott Miller | 34 | 2 | 24 | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | AUS | Anthony Danze | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | AUS | Nik Mrdja | 33 | 8 | 24 | 6 | 9 | 2 |
| 10 | FW | AUS | Bobby Despotovski | 33 | 19 | 22 | 7 | 11 | 12 |
| 11 | FW | AUS | Michael Garcia | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | AUS | Mark Byrnes | 20 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| 14 | MF | NED | Mohammed Mouhouti | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | BRA | Edgar Aldrighi Júnior | 27 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | AUS | Damian Mori | 31 | 24 | 23 | 16 | 8 | 8 |
| 17 | DF | AUS | Gary Faria | 14 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | AUS | Shane Pryce | 34 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 11 | 0 |
| 20 | GK | AUS | Vince Matassa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | AUS | Adrian Caceres | 18 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| 22 | DF | AUS | Simon Colosimo | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | AUS | David Tarka | 28 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | AUS | Jamie Coyne | 11 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 |