# 1997 National Soccer League Grand Final

The 1997 National Soccer League Grand Final was held on 25 May 1997 between Brisbane Strikers and Sydney United at Lang Park. Brisbane gained home advantage because despite finishing below United on the league standings, they defeated the Sydney side in the major semi-final two weeks earlier. The teams were all locked up at half time, however two goals for the Strikers by Frank Farina and Rod Brown secured their first NSL championship. Alan Hunter won the Joe Marston Medal.

## Route to the final
### League Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Sydney United | 26 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 67 | 33 | +34 | 56 | 1997 National Soccer League Finals |
| 2 | Brisbane Strikers (C) | 26 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 55 | 40 | +15 | 47 | 1996-97 National Soccer League Champions |
| 3 | South Melbourne | 26 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 39 | 25 | +14 | 46 | 1997 National Soccer League Finals |
| 4 | Adelaide City | 26 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 32 | 22 | +10 | 43 | 1997 National Soccer League Finals |
| 5 | Marconi Stallions | 26 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 41 | 37 | +4 | 40 | 1997 National Soccer League Finals |
| 6 | Melbourne Knights | 26 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 36 | 32 | +4 | 39 | 1997 National Soccer League Finals |
| 7 | Perth Glory | 26 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 48 | 41 | +7 | 38 | |
| 8 | West Adelaide | 26 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 39 | 51 | −12 | 33 | |
| 9 | UTS Olympic | 26 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 41 | 46 | −5 | 32 | |
| 10 | Wollongong Wolves | 26 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 42 | 48 | −6 | 32 | |
| 11 | Newcastle Breakers | 26 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 40 | 46 | −6 | 30 | |
| 12 | Gippsland Falcons | 26 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 33 | 41 | −8 | 30 | |
| 13 | Collingwood Warriors (R) | 26 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 32 | 44 | −12 | 27 | Disbanded at end of season |
| 14 | Canberra Cosmos | 26 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 30 | 69 | −39 | 11 | |

### Finals Bracket

| Elimination finals | Elimination finals | Elimination finals | Elimination finals | Elimination finals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Grand final | Grand final |
| | | | | | 1 | Sydney United | 0 | 2 | (2) | | | Sydney United | 0 |
| | | | | | 2 | Brisbane Strikers (a) | 1 | 1 | (2) | | | Brisbane Strikers | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Sydney United | 1 | | |
| 3 | South Melbourne | 4 | 3 | (7) | | | | | | Sydney United | 1 | | |
| 3 | South Melbourne | 4 | 3 | (7) | | | | | | South Melbourne | 0 | | |
| 6 | Melbourne Knights | 1 | 0 | (1) | | | | | | South Melbourne | 0 | | |
| 6 | Melbourne Knights | 1 | 0 | (1) | | South Melbourne | South Melbourne | South Melbourne | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Adelaide City | Adelaide City | Adelaide City | 0 | | | | |
| 4 | Adelaide City | 0 | 4 | (4) | | Adelaide City | Adelaide City | Adelaide City | 0 | | | | |
| 5 | Marconi Fairfield | 3 | 0 | (3) | | | | | | | | | |

## Match
### Details

| GK | 1 | Clint Bolton |
| DF | 2 | Glen Gwynne | 88' |
| DF | 3 | Alan Hunter |
| FW | 5 | Frank Farina | 80' |
| MF | 6 | Sean Cranney |
| FW | 7 | Rod Brown |
| FW | 9 | Danny Wright |
| MF | 11 | Troy Cranney |
| MF | 15 | Chay Hews | 79' |
| DF | 16 | Kasey Wehrman |
| FW | 17 | Craig Williams |
| Substitutes: ||
| FW | 8 | Matt Bell | 88' |
| FW | 10 | Reece Tollenaere | 80' |
| MF | 12 | Jeremy Harris | 79' |
| Manager: ||
| Frank Farina ||
| Joe Marston Medal: ||
| Alan Hunter (Brisbane Strikers) ||
| GK | 1 | Zeljko Kalac |
| DF | 2 | Rob Trajkovski | 63' |
| DF | 5 | Velimir Kupresak |
| DF | 7 | Mark Babic |
| MF | 10 | Richard Plesa |
| MF | 11 | Kresimir Marusic |
| MF | 12 | Ante Moric |
| FW | 14 | Ante Milicic |
| MF | 15 | Aytec Genc |
| FW | 17 | David Zdrilic |
| MF | 23 | Paul Bilokapic | 81' |
| Substitutes: ||
| MF | 3 | Jason Culina | 63' |
| DF | 25 | Mark Rudan | 81' |
| Manager: ||
| Branko Culina ||
| Assistant referees: Fourth official: | Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. |