# 1984 National Soccer League

The 1984 National Soccer League season was the eighth season of the National Soccer League in Australia. This season saw a restructure of the league, introducing a split into two geographical divisions, and an expansion from 16 to 24 teams. A Northern Conference comprised 12 clubs from New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory, and a Southern Conference consisted of 12 Victorian, South Australian, and Queensland clubs.
This season also saw the introduction of the two well-supported Croatian clubs, Melbourne Croatia and Sydney Croatia, both of which had had recent success in the state-leagues.
For the first time in the competition, a finals system was introduced, whereby the five highest finishing teams in each conference had a playoff to determine a conference winner. The two conference winners then played each other in a two-legged Grand Final to be declared champions. The Grand Final was won by South Melbourne over Sydney Olympic.

## Teams

Twenty-four teams competed in the league (twelve in the Northern Conference and twelve in the Southern Conference) – the sixteen teams from the previous season and eight teams accepted from their respective state leagues.

### Stadiums and locations

    Note: Table lists in alphabetical order by conference.
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| Northern Conference ||||
| APIA Leichhardt | Sydney (Leichhardt) | Lambert Park | 7,000 |
| Blacktown City | Sydney (Seven Hills) | Gabbie Stadium | 5,000 |
| Canberra Arrows | Canberra | Canberra Stadium | 25,011 |
| Marconi Fairfield | Sydney (Bossley Park) | Marconi Stadium | 9,000 |
| Melita Eagles | Sydney (Parramatta) | Melita Stadium | 10,000 |
| Newcastle Rosebud United | Newcastle | Adamstown Oval | 2,000 |
| Penrith City | Penrith | Cook Park | 1,000 |
| St George-Budapest | Sydney (Mortdale) | St George Stadium | 12,000 |
| Sydney City | Sydney (Bondi) | ES Marks Athletics Field | 8,000 |
| Sydney Croatia | Sydney (Edensor Park) | King Tomislav Park | 10,000 |
| Sydney Olympic | Sydney (Waterloo) | Pratten Park | 15,000 |
| Wollongong City | Wollongong | Wollongong Showground | 22,000 |
| Southern Conference ||||
| Adelaide City | Adelaide (Kensington) | Olympic Sports Field | 8,000 |
| Brisbane City | Brisbane (Newmarket) | Spencer Park | 5,000 |
| Brisbane Lions | Brisbane (Inala) | Lions Stadium | 5,000 |
| Brunswick Juventus | Melbourne (Footscray) | Olympic Park | 18,500 |
| Footscray JUST | Melbourne (Footscray) | Schintler Reserve | ? |
| Green Gully | Melbourne (St Albans) | Green Gully Reserve | 10,000 |
| Heidelberg United | Melbourne (Brunswick) | Olympic Village | 12,000 |
| Melbourne Croatia | Melbourne (Elsternwick) | Olympic Park | 18,500 |
| Preston Makedonia | Melbourne (Fitzroy) | B.T. Connor Reserve | 5,000 |
| South Melbourne | Melbourne (Middle Park) | Middle Park | 18,000 |
| Sunshine George Cross | Melbourne (City of Melbourne) | Chaplin Reserve | 5,000 |
| West Adelaide | Adelaide (City of Adelaide) | Hindmarsh Stadium | 16,500 |

### Managerial changes

The Australian Soccer Annual 1984 reported 11 managerial changes.
| Team | Outgoing manager | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Adelaide City | Bobby Ferguson | 1984 | Pre-season | Edmund Kreft | 1984 |
| Brisbane City | Jim Hermiston | 1984 | Pre-season | Joe Gilroy | 1984 |
| Canberra Arrows | Attila Abonyi | 1984 | Pre-season | Doug Collins | 1984 |
| Heidelberg United | Jim Tansey | 1984 | Pre-season | Brian Garvey | 1984 |
| Marconi Fairfield | Tony Henderson (caretaker) | 1984 | Pre-season | Les Scheinflug | 1984 |
| West Adelaide | Peter Koulizos | 1984 | Pre-season | Sam Salabasidis | 1984 |
| Wollongong City | Willie Wallace | 1984 | Pre-season | Adrian Alston | 1984 |
| Green Gully | David Smallman | 1984 | Pre-season | Jimmy Rooney | 1984 |
| Melbourne Croatia | Tommy Cumming | 1984 | Pre-season | Terry Hennessy | 1984 |
| Sydney Croatia | Josip Kuže | 1984 | Pre-season | Attila Abonyi | 1984 |
| Penrith City | Inaugural | 1984 | Pre-season | Willie Wallace | 1984 |

## League tables

Northern Conference
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Sydney City | 28 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 67 | 21 | +46 | 42 | Qualification to Finals series |
| 2 | Sydney Olympic | 28 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 61 | 27 | +34 | 40 | Qualification to Finals series |
| 3 | Marconi Fairfield | 28 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 58 | 39 | +19 | 32 | Qualification to Finals series |
| 4 | APIA Leichhardt | 28 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 43 | 35 | +8 | 32 | Qualification to Finals series |
| 5 | Blacktown City | 28 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 43 | 48 | −5 | 30 | Qualification to Finals series |
| 6 | Sydney Croatia | 28 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 27 | |
| 7 | Penrith City | 28 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 29 | 41 | −12 | 26 | |
| 8 | Newcastle Rosebud United | 28 | 11 | 4 | 13 | 35 | 52 | −17 | 26 | |
| 9 | Canberra Arrows | 28 | 12 | 1 | 15 | 47 | 39 | +8 | 25 | |
| 10 | St George-Budapest | 28 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 38 | 41 | −3 | 25 | |
| 11 | Melita Eagles (R) | 28 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 23 | 38 | −15 | 24 | Relegation to the 1985 NSW State League |
| 12 | Wollongong City | 28 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 22 | 59 | −37 | 15 | |
Southern Conference
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | South Melbourne (C) | 28 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 48 | 20 | +28 | 40 | Qualification to Finals series |
| 2 | Heidelberg United | 28 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 37 | 27 | +10 | 35 | Qualification to Finals series |
| 3 | Melbourne Croatia | 28 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 38 | 31 | +7 | 33 | Qualification to Finals series |
| 4 | Brisbane Lions | 28 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 38 | 36 | +2 | 30 | Qualification to Finals series |
| 5 | Brunswick Juventus | 28 | 13 | 4 | 11 | 36 | 42 | −6 | 30 | Qualification to Finals series |
| 6 | Preston Makedonia | 28 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 42 | 33 | +9 | 28 | |
| 7 | Adelaide City | 28 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 33 | 34 | −1 | 25 | |
| 8 | Footscray JUST | 28 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 29 | 33 | −4 | 25 | |
| 9 | Green Gully | 28 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 34 | 36 | −2 | 24 | |
| 10 | West Adelaide | 28 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 40 | 52 | −12 | 21 | |
| 11 | Brisbane City | 28 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 21 | 39 | −18 | 21 | |
| 12 | Sunshine George Cross | 28 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 24 | 57 | −33 | 16 | |

## Results

| Home \ Away | ADE | API | BLA | BRC | BRL | BRU | CAN | FOO | GRE | HEI | MAR | MCR | MEA | NRU | PEN | PRE | SOU | STG | SGC | SCI | SCR | SOL | WES | WOL | ADE | API | BLA | BRC | BRL | BRU | CAN | FOO | GRE | HEI | MAR | MCR | MEA | NRU | PEN | PRE | SOU | SGC | SCI | SCR | SOL | WES | WOL |
| Adelaide City | | | | 1–2 | | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | | 2–3 | | | | 0–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | | | | 1–0 | | | | | 2–1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3–2 | |
| APIA Leichhardt | | | 2–1 | | 0–1 | | 2–0 | | | | 1–0 | | 1–2 | | 1–0 | | | 3–2 | | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | | | | | | | | | | | 3–3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Blacktown City | | 2–2 | | 2–0 | 3–4 | | 4–3 | | | | 2–2 | | 0–0 | | 4–1 | 4–1 | | 1–0 | | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | | 2–0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1–4 | | | | |
| Brisbane City | | 0–0 | | | 0–1 | 0–1 | | | | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | | | 1–0 | | | | 1–1 | | | 1–1 | | | | | 0–2 | | | | | | | | 2–1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Brisbane Lions | | | 2–2 | 2–0 | | 2–1 | | 0–1 | 2–1 | | | | | | 0–3 | 1–0 | | 3–2 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | | | | | | 2–1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3–0 | | | | | |
| Brunswick Juventus | 1–0 | | | 2–3 | 1–0 | | | 0–2 | 1–4 | 5–1 | | 2–1 | | 2–0 | | 2–4 | 2–1 | | 4–2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0–1 | | 0–3 | | 1–1 | | | | | | | | | |
| Canberra Arrows | | | 0–1 | | | 1–2 | | 0–1 | | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | | | 3–1 | | | 0–1 | 1–2 | | 5–2 | 4–0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Footscray JUST | 0–0 | | | | | 0–0 | 3–1 | | 0–1 | 0–3 | | 0–0 | | | | 4–0 | 1–2 | | 1–0 | | | | 0–1 | | | | | | | | | | 1–0 | | | | | | | | 0–3 | | | | | | |
| Green Gully | 2–1 | | | 2–0 | | 2–3 | 3–0 | 2–3 | | 1–1 | | 0–1 | | | | 0–0 | 0–2 | | 2–3 | | | | 2–1 | 1–1 | | | | 2–0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Heidelberg United | 1–0 | 1–0 | | | 3–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | | | 5–2 | | 2–1 | | 2–1 | 0–2 | | 1–1 | | | | 1–1 | | | | | | | 3–0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Marconi Fairfield | | 1–3 | 1–2 | | 1–0 | 0–1 | | | | | | | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | | | 4–1 | 6–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | | 4–0 | | 4–1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1–1 | | | | | | | | |
| Melbourne Croatia | 2–0 | | | | 2–2 | 0–1 | | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | | | | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 0–2 | | 2–0 | | | 2–1 | 1–1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0–2 | | | | | | 3–1 | | | | | | | |
| Melita Eagles | | 1–2 | 1–0 | | 2–0 | | | 2–1 | | | 2–2 | | | 1–3 | 1–1 | | | 1–0 | | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | | 0–1 | | | 0–2 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0–2 | | | | | 0–1 | | | |
| Newcastle Rosebud United | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | | | 0–4 | 1–0 | 3–0 | | | | | | 1–0 | 1–0 | | 3–1 | 3–0 | | | 1–5 | | | | | | | | | 2–1 | | 1–2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1–2 |
| Penrith City | | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | | | 2–1 | | | | 1–7 | | 1–1 | 0–2 | | | | 1–1 | | 0–0 | | 0–1 | | 3–2 | | | | 0–0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Preston Makedonia | 1–2 | | | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | | 2–2 | | | 6–0 | | 0–1 | | 5–2 | | 3–3 | | 5–1 | | 2–0 | | | | | | 1–2 | 1–0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| South Melbourne | 1–0 | | | | | 1–0 | | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | | 1–0 | | 7–0 | | 1–2 | | | 0–1 | 0–0 | | | 4–0 | | | | | | 0–0 | | | | | | | 3–0 | | | | | | | 0–0 | | | | |
| St George-Budapest | | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | | | 2–1 | | | | 2–0 | | 1–1 | 3–0 | | | | | | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | 3–2 | | | 4–0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2–2 | | |
| Sunshine George Cross | 0–1 | | | 0–1 | | 3–0 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | | 0–0 | | | | 0–2 | 1–2 | | | | | | 2–0 | 1–1 | | | | | | | | | 1–0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1–2 | |
| Sydney City | | 1–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | | | | | | | 3–1 | | 2–0 | 8–1 | 1–1 | | | 0–1 | | | 1–1 | 4–3 | | 5–0 | | 2–1 | | | | | | | | | | | 6–0 | | | | | | | | 1–1 | | |
| Sydney Croatia | 3–3 | | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | | | | 1–2 | | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | | | 2–0 | | 0–5 | | 1–3 | | 2–0 | | | | 3–1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sydney Olympic | 1–1 | 4–2 | 6–1 | 4–0 | | | | | | | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | | 2–0 | | | | | 1–2 | 2–0 | | | 3–0 | | | | | | | | | | | 4–2 | | 3–0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| West Adelaide | 0–1 | | | | | 2–2 | | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | | 0–4 | | 4–1 | | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 7–0 | | | | | | 2–1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3–1 | 2–0 | | | | | |
| Wollongong City | | 0–3 | 1–2 | | 3–2 | | 0–1 | | | | 1–3 | | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | | 1–2 | 1–2 | | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0–1 | | | |
Five matches occurred where the fixture was played a third time in the 1984 season.
* St George-Budapest 0–1 Blacktown City
* Brisbane City 1–0 Brisbane Lions
* St George-Budapets 1–2 Sydney Olympic
* West Adelaide 0–3 Adelaide City
* Footscray JUST 1–3 Green Gully

## Finals series

Northern Conference
| Elimination and qualifying Finals | Elimination and qualifying Finals | Elimination and qualifying Finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Preliminary Final | Preliminary Final | Preliminary Final | Northern Final | Northern Final | Northern Final |
| | | | 1 | Sydney City | 1 (4) | | | | 1 | Sydney City | 1 |
| | | | 2 | Sydney Olympic | 1 (2) | | | | 2 | Sydney Olympic | 2 |
| 2 | Sydney Olympic | 2 | | | | 2 | Sydney Olympic | 3 | | | |
| 3 | Marconi Fairfield | 1 | | | | 4 | APIA Leichhardt Tigers | 0 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Marconi Fairfield | 3 (3) | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | APIA Leichhardt Tigers | 3 (4) | | | | | | |
| 4 | APIA Leichhardt Tigers | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Blacktown City | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
Southern Conference
| Elimination and qualifying Finals | Elimination and qualifying Finals | Elimination and qualifying Finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Preliminary Final | Preliminary Final | Preliminary Final | Southern Final | Southern Final | Southern Final |
| | | | 1 | South Melbourne | 3 | | | | 1 | South Melbourne | 4 |
| | | | 3 | Melbourne Croatia | 2 | | | | 2 | Heidelberg United | 2 |
| 2 | Heidelberg United | 1 | | | | 2 | Heidelberg United | 3 | | | |
| 3 | Melbourne Croatia | 2 | | | | 3 | Melbourne Croatia | 1 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Heidelberg United | 0 (3) | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Brisbane Lions | 0 (2) | | | | | | |
| 4 | Brisbane Lions | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Brunswick Juventus | 2 | | | | | | | | | |

### Grand Final

* South Melbourne win 4–2 on aggregate

## Individual awards

| Award | Winner | Club |
| National Soccer League Player of the Year | Sergio Melta | Adelaide City |
| National Soccer League Under 21 Player of the Year | Tony Franken | Canberra City |
| National Soccer League Coach of the Year | Eddie Thomson | Sydney City |