2001–02 National Soccer League
# 2001–02 National Soccer League

The 2001–02 National Soccer League season, was the 26th season of the National Soccer League in Australia. Prior to the start of the season, Canberra Cosmos and Eastern Pride were removed from the competition, reducing the league to 13 teams. The league premiership was won by Perth Glory and the championship won by Olympic Sharks.

## Regular season

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Perth Glory | 24 | 16 | 7 | 1 | 52 | 23 | +29 | 55 | Qualification for the Finals series |
| 2 | Newcastle United | 24 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 33 | 21 | +12 | 42 | Qualification for the Finals series |
| 3 | Olympic Sharks (C) | 24 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 37 | 24 | +13 | 40 | Qualification for the Finals series |
| 4 | Brisbane Strikers | 24 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 40 | 34 | +6 | 37 | Qualification for the Finals series |
| 5 | South Melbourne | 24 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 30 | 22 | +8 | 36 | Qualification for the Finals series |
| 6 | Melbourne Knights | 24 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 41 | 40 | +1 | 36 | Qualification for the Finals series |
| 7 | Parramatta Power | 24 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 34 | 30 | +4 | 34 | |
| 8 | Northern Spirit | 24 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 36 | 39 | −3 | 34 | |
| 9 | Marconi Fairfield | 24 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 33 | 36 | −3 | 30 | |
| 10 | Wollongong Wolves | 24 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 28 | 43 | −15 | 25 | |
| 11 | Sydney United | 24 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 27 | 37 | −10 | 24 | |
| 12 | Adelaide Force | 24 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 27 | 39 | −12 | 20 | |
| 13 | Football Kingz | 24 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 28 | 58 | −30 | 14 | |

## Finals series

### Bracket

| Elimination finals | Elimination finals | Elimination finals | Elimination finals | Elimination finals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | | | | 1 | Perth Glory | 4 | 0 | 4 | | | | Perth Glory | 0 |
| | | | | | 2 | Newcastle United | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | Olympic Sharks | Olympic Sharks | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Newcastle United | 0 | | | |
| 6 | Melbourne Knights | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | 2 | Newcastle United | 0 | | | |
| 6 | Melbourne Knights | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | 3 | Olympic Sharks | 1 | | | |
| 3 | Olympic Sharks | 0 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 3 | Olympic Sharks | 1 | | | |
| 3 | Olympic Sharks | 0 | 6 | 6 | 3 | Olympic Sharks | Olympic Sharks | Olympic Sharks | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | South Melbourne | South Melbourne | South Melbourne | 1 | | | | | | |
| 5 | South Melbourne | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | South Melbourne | South Melbourne | South Melbourne | 1 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Brisbane Strikers | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Elimination Final 1

| Leg | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | South Melbourne | 2–0 | Brisbane Strikers | Bob Jane Stadium | 8,450 | 14 April 2002 |
| 2 | Brisbane Strikers | 1–2 | South Melbourne | Ballymore | 5,391 | 21 April 2002 |

### Elimination Final 2

| Leg | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Melbourne Knights | 0–0 | Olympic Sharks | Knights Stadium | 3,421 | 14 April 2002 |
| 2 | Olympic Sharks | 6–2 | Melbourne Knights | Toyota Park | 5,850 | 21 April 2002 |

### Major semi Final

| Leg | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Perth Glory | 4–1 | Newcastle United | Subiaco Oval | 31,963 | 20 April 2002 |
| 2 | Newcastle United | 2–0 | Perth Glory | Energy Australia Stadium | 17,503 | 26 April 2002 |

### Minor semi Final

| Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Olympic Sharks | 2–1 | South Melbourne | Marconi Stadium | 6,341 | 28 April 2002 |

### Preliminary Final

| Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Newcastle United | 0–1 | Olympic Sharks | Energy Australia Stadium | 17,708 | 5 May 2002 |

### Grand Final

| GK | 1 | Jason Petkovic |
| - | - | - |
| MF | 2 | Matt Horsley |
| DF | 3 | Jamie Harnwell |
| MF | 7 | Scott Miller |
| FW | 10 | Bobby Despotovski | (c) 15' |
| MF | 12 | Bradley Hassell | | 69' |
| MF | 15 | Edgar Aldrighi |
| FW | 16 | Damian Mori |
| MF | 17 | Gary Faria | | 69' |
| DF | 18 | Shane Pryce |
| DF | 23 | David Tarka |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 30 | Vince Matassa |
| DF | 5 | Craig Deans |
| DF | 6 | Gareth Naven |
| FW | 9 | Alistair Edwards | | 69' |
| FW | 26 | Nik Mrdja | | 69' |
| Manager: ||
| Mich d'Avray Joe Marston Medal: Ante Milicic (Olympic Sharks) ||
| GK | 1 | Clint Bolton |
| DF | 4 | Paul Kohler |
| MF | 6 | Wayne Srhoj | 45+1' | 69' |
| DF | 7 | Lindsay Wilson |
| MF | 8 | Tom Pondeljak |
| MF | 11 | Jade North |
| MF | 14 | Greg Owens | | 88' |
| FW | 16 | Jeromy Harris | | 81' |
| FW | 19 | Ante Milicic |
| DF | 23 | Andrew Packer |
| DF | 28 | Ante Jurić (c) |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 30 | Brett Hughes |
| DF | 2 | Stephen Laybutt | | 88' |
| FW | 9 | Dylan Macallister | | 69' |
| FW | 12 | Elias Augerinos |
| MF | 27 | Hiroyuki Ishida | | 81' |
| Manager: ||
| Gary Phillips ||
| Assistant referees: Fourth official: | Match rules 90 minutes 30 minutes of extra time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. |

## Individual awards

* Player of the Year: Fernando Rech (Brisbane Strikers)
* U-21 Player of the Year: Joseph Schirripa (Newcastle United)
* Top Scorer(s): Damian Mori (Perth Glory – 17 goals)
* Coach of the Year: Ian Crook (Newcastle United)
