West Adelaide had the honour of scoring the first point in a national football league in Australia. The date was the 2nd of April 1977, the scorer was John Kosmina, and the venue was Manuka Oval in Canberra.
How ironic it was then that the national league's first goal scorer ended up being the national league's top goal scorer - amassing a record 133 goals in his national league career. Not to mention top scorer in full international games for the Socceroos (25 goals). What was not ironic though was that the young and talented Kosmina was picked up so early in his career by a club such as West Adelaide. And it did not take too long at all for the ambitious and progressive club to gain national success. In only the year after inception of the national league, West Adelaide were national champions. In these non-finals years, the 'minor' premier was crowned the champion team. West won the 1978 title in a scenario only dreamed about - at its home ground, with an 85th minute goal, on the last day of the league, in front of 16,251 fans - and against long time cross-city rivals Adelaide City. This was a fitting way to celebrate the club's 30th anniversary!
A long lean spell followed West Adelaide's early successful national stint. The club was to finish at the wrong end of the national league ladder for most of its following national league seasons, and were lucky to avoid relegation twice the early 1980s. West were relegated after the last dual-conference national league in 1986. The club spent four of the next five seasons in the relative limbo of the South Australian state league, interrupted by a brief return to the national flight in 1989-90.
A major report commissioned by the national league executive in 1990 implied that it was in the national league's interests to have a strong club like West Adelaide back in its ranks. Thus West Adelaide were virtually invited back to the national league for the 1991-92 season.
Since 1991-92, on and off the field success has seen West Adelaide needing no more favours to continue its national league survival. After another slow return (finishing second last in 1991-92), the club then made the astute selection of Raul Blanco as their new coach. Dividends were returned immediately with finals' placings in 1992-93 and 1994-95. However, fans with the glorious memories of 1978 still etched firmly in their minds, and jealous of their rivals Adelaide City recent national successes, are now striving for the club to clinch another title - Ericsson Cup trophy.
| National league season | Final ladder position | National knock- out cup placing | Average home crowd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 7th (14 teams) | =3rd (14 teams) | 5500 |
| 1978 | 1st (14 teams) | =9th (32 teams) | 6800 |
| 1979 | 7th (14 teams) | =17th (32 teams) | 4900 |
| 1980 | 13th (14 teams) | =17th (32 teams) | 3700 |
| 1981 | 16th (16 teams) | 2nd (36 teams) | 3000 |
| 1982 | 9th (16 teams) | =5th (16 teams) | 3600 |
| 1983 | 13th (16 teams) | =5th (16 teams) | 1900 |
| 1984^ | 10th (12 teams) | 18th (24 teams) | 2100 |
| 1985^ | 10th (12 teams) | =9th (24 teams) | 2500 |
| 1986^ | 9th (12 teams) | 2nd (32 teams) | 3200 |
| 1989-90 | 13th (14 teams) | =9th (14 teams) | 4000 |
| 1991-92 | 13th (14 teams) | =8th (14 teams) | 3900 |
| 1992-93 | 5th (14 teams) | =9th (14 teams) | 4400 |
| 1993-94 | 9th (14 teams) | =8th (14 teams) | 3700 |
| 1994-95 | 5th (13 teams) | =5th (14 teams) | 3800 |
| 1995-96 | 5th (12 teams) | =7th (12 teams) | 4500 |
| 1996-97 | 8th (14 teams) | =9th (16 teams) | 4800 |