Amco Cup


The Amco Cup was a mid-week rugby league competition held in Australia between 1974 and 1989. The format was usually a straight knock-out, but various group formats were used between 1979 and 1982. It aired on Channel Ten with Ray Warren and Keith Barnes the commentators for many years. The concept was created by Colin McLennan.

History

Promoter Colin McLennan, who also brought to Australia the jazz legend Benny Goodman and comedians Dudley Moore and Peter Cook, was the man who brought the mid-week Cup to life.
The competition was essentially a "made for TV" event, featuring 4 x 20-minute quarters and a penalty countback rule in the event of a draw. Matches were played under floodlights, usually on a Wednesday evening. Initially Leichhardt Oval in Sydney was the main venue, though later matches were played at Lang Park in Brisbane, Parramatta Stadium and various country centres in New South Wales. The competition was scrapped after the increasingly professional clubs resented the additional burdens on their players caused by the mid-week games. In 1990 it was replaced by a preseason challenge cup played for only by the Sydney Rugby League premiership teams.

Naming rights sponsors

Champions by Year

Most NSWRL Midweek Cup Titles

ClubTitlesYears won
Balmain31976, 1985, 1987
Eastern Suburbs21975, 1978
Parramatta21980, 1986
Manly-Warringah21982, 1983
Western Division11974
Western Suburbs11977
Cronulla-Sutherland11979
South Sydney11981
Brisbane11984
St. George11988
Brisbane Broncos11989

Cup and Premiership in the Same Season