- Amco Cup
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The Amco Cup (also known by various other sponsors' names including the Tooth Cup, KB Cup, National Panasonic Cup and Panasonic 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.
Contents
History
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, usuaully 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 New South Wales country centres. 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 New South Wales Rugby League premiership teams.
Competitions
- 1974 Amco Cup
- 1975 Amco Cup
- 1976 Amco Cup
- 1977 Amco Cup
- 1978 Amco Cup
- 1979 Amco Cup
- 1980 Tooth Cup
- 1981 Tooth Cup
- 1982 KB Cup
- 1983 KB Cup
- 1984 National Panasonic Cup
- 1985 National Panasonic Cup
- 1986 National Panasonic Cup
- 1987 National Panasonic Cup
- 1988 Panasonic Cup
- 1989 Panasonic Cup
Teams
The number and composition of teams varied considerably over the course of the competition.
Region/Competition Years Teams NSWRL Club Teams 1974–1989 Balmain Tigers, Brisbane Broncos (from 1988), Canberra Raiders (from 1982) Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla Sutherland Sharks, Eastern Suburbs Roosters, Gold Coast Giants (from 1988), Illawarra Steelers (from 1982), Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, Newcastle Knights (from 1988), Newtown Jets (to 1983), North Sydney Bears, Parramatta Eels, Penrith Panthers, St George Dragons, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Western Suburbs Magpies. NSW Country Divisional Teams 1974–1978 Illawarra, Monaro, Newcastle (from 1975), North Coast, Northern Division, Riverina, Southern Division, Western Division NSW Second Division Premiers 1974–1977 Ryde-Eastwood BRL Club Teams 1975–1978 Brothers Leprechauns, Eastern Suburbs Tigers (from 1976), Northern Suburbs Devils, Redcliffe Dolphins (from 1976), Southern Suburbs Magpies, Valleys Diehards, Western Suburbs Panthers (from 1976), Wynnum Manly Seagulls (from 1977) New Zealand Provincial Team/s 1974–1985 Auckland (1974–1980, 1984–1985), Canterbury (1976–1977), Central Districts (1981, 1983), South Island (1982), Wellington (1978) Australian Regional Representative Teams 1979–1989 Brisbane, NSW Country, Queensland Country (to 1984) Australian State Teams 1977–1978, 1986–1987 Northern Territory (not 1986), South Australia (1987 only), Victoria (1987 only), Western Australia Queensland Country Regional Teams 1975–1978 Central Queensland (from 1977), Gold Coast (1978), Ipswich, North Queensland (from 1976), Toowoomba, Wide Bay (from 1976) Papua New Guinea team 1986–1989 Port Moresby Winners, Runners-Up and # Teams
Year Winners Score Runners-Up Score # Teams 1974 Western Division 6 Penrith Panthers 2 21 1975 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 17 Parramatta Eels 7 28 1976 Balmain Tigers 21 North Sydney Bears 7 35 1977 Western Suburbs Magpies 6 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 5 38 1978 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 16 St. George Dragons 4 38 1979 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 22 Combined Brisbane 5 16 1980 Parramatta 8 Balmain 5 16 1981 South Sydney 10 Cronulla-Sutherland 2 16 1982 Manly-Warringah 23 Newtown 8 18 1983 Manly-Warringah 26 Cronulla-Sutherland 6 18 1984 Combined Brisbane 12 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 11 17 1985 Balmain Tigers 14 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 12 16 1986 Parramatta Eels 32 Balmain Tigers 16 17 1987 Balmain Tigers 14 Penrith Panthers 12 20 1988 St. George Dragons 16 Balmain Tigers 8 19 1989 Brisbane Broncos 22 Illawarra Steelers 20 19 Multiple Winners
- 3 wins: Balmain
- 2 wins: Eastern Suburbs Roosters, Manly-Warringah, Parramatta
Cup and Premiership in the Same Season
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- Easts in 1975.
- Parramatta in 1986.
Sources
Categories:- Defunct Rugby league competitions in Australia
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