1977 Amco Cup
# 1977 Amco Cup

The 1977 Amco Cup was the 4th edition of the NSWRFL Midweek Cup, a NSWRFL-organised national club Rugby League tournament between the leading clubs and representative teams from the NSWRFL, the BRL, the CRL, the QRL, the NZRL, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

A total of 37 teams from across Australia and New Zealand played 36 matches in a straight knock-out format, with the matches being held midweek during the premiership season.

## Qualified teams

| Team | Nickname | League | Qualification | Participation (bold indicates winners) |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Enter in Round 2 |||||
| Manly-Warringah | Sea Eagles | NSWRFL | Winners of the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Parramatta | Eels | NSWRFL | Runners-Up in the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Canterbury-Bankstown | Berries | NSWRFL | Third Place in the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| St. George | Dragons | NSWRFL | Fourth Place in the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Eastern Suburbs | Roosters | NSWRFL | Fifth Place in the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Balmain | Tigers | NSWRFL | Sixth Place in the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Western Suburbs | Magpies | NSWRFL | Seventh Place in the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Cronulla-Sutherland | Sharks | NSWRFL | Eighth Place in the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Penrith | Panthers | NSWRFL | Ninth Place in the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| South Sydney | Rabbitohs | NSWRFL | Tenth Place in the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| North Sydney | Bears | NSWRFL | Eleventh Place in the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Newtown | Jets | NSWRFL | Twelfth Place in the 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Western Suburbs | Panthers | BRL | Winners of the 1976 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 2nd (Previous: 1976) |
| Eastern Suburbs | Tigers | BRL | Runners-Up in the 1976 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 2nd (Previous: 1976) |
| Past Brothers | Leprechauns | BRL | Third Place in the 1976 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1975, 1976) |
| Southern Suburbs | Magpies | BRL | Fourth Place in the 1976 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1975, 1976) |
| Redcliffe | Dolphins | BRL | Fifth Place in the 1976 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 2nd (Previous: 1976) |
| Wynnum-Manly | Seagulls | BRL | Sixth Place in the 1976 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 1st |
| Fortitude Valley | Diehards | BRL | Seventh Place in the 1976 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1975, 1976) |
| Northern Suburbs | Devils | BRL | Eighth Place in the 1976 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1975, 1976) |
| Illawarra | Flametrees | CRL | Winners of the 1976 Country Rugby League Championship | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Western Division | Rams | CRL | Runners-Up in the 1976 Country Rugby League Championship | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Riverina | Bulls | CRL | Third Place in the 1976 Country Rugby League Championship | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| North Queensland | Marlins | QRL | Queensland Country Regional Team | 2nd (Previous: 1976) |
| Toowoomba | Clydesdales | QRL | Queensland Country Regional Team | 3rd (Previous: 1975, 1976) |
| Auckland | Falcons | NZRL | Winners of the 1976 New Zealand Rugby League Inter-District Premiership | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Canterbury | Reds | NZRL | Runners-Up in the 1976 New Zealand Rugby League Inter-District Premiership | 2nd (Previous: 1976) |
| Enter in Round 1 |||||
| Northern Division | Tigers | CRL | Fourth Place in the 1976 Country Rugby League Championship | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Monaro | Colts | CRL | Fifth Place in the 1976 Country Rugby League Championship | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Southern Division | Bulls | CRL | Sixth Place in the 1976 Country Rugby League Championship | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Newcastle | Rebels | CRL | Seventh Place in the 1976 Country Rugby League Championship | 3rd (Previous: 1975, 1976) |
| North Coast | Dolphins | CRL | Eighth Place in the 1976 Country Rugby League Championship | 4th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Central Queensland | Capras | QRL | Queensland Country Regional Team | 1st |
| Ipswich | Diggers | QRL | Queensland Country Regional Team | 3rd (Previous: 1975, 1976) |
| Wide Bay | Bulls | QRL | Queensland Country Regional Team | 2nd (Previous: 1976) |
| Northern Territory | Bulls | NTRL | State Representative Team | 2nd (Previous: 1976) |
| Western Australia | Black Swans | WARL | State Representative Team | 1st |

## Venues

| Sydney | Sydney | Brisbane | Newcastle | Queanbeyan | Rockhampton | Toowoomba | Ipswich | Perth |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Leichhardt Oval | Redfern Oval | Lang Park | Newcastle International Sports Centre | Seiffert Oval | Browne Park | Athletic Oval | North Ipswich Reserve | Lathlain Park |
| Capacity: 23,000 | Capacity: 20,000 | Capacity: 45,000 | Capacity: 33,000 | Capacity: 20,000 | Capacity: 10,000 | Capacity: 10,000 | Capacity: 10,000 | Capacity: 20,000 |

## Round 1

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue | Canberra Times |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 27/03/77 | Western Australia | 23 | Northern Territory | 18 | Perth | |
| 30/03/77 | Central Queensland* | 7 | Wide Bay | 7 | Browne Park | Result |
| 27/04/77 | Northern Division | 26 | Newcastle | 17 | Newcastle ISC | Result |
| 4/05/77 | North Coast | 40 | Ipswich | 22 | North Ipswich Reserve | |
| 11/5/77 | Monaro | 18 | Southern Division | 15 | Seiffert Oval | Report |

## Round 2

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue | Canberra Times |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 30/03/77 | Brothers | 16 | Wynnum-Manly | 15 | Lang Park | |
| 30/03/77 | St George | 22 | Balmain | 12 | Leichhardt Oval | Results |
| 30/03/77 | Toowoomba | 31 | North Queensland | 13 | Athletic Oval | Results |
| 6/04/77 | Cronulla-Sutherland | 75 | Central Queensland | 3 | Leichhardt Oval | Short Report |
| 6/04/77 | Redcliffe | 19 | Wests BRL | 10 | Lang Park | |
| 13/04/77 | Western Suburbs | 60 | Norths BRL | 0 | Lang Park | |
| 20/04/77 | Parramatta | 21 | North Sydney | 7 | Leichhardt Oval | Result |
| 27/04/77 | Penrith | 36 | Western Division | 5 | Leichhardt Oval | Short Report |
| 4/05/77 | Fortitude Valley | 19 | Illawarra | 10 | Lang Park | Results |
| 4/05/77 | Eastern Suburbs | 16 | Manly-Warringah | 8 | Leichhardt Oval | Results |
| 11/05/77 | South Sydney | 39 | Western Australia | 10 | Leichhardt Oval | Result |
| 18/05/77 | Canterbury-Bankstown | 20 | North Coast | 7 | Leichhardt Oval | Result |
| 25/05/77 | Monaro | 21 | Easts BRL | 18 | Lang Park | Preview Report |
| 25/05/77 | Newtown | 32 | Riverina | 3 | Leichhardt Oval | Result |
| 25/05/77 | Northern Division | 23 | Auckland | 2 | Leichhardt Oval | |
| 4/05/77 | Souths BRL | 20 | Canterbury NZ | 12 | Lang Park | |

## Round 3

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue | Canberra Times |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1/06/77 | St George | 18 | Cronulla-Sutherland | 17 | Leichhardt Oval | Results |
| 1/06/77 | Fortitude Valley | 13 | Brothers | 9 | Lang Park | Results |
| 8/06/77 | Canterbury-Bankstown | 25 | Toowoomba | 15 | Athletic Oval | Results |
| 8/06/77 | Western Suburbs | 20 | Redcliffe | 2 | Leichhardt Oval | Results |
| 15/06/77 | Monaro | 12 | South Sydney | 3 | Leichhardt Oval | Preview Reports |
| 22/06/77 | Penrith | 18 | Newtown | 16 | Leichhardt Oval | |
| 29/06/77 | Northern Division | 34 | Souths BRL | 20 | Lang Park | Report |
| 29/06/77 | Eastern Suburbs | 19 | Parramatta | 2 | Leichhardt Oval | Report |

## Quarter finals

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue | Canberra Times |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 6/07/77 | Western Suburbs | 27 | St George | 7 | Leichhardt Oval | Report |
| 13/07/77 | Penrith | 17 | Northern Division | 10 | Leichhardt Oval | Report |
| 20/07/77 | Eastern Suburbs | 35 | Fortitude Valley | 2 | Lang Park | Result |
| 27/07/77 | Canterbury-Bankstown | 33 | Monaro | 10 | Leichhardt Oval | Preview Report |

## Semi finals

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue | Canberra Times |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3/08/77 | Eastern Suburbs | 18 | Penrith | 7 | Leichhardt Oval | Preview Report |
| 10/08/77 | Western Suburbs | 8 | Canterbury-Bankstown | 7 | Leichhardt Oval | Preview Report |

## Final

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue | Canberra Times |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 17/08/77 | Western Suburbs | 6 | Eastern Suburbs | 5 | Leichhardt Oval | Preview Report |

* *- Advanced on penalty count-back

## Awards

### Player of the Series

* Graeme O'Grady (Western Suburbs)

### Golden Try

* Steve Rogers (Cronulla-Sutherland)
