# 1976 Amco Cup

The 1976 Amco Cup was the 3rd edition of the NSWRFL Midweek Cup, a NSWRFL-organised national Rugby League tournament between the leading clubs and representative teams from the NSWRFL, the BRL, the CRL, the QRL, the NZRL and the Northern Territory.
A total of 35 teams from across Australia and New Zealand played 34 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 |||||
| Eastern Suburbs | Roosters | NSWRFL | Winners of the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| St. George | Dragons | NSWRFL | Runners-Up in the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Manly-Warringah | Sea Eagles | NSWRFL | Third Place in the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Parramatta | Eels | NSWRFL | Fourth Place in the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Canterbury-Bankstown | Berries | NSWRFL | Fifth Place in the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Western Suburbs | Magpies | NSWRFL | Sixth Place in the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Balmain | Tigers | NSWRFL | Seventh Place in the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Cronulla-Sutherland | Sharks | NSWRFL | Eighth Place in the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| North Sydney | Bears | NSWRFL | Ninth Place in the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Newtown | Jets | NSWRFL | Tenth Place in the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Penrith | Panthers | NSWRFL | Eleventh Place in the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| South Sydney | Rabbitohs | NSWRFL | Twelfth Place in the 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Western Suburbs | Panthers | BRL | Winners of the 1975 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 1st |
| Redcliffe | Dolphins | BRL | Runners-Up in the 1975 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 1st |
| Northern Suburbs | Devils | BRL | Third Place in the 1975 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 2nd (Previous: 1975) |
| Eastern Suburbs | Tigers | BRL | Fifth Place in the 1975 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 1st |
| Past Brothers | Leprechauns | BRL | Sixth Place in the 1975 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 2nd (Previous: 1975) |
| Southern Suburbs | Magpies | BRL | Seventh Place in the 1975 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 2nd (Previous: 1975) |
| Fortitude Valley | Diehards | BRL | Eighth Place in the 1975 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership | 2nd (Previous: 1975) |
| Riverina | Bulls | CRL | Winners of the 1975 Country Rugby League Championship | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Illawarra | Flametrees | CRL | Runners-Up in the 1975 Country Rugby League Championship | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| North Coast | Dolphins | CRL | Third Place in the 1975 Country Rugby League Championship | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Southern Division | Bulls | CRL | Fourth Place in the 1975 Country Rugby League Championship | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Monaro | Colts | CRL | Fifth Place in the 1975 Country Rugby League Championship | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Western Division | Rams | CRL | Sixth Place in the 1975 Country Rugby League Championship | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Northern Division | Tigers | CRL | Seventh Place in the 1975 Country Rugby League Championship | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Newcastle | Rebels | CRL | Eighth Place in the 1975 Country Rugby League Championship | 2nd (Previous: 1975) |
| Canterbury | Reds | NZRL | Winners of the 1975 New Zealand Rugby League Inter-District Premiership | 1st |
| Auckland | Falcons | NZRL | Runners-Up in the 1975 New Zealand Rugby League Inter-District Premiership | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Enter in Round 1 |||||
| Ryde-Eastwood | Hawks | NSWRFL | Winners of the 1975 NSWRFL Metropolitan League | 3rd (Previous: 1974, 1975) |
| Ipswich | Diggers | QRL | Queensland Country Regional Team | 2nd (Previous: 1975) |
| North Queensland | Marlins | QRL | Queensland Country Regional Team | 1st |
| Toowoomba | Clydesdales | QRL | Queensland Country Regional Team | 2nd (Previous: 1975) |
| Wide Bay | Bulls | QRL | Queensland Country Regional Team | 1st |
| Northern Territory | Bulls | NTRL | State Representative Team | 1st |

## Venues

| Sydney | Sydney | Brisbane | Newcastle | Queanbeyan | Tamworth | Lismore | Rockhampton | Toowoomba |
| Leichhardt Oval | Penrith Park | Lang Park | Newcastle International Sports Centre | Seiffert Oval | Scully Park | Oakes Oval | Browne Park | Athletic Oval |
| Capacity: 23,000 | Capacity: 22,500 | Capacity: 45,000 | Capacity: 33,000 | Capacity: 20,000 | Capacity: 13,000 | Capacity: 12,000 | Capacity: 10,000 | Capacity: 10,000 |

## Round 1

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue |
| 31/03/76 | Toowoomba | 39 | Northern Territory | 7 | Athletic Oval |
| 31/03/76 | Ryde-Eastwood | 29 | Ipswich | 13 | Athletic Oval |
| 31/03/76 | North Queensland | 21 | Wide Bay | 11 | Browne Park |

## Round 2

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue |
| 31/03/76 | Manly-Warringah | 35 | Newcastle | 17 | Newcastle International Sports Centre |
| 31/03/76 | South Sydney | 17 | Souths BRL | 8 | Lang Park |
| 7/04/76 | North Sydney | 5 | Eastern Suburbs | 4 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 7/04/76 | Brothers | 19 | Penrith | 8 | Lang Park |
| 7/04/76 | Canterbury-Bankstown | 40 | North Queensland | 0 | Lang Park |
| 14/04/76 | Auckland | 30 | Redcliffe | 5 | Lang Park |
| 14/04/76 | Cronulla-Sutherland | 28 | Toowoomba | 5 | Lang Park |
| 21/04/76 | Western Suburbs | 21 | Monaro | 9 | Seiffert Oval |
| 21/04/76 | Easts BRL | 38 | Canterbury NZ | 7 | Lang Park |
| 21/04/76 | Newtown | 32 | Ryde-Eastwood | 6 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 21/04/76 | Parramatta | 20 | North Coast | 4 | Oakes Oval |
| 28/04/76 | Riverina | 36 | Fortitude Valley | 2 | Lang Park |
| 28/04/76 | Balmain | 26 | Southern Division | 9 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 5/05/76 | St George | 34 | Western Division | 16 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 5/05/76 | Northern Division | 16 | Illawarra | 9 | Scully Park |
| 5/05/76 | Wests BRL | 17 | Norths BRL | 2 | Lang Park |

## Round 3

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue |
| 12/05/76 | North Sydney | 19 | Newtown | 7 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 19/05/76 | Brothers | 12 | Northern Division | 6 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 26/05/76 | Riverina | 16 | South Sydney | 11 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 2/06/76 | St George | 17 | Cronulla-Sutherland | 12 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 9/06/76 | Manly-Warringah | 24 | Wests BRL | 8 | Lang Park |
| 16/06/76 | Balmain | 28 | Auckland | 8 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 23/06/76 | Parramatta | 22 | Western Suburbs | 2 | Penrith Park |
| 30/06/76 | Canterbury-Bankstown | 13 | Easts BRL | 7 | Leichhardt Oval |

## Quarter finals

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue |
| 7/07/76 | North Sydney | 44 | Riverina | 15 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 14/07/76 | Balmain | 19 | Brothers | 3 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 21/07/76 | Canterbury-Bankstown | 8 | Manly-Warringah | 7 | Leichhardt Oval |
| 28/07/76 | Parramatta | 22 | St George | 20 | Leichhardt Oval |

## Semi finals

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue |
| 4/08/76 | Balmain | 11 | Canterbury-Bankstown | 10 | Lang Park |
| 11/08/76 | North Sydney | 10 | Parramatta | 9 | Leichhardt Oval |

## Final

| Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Score | Venue |
| 18 August | Balmain | 21 | North Sydney | 7 | Leichhardt Oval |
The final attracted a ground record of 21,670 to Leichhardt Oval. Balmain's second-rower Dennis Tutty was named man-of-the-match.

## Awards
### Player of the Series

* John Gray (North Sydney)

### Golden Try

* Paul Hayward (Newtown)