1979 Amco Cup

The 1979 Amco Cup was the 6th 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 and the NZRL.

1979 NSWRFL Midweek Cup
NSWRFL Amco Cup
Tournament details
Dates28 March - 15 August 1979
Teams16
Venue(s)5 (in 4 host cities)
Final positions
ChampionsCronulla-Sutherland (1st title)
Runners-upBrisbane
Tournament statistics
Matches played27
1978
1980

A total of 16 teams from across Australia and New Zealand played 27 matches in a round-robin group format with the winners of each group advancing to a knockout stage, with the matches being held midweek during the premiership season.

Qualified Teams

TeamNicknameLeagueQualificationParticipation (bold indicates winners)
Manly-WarringahSea EaglesNSWRFLWinners of the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
Cronulla-SutherlandSharksNSWRFLRunners-Up in the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
Western SuburbsMagpiesNSWRFLThird Place in the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
ParramattaEelsNSWRFLFourth Place in the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
Canterbury-BankstownBulldogsNSWRFLFifth Place in the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
Eastern SuburbsRoostersNSWRFLSixth Place in the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
South SydneyRabbitohsNSWRFLSeventh Place in the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
St. GeorgeDragonsNSWRFLEighth Place in the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
BalmainTigersNSWRFLNinth Place in the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
PenrithPanthersNSWRFLTenth Place in the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
North SydneyBearsNSWRFLEleventh Place in the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
NewtownJetsNSWRFLTwelfth Place in the 1978 New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)
BrisbanePoinsettiasBRLLeague Representative Team1st
NSW CountryKangaroosCRLCountry Representative Team1st
Queensland CountryMaroonsQRLCountry Representative Team1st
AucklandFalconsNZRLWinners of the 1978 New Zealand Rugby League Inter-District Premiership6th (Previous: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978)

Venues

SydneyBrisbaneLismoreGriffith
Leichhardt OvalPenrith ParkLang ParkOakes OvalWest End Stadium
Capacity: 23,000Capacity: 22,500Capacity: 45,000Capacity: 12,000Capacity: 10,000

Group A

DateWinnerScoreLoserScoreVenue
28/03/79 Eastern Suburbs19 Manly-Warringah7Leichhardt Oval
2/05/79 Combined Brisbane13 St George10Lang Park
30/05/79 Eastern Suburbs12 St George6Leichhardt Oval
27/06/79 Combined Brisbane13 Manly-Warringah10Leichhardt Oval
18/07/79 St George7 Manly-Warringah4Griffith
25/07/79 Combined Brisbane17 Eastern Suburbs8Lang Park
ClubPlayedWonLostDrawnForAgainstDiff.Points
Combined Brisbane33004328156
Eastern Suburbs3201393094
St George31022329-62
Manly-Warringah30032139-180

Group B

DateWinnerScoreLoserScoreVenue
4/04/79 Cronulla-Sutherland22 Canterbury-Bankstown8Leichhardt Oval
11/04/79 Penrith12 Auckland5Leichhardt Oval
9/05/79 Penrith18 Cronulla-Sutherland10Penrith Park
30/05/79 Canterbury-Bankstown12 Auckland3Leichhardt Oval
4/07/79 Canterbury-Bankstown18 Penrith10Leichhardt Oval
11/07/79 Cronulla-Sutherland30 Auckland10Leichhardt Oval
ClubPlayedWonLostDrawnForAgainstDiff.Points
Cronulla-Sutherland32016236264
Penrith3201403374
Canterbury-Bankstown3201383534
Auckland30031854-360

Group C

DateWinnerScoreLoserScoreVenue
19/04/79 Parramatta44 North Sydney10Leichhardt Oval
15/05/79 QLD Country16 Newtown14Lang Park
13/06/79 Newtown15 Parramatta13Leichhardt Oval
21/06/79 QLD Country12 North Sydney5Lang Park
4/07/79 QLD Country18 Parramatta9Lang Park
12/07/79 North Sydney35 Newtown13Leichhardt Oval
ClubPlayedWonLostDrawnForAgainstDiff.Points
QLD Country33004628186
Parramatta31026643232
North Sydney31025069-192
Newtown31024264-222

Group D

DateWinnerScoreLoserScoreVenue
25/04/79 Western Suburbs22 Balmain11Leichhardt Oval
23/05/79 South Sydney25 NSW Country10Leichhardt Oval
6/06/79 NSW Country14 Western Suburbs11Leichhardt Oval
20/06/79 Balmain5 South Sydney3Leichhardt Oval
11/07/79 Balmain25 NSW Country11Leichhardt Oval
18/07/79 South Sydney9 Western Suburbs7Leichhardt Oval
ClubPlayedWonLostDrawnForAgainstDiff.Points
South Sydney32013722154
Balmain3201413654
Western Suburbs3102403462
NSW Country31023561-262

Semi finals

DateWinnerScoreLoserScoreVenue
1/08/79 Cronulla-Sutherland13 South Sydney9Leichhardt Oval
8/08/79 Combined Brisbane8 QLD Country5Lang Park

Final

15 August 1979
Cronulla-Sutherland22–5Combined Brisbane
Tries: Gary Cameron (3), Rick Bourke
Goals: Steve Rogers (5)
Try: Norm Carr
Goal: Mal Meninga
Leichhardt Oval
Attendance: 15,800[1]
Referee: Greg Hartley
Player of the Match: Gary Cameron

Player of the Series

Golden Try

Sources