Does the NRL really have room to bring back a midweek cup? PVL thinks so

The NRL competition has changed radically under the reign of Peter V’landys – and the tinkering won’t stop any time soon.

We’ve had new teams introduced, many rule changes – some overdue, others that have drastically altered the game – talk of a grand final week festival of rugby league that would include a third-place play-off, a mooted Global Round and, of course, the Las Vegas season-opener.

V’landys’ latest idea is to revive the old Amco Cup, the midweek knock-out competition that entertained us on winter nights from 1974 to 1989.

The much-loved competition pitched Sydney clubs against sides from around the country, including Brisbane teams, then a Brisbane rep team (in the pre-Broncos era), Western Division (which won the first Cup in 1974), Monaro and Newcastle.

Matches were always played at Leichhardt Oval and the competition became iconic, featuring special balls with white hoops to make them more visible and players smearing boot polish under their eyes to stop the glare from the lights.

The initial reaction to V’landys’ scheme is likely to be one of disbelief, because the season is already too busy for the players. But there is method to his madness.

The interim NRL executive chairman appeared on Mark Bouris′ Straight Talk podcast for a 67-minute chat earlier in the week, and spoke through many issues.

Two of them were expansion and the length of the season, which, at 27 rounds – with teams playing 24 games and having three byes – is too demanding on the players, especially when you throw in finals, State of Origin and Test matches.

V’landys explained that he thought the optimum number of teams was 22 eventually, which would allow for a home-and-away season of 21 matches, with teams playing each other once.

The problem with that is it leaves broadcasters short of content, as there would be three fewer matches per team. After spending more than $5 billion combined for the broadcasting rights, Nine Entertainment (the publisher of this masthead) and Foxtel will expect as many matches as they paid for.

We asked V’landys for more information about the 22 team concept.

“At the moment, with some teams playing each other twice and others only once, you can argue it’s unfair,” he said.

“Twenty-two teams and 21 rounds opens up more opportunity. You can have conferences, and each team plays each other once. We can have flexibility around State of Origin and Test matches.

“And the other thing is, we can bring the Amco Cup back. With less demand on the players, there is room for that. It was a great competition, I loved it back when it was played midweek. Everyone did.”

It’s not as crazy as it sounds.

One of the big problems in the game is the seven-week Origin period, which leaves club teams weakened. If the NRL is paused during Origin, weekends are free.

With 21 rounds, the competition can stop for Origin, with Tests between New Zealand, England and the Pacific nations, as well as “Amco Cup” matches, played at weekends.

With proper financial rewards and some innovation, there’s no reason it won’t work.

It was interesting to hear V’landys call it the Amco Cup, as most of us do.

Amco, the jeans company, sponsored the competition between 1974 and 1979, before Tooth (1980-81), KB (1982-83) and National Panasonic (1984-89).

National Panasonic is the only company to have survived as a brand, under the slightly different name of Panasonic.

Amco was sold to US jeans manufacturer Wrangler in 1979 and can occasionally be found in op shops, while Tooth and KB beer disappeared after its owner Kent Breweries sold to Carlton and United Breweries in 1983.

CUB eventually closed the old Kent Brewery in Broadway near the Sydney CBD in 2003.

Home and ‘away’

The Rabbitohs will be the home team on Friday night when they entertain the Roosters at Allianz Stadium.

It will be the first time the sides have clashed since the Roosters labelled the Rabbitohs as the “Away Team” on the big screen scoreboards earlier this season, leading to a dressing down from NRL HQ.

Relations have since thawed between the clubs somewhat, mainly because of how gracious the Roosters have been towards Jai Arrow, who has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

The Rabbitohs’ idea of naming, and playing, Arrow for a few seconds in each of the last two rounds needed the co-operation of their opponents, the Titans and the Roosters – who both agreed.

To get Arrow to 100 matches for South Sydney, plans were put in place for him to be named as one of 20, instead of 19, and for the Rabbitohs to get an extra interchange so he could leave the field after kick-off.

The plan would have fallen over if their opponents didn’t agree. Going forward, expect hostilities to resume between the bitter rivals.

After years of lobbying with Venues NSW and the state government, the Rabbitohs will be allowed to split their home games between Allianz and Accor Stadium, where they are contracted to play until the end of the 2030 season.

With Allianz still sparkling after its $828 million renovation four years ago, and Accor in desperate need of a facelift, the Rabbitohs felt the state government did not keep up its end of the agreement to make significant improvements at Homebush.

This year, they played two home games at Allianz. Next year they will play four, and five in 2028.

The move will come at a cost to fans.

Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly said fans pay more to attend matches at Allianz as it is a modern venue. He said there was an increase in entry fares in 2027 because the home match they play annually in Perth would be added to their Sydney schedule, meaning one more home game here.

A dual stadium reserved seat for all 12 games will be $550 (including membership), up from about $400 for 10 games at Accor this season, while general admission for 12 games at both stadiums is $340.

Members can also buy packages for just Allianz (four games) or Accor (eight).

The ability to personally choose your fixed seat attracts a premium of $1000.

Chief concern

In a short space of time, the PNG Chiefs have created a lot of noise thanks to football manager Michael Chammas’ signing of top players such as Jarome Luai, Brian To’o, Zac Lomax, Joey Manu et al.

So much so that the Chiefs are inside the heads of every NRL club, who are petrified by the tax-free dollars the Chiefs can offer courtesy of the federal government bankrolling the franchise to the tune of $600 million for their first 10 years.

Take the Bulldogs, for example.

On Wednesday, after a lot of media noise, back-rower Jacob Preston re-signed with the club, much to the delight of fans who see him as the heart and soul of Belmore.

But an Instagram post on the club’s official handle would have given a scare, as it was designed to do. On a photo of Preston, the letters PNG were plastered large above small print that read: “Preston’s not going.”

Funny thing is, Preston was never on the Chiefs’ radar. It’s just that any player off contract is linked to them.

Durban duties

Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg admits they didn’t make any money out of playing Bangladesh twice in Australia’s north over the winter, but he still thinks the two-Test series was a roaring success.

“The numbers on TV were better than Saturday night NRL and AFL, so that’s a win,” Greenberg said.

“It’s not a big money-making venture, but it’s great to showcase cricket in the middle of this period and to take cricket to the north. We’re really happy with how it went.”

Greenberg has a bigger challenge ahead. He will travel with the Test squad to South Africa in October and attend the first Test on October 9 at Kingsmead in Durban.

It will be the first time Australia have played a Test there since Sandpapergate in 2018, and the team knows they are in for a hostile reception.

Greenberg wants to be on the ground with them leading into, and during, the whole first Test.

“I’ve spoken to them all, and they’ve spoken a lot in among themselves. The players are conscious it’s going to be a tough tour, and they’re ready for it,” he said.

Off-field, the team will have extra security.

Bye bye, Moses

Among the retiring players doing a lap of honour on grand final night will be Moses Mbye, despite not playing in the NRL since 2023.

After 194 matches for the Bulldogs, Wests Tigers and the Dragons, plus three State of Origin appearances for Queensland, he played in the Super League for St Helens in 2024 and 2025.

This season he was appointed football manager for the Ipswich Jets in the Queensland Cup and also played halfback in their first grade side until an ankle injury this month ended his playing days.

“I spent the whole season trying to recruit a halfback so I could retire,” Mybe (who, for full disclosure, is my nephew) said.

On grand final night, he’ll have his family with him – wife Maddy, daughters Mya and Milani and son Malakai. All five members have the initials MM.

Cheika dines out

You’ve got to hand it to Michael Cheika – he’s still a man of the people.

Said to be worth more than $200 million from a fashion distribution business career before full-time coaching, the soon-to-be Waratahs coach spends his days as an assistant to Trent Robinson at the Sydney Roosters, based out of their high-performance centre inside Allianz Stadium.

For lunch, he strolls up the hill towards Oxford Street, but not to one of the fancy restaurants along the famous strip in Paddington.

He ventures into the deli at Romeo’s IGA and sits with his lunch at the modest tables outside, alone.

Cheika led the Waratahs to the Super Rugby title in 2014 before famous stints as coach of the Wallabies and Argentina.

Danny Weidler will return in two weeks.