Australia Cup (Historical Hypotheticals)

[NicCarBel]

One of my boredom projects that's popped into my head as part of my pyramid/database, is I kind of want to envision a national "Round of 32" for the Australia Cup, as if it existed in the past (in as close to it's current format as possible).

Results obtained either via Wikipedia, or SoccerAust.Co.Uk


I'm going to start with 1971 as an example - for reasons that will become evident by the time I'm finished this first post

Essentially, I will be sticking to the 2026 Australia Cup allocations where possible:

• ACT - 1
• Nth NSW - 2
• NSW - 4
• NT - 1
• QLD - 4
• SA - 2
• TAS - 1
• VIC - 4
• WA - 2

This does obviously leave 11 spots left to redistribute, as there was no NSL yet, so through the lovely mathematics of ChatGPT - trying to keep the same distribution percentages:

• ACT - 2
• Nth NSW - 3
• NSW - 5
• NT - 2
• QLD - 6
• SA - 3
• TAS - 2
• VIC - 6
• WA - 3

Next dilemma is, from what I have gathered of information, there was no cup competition in NT at this time (earliest record I have is 2006), so adjusting for removing NT:

• ACT - 2
• Nth NSW - 3
• NSW - 7
• QLD - 6
• SA - 3

TAS - 2

• VIC - 6
• WA - 3

Now, we have to determine exactly which competitions would count. This is the conclusion I've come to, based off records available online:

• ACT - Federation Cup
• NSW - Waratah Cup
• VIC - Dockerty Cup
• Nth NSW - Ampol Cup
• WA - D'Orsogna Cup
• TAS - Milan Lakoseljac Cup (may have been called the Ampol Cup that season as well)
• QLD - QLD Qantas Cup
• SA - Federation Cup (probably called the Ampol Cup)

Next issue that I've gotten, is that Nth NSW's Ampol Cup for 1971 only has the Final listed. As I can't see who the semi-finalists were, I'm now going to give the 3rd Nth NSW spot to Victoria (plus, it also helps even it up with NSW).

• ACT - 2
• Nth NSW - 2
• NSW - 7
• QLD - 6
• SA - 3
• TAS - 2
• VIC - 7
• WA - 3

Alright, now lets get some placements in:

• ACT
  • 2 Federation Cup finalists
• Nth NSW
  • 2 Ampol Cup finalists
• TAS
  • 2 Milan Lakoseljac Cup finalists

Now, things get a little tricky with the rest of the states, for a variety of reasons:

• as the final qualifiers won't be matched up to rounds. In these instances, I'm labelling all the possible clubs in these spots.
• Also, it looks like some comps aren't exactly synced with records.

• SA
  • No third place playoff, so both semi finalists have been listed with an asterick, as only one would qualify for the national stage
• WA - D'Orsogna Cup
  • No third place playoff, so both semi finalists have been listed with an asterick, as only one would qualify for the national stage
• QLD - Qantas Cup
  • Only the semi final results onwards were available, so have had to reduce QLD from 6 to 4. These slots will be given to VIC and NSW to get a nice clean 8 each.
• VIC - Dockerty Cup
  • 8 quarter finalists
• NSW
  • 8 quarter finalists

FULL TABLE OF QUALIFIERS

State	Club	Qualification	Current Status (as of 2026)
NSW	Hakoah Eastern Suburbs	Waratah Cup winners	Hakoah Sydney City East - NSW League One
NSW	South Sydney Croatia	Waratah Cup runner up	Sydney United 58 - National Premier League NSW
NSW	Prague	Waratah Cup semi finalist	Merged with SSC Yugal in 1973, which dissolved in 1992
NSW	Ryde	Waratah Cup semi finalist	Unknown - could be Ryde Panthers (NSW - North West Sydney Division 2)
NSW	Bellambi	Waratah Cup quarter finalist	NSW - South Coast Premier League 3
NSW	St George Budapest	Waratah Cup quarter finalist	St George FC - National Premier League NSW
NSW	APIA Leichardt	Waratah Cup quarter finalist	National Premier League NSW
NSW	Pan Hellenic	Waratah Cup quarter finalist	Sydney Olympic - National Premier League NSW
VIC	Juventus	Dockerty Cup winners	Brunswick Zebras - VIC State League 3 North-West
VIC	Footscray JUST	Dockerty Cup runner up	Dissolved as part of takeover in 1990. Melbourne City (not the A-League one) formed out of the takeover (VIC State League 5 North-West)
VIC	Sunshine City	Dockerty Cup semi finalist	Merged with George Cross in 1983, to become what is now Caroline Springs George Cross (National Premier League Victoria)
VIC	Keilor City	Dockerty Cup semi finalist	Merged with Central Altona in 1979, now known as Altona Magic (National Premier League Victoria)
VIC	Hakoah	Dockerty Cup quarter finalist	Merged with South Melbourne in 1982 (National Premier League Victoria)
VIC	Ringwood City Wilhelmina	Dockerty Cup quarter finalist	Ringwood City - VIC State League 4 South-East
VIC	Polonia	Dockerty Cup quarter finalist	Western Eagles - VIC State League 2 North-West
VIC	Fitzroy United Alexander	Dockerty Cup quarter finalist	Heidelberg United - National Premier League Victoria
QLD	Azzurri	Qantas Cup winners	Brisbane City - National Premier League Queensland
QLD	Bardon Latrobe	Qantas Cup runner up	QLD Premier League 4 Metro
QLD	Grange Thistle	Qantas Cup third place	QLD Premier League 2
QLD	Hollandia-Inala	Qantas cup fourth place	Lions FC - National Premier League QLD
SA	Adelaide Juventus	SA Federation Cup winners	Adelaide City - National Premier League SA
SA	West Adelaide Hellas	SA Federation Cup runner up	West Adelaide - National Premier League SA
SA	Elizabeth City *	SA Federation Cup semi finalist	Some form of merger that resulted in Playford City Patriots (National Premier League SA)
SA	Polonia Adelaide *	SA Federation Cup semi finalist	Croydon FC - National Premier League South Australia
WA	Azzurri	D'Orsogna Cup winner	Merged with East Fremantle Tricolore and Balcatta Etna to Form Perth Italia SC in 1987. Now known as Perth Azzurri SC (National Premier League WA)
WA	Olympic	D'Orsogna Cup runner up	Olympic Kingsway - National Premier League WA
WA	Swan Valley *	D'Orsogna Cup semi finalist	WA Amateur League Division 2
WA	Cracovia *	D'Orsogna Cup semi finalist	WA Amateur League Division 1
Nth NSW	New Lambton South	Northern NSW Ampol Cup winners	unsure - appears to be separate to 'New Lambton Eagles' that currently competes in Northern NSW League One
Nth NSW	Adamstown Rosebud	Northern NSW Ampol Cup runners up	National Premier League Northern NSW
TAS	Hobart Juventus	Milan Lakoseljac Cup winner	Became Hobart Zebras, and merged with Clarence United to form Clarence Zebras in 2019 (National Premier League Tasmania)
TAS	Metro Claremont	Milan Lakoseljac Cup runner up	Metro FC - TAS Southern Championship 1
ACT	Griffith United	Federation Cup winners	Yes, THAT Griffith - this was a joint Hanwood and Yoogali team formed to take part in ACT competitions (Hanwood competes in the Wagga Wagga First Grade Pascoe Cup, while Yoogali competed in National Premier League ACT until the end of 2025, and is taking a sabbatical season in 2026 due to its removal by Capital Football. The bulk of the playing squad signed with Griffith City FC, also competing in the Wagga Wagga First Grade Pascoe Cup)
ACT	Forrest United	Federation Cup runner-up	Became Concordia, and merged into Canberra City in 1989 (Capital Football Division 3)

 

[NicCarBel]

Draw for Round of 32

• WA Third Place (Swan Valley v Cracovia) v APIA Leichardt
• West Adelaide Hellas v Prague
• Hobart Juventus v Footscray JUST
• Forrest United v Adamstown Rosebud
• Metro Claremont v Grange Thistle
• Griffith United v Hollandia-Inala
• Pan Hellenic v New Lambton South
• Bellambi v South Sydney Croatia
• Keilor City v Polonia
• Bardon Latrobe v Ringwood City Wilhelmina
• Ryde v Fitzroy United Alexander
• Juventus v Hakoah Eastern Suburbs
• Azzurri (Brisbane) v Hakoah
• SA Third Place (Elizabeth City v Polonia Adelaide) v Sunshine City
• St George Budapest v Adelaide Juventus
• Olympic v Azzurri (Perth)

 

[ashtongate]

No merger involved to produce Playford City.

In 2000 Elizabeth City went into voluntary administration, and was immediately reconstituted as Playford City Patriots.

 

[NicCarBel]

No merger involved to produce Playford City.

In 2000 Elizabeth City went into voluntary administration, and was immediately reconstituted as Playford City Patriots.

Thank you - their history page 404’d, so I wasn’t able to find the full details, but at least I got the club right hahaha