| 2005 NRL season | |
 |
|
| Teams | 15 |
| Premiers |  Wests Tigers (1st title) |
| Minor premiers |  Parramatta (5th title) |
| Matches played | 189 |
| Points scored | 8861 (total) 46.884 (per match) |
| Attendance | 3,276,675 (total) 17,337 (per match) |
| Top points scorer(s) | Brett Hodgson (308) |
| Top try scorer(s) |  Matthew Bowen (21) |
The 2005 NRL season was the 98th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the eighth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen clubs contesting the 2005 Telstra Premiership, which culminated in a grand final between the Wests Tigers and the North Queensland Cowboys.
Contents |
Season summary
In 2005 the NRL's salary cap was $3.25 million for the 25 highest-paid players in a club.[1]
The season was statistically the closest season ever, with just sixteen points separating the Parramatta Eels (1st) and Newcastle Knights (15th). It was also notable in that the previous four premiers failed to qualify for the finals (Bulldogs, Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights).
In the middle of 2005 the NRL reached a broadcasting rights agreement with Foxsports and Channel 9 worth $500 million over six years, representing a 65% increase in direct television income.[2]
The Knights recorded their worst ever start to a season (13 straight losses) and were consigned to last place for the entire season. They did however win 8 of their last 11 games thanks to the return of superstar Andrew Johns. They also recorded their then equal worst ever defeat - a 50-0 thrashing by the Parramatta Eels in round 14. During this match, an EnergyAustralia Stadium attendant ran onto the field, trying to tackle Parramatta's Daniel Wagon before he scored in the 78th minute.
It was announced that the Gold Coast Titans were to be admitted into the NRL as the sixteenth team, scheduled to begin playing in the 2007 season. The Titans would recruit John Cartwright as their inaugural coach and Preston Campbell was their first signing.
Johnathan Thurston won the 2005 Dally M Medal by a single point from Newcastle's Andrew Johns, despite Johns missing over a third of the season with a broken jaw. Johns had previously won the award in 1998, 1999 and 2002.
The two clubs that had players sent off won their matches (unlike in 2004) but the dismissal of John Hopoate made rugby league headlines. Hopoate was sent off in his team's win over the Cronulla Sharks and consequently received a 17-match ban. The Sea Eagles then terminated his contract.
The Wests Tigers became the first ever joint venture club to win the premiership, having formed in 2000 as a union between the Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies, both foundation members of the original New South Wales Rugby Football League.
Teams
Advertising
In 2005 the NRL and their advertising agency MJW Hakuhodo for the third year running stayed with the Hoodoo Gurus' "That's My Team" soundtrack and developed three different musical executions.
The campaign focussed on the association of "strength" with the game and the ads featured three different musical interpretations of the song all without vocals. Each was created intending to bring out the positionings of rugby league characteristice of ‘strength of body’, ‘strength of mind’ and ‘strength of character’
Outdoor supersites also featured in suburban locations in NSW and local cinema versions of the TVC ran with a call to action inviting fans to attend a game of the team local to the cinema location.[3].
Records Set In 2005
- The Brisbane Broncos club record for their biggest loss now stands at 46 points, when they lost 50-4 against the Melbourne Storm at Olympic Park in round 4. It was also the first ever time the Broncos conceded 50 points in a match.
- The Newcastle Knights lost a club record 13 straight matches from 13th March - 19th June. Also making them wooden spooners for the very first time.
- In rounds 23 and 24, the Canterbury Bulldogs suffered their worst defeats in 7 decades when they lost 56-4 against the Parramatta Eels in round 23, then lost 54-2 against Wests Tigers in round 24, this game still stands as the Wests Tigers biggest ever win.
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parramatta |
24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 704 | 456 | +248 | 36 |
| 2 |  St George Illawarra |
24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 655 | 510 | +145 | 36 |
| 3 |  Brisbane |
24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 597 | 484 | +113 | 34 |
| 4 | Wests Tigers |
24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 676 | 575 | +101 | 32 |
| 5 | North Queensland |
24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 639 | 563 | +76 | 32 |
| 6 |  Melbourne |
24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 640 | 462 | +178 | 30 |
| 7 |  Cronulla |
24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 550 | 564 | -14 | 28 |
| 8 |  Manly |
24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 554 | 632 | -78 | 28 |
| 9 |  Sydney |
24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 488 | 487 | +1 | 26 |
| 10 |  Penrith |
24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 554 | 554 | =0 | 26 |
| 11 |  New Zealand |
24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 515 | 528 | -13 | 24 |
| 12 |  Canterbury |
24 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 472 | 670 | -198 | 23 |
| 13 |  South Sydney |
24 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 482 | 700 | -218 | 23 |
| 14 |  Canberra |
24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 465 | 606 | -141 | 22 |
| 15 |  Newcastle |
24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 467 | 667 | -200 | 20 |
Finals
Grand Final
| Wests Tigers | Position | North Queensland |
|---|---|---|
| Brett Hodgson | FB | Matthew Bowen |
| Daniel Fitzhenry | WG | Ty Williams |
| Shane Elford | CE | Josh Hannay |
| Paul Whatuira | CE | Paul Bowman |
| Pat Richards | WG | Matt Sing |
| Benji Marshall | FE | Justin Smith |
| Scott Prince (c) | HB | Johnathan Thurston |
| Anthony Laffranchi | PR | Paul Rauhihi |
| Robbie Farah | HK | Aaron Payne |
| John Skandalis | PR | Shane Tronc |
| Ben Galea | SR | Steve Southern |
| Mark O'Neill | SR | Luke O'Donnell |
| Dene Halatau | LK | Travis Norton (c) |
| Liam Fulton | Interchange | Brett Firman |
| Chris Heighington | Interchange | Rod Jensen |
| Bryce Gibbs | Interchange | David Faiumu |
| Todd Payten | Interchange | Mitchell Sargent |
| Tim Sheens | Coach | Graham Murray |
After winning twelve of their last fourteen games, including impressive victories against the Cowboys (twice), Broncos and Dragons in the finals, the Wests Tigers reached their first Grand Final. They faced the North Queensland Cowboys who were also making their Grand Final debut since entering the competition in the 1995 ARL season.
The enduring memory from the match was a break and flick pass from Benji Marshall which saw Pat Richards score the Tigers' second try. The movement happened in the critical period leading up to half-time with the scores locked at 6 all. After a positive set of tackles, Cowboys half-back Johnathan Thurston kicked deep to the corner from the Tigers' 40 where fullback Brett Hodgson fielded the ball three metres from his own line.
In support was Marshall who had been defending on the left wing. The Cowboys' chase was staggered and Marshall sped past the kicker, Thurston and dragged himself out of the attempted tackle of Matt Sing. He also left Cowboy David Faiumu in his wake as he hit top speed and crossed into North Queensland's territory. He was near the Cowboys 40m line when he encountered fullback Matt Bowen looming in defence. By this time Richards was positioned for Marshall's reverse pass which would give him a shot for the line. Instead of the more standard hand-off, Marshall added a flourish with a barely perceptible flick of the wrist. The ball floated into Richards' hands and he set sail for the line, scoring after a fend to Rod Jensen and then a 38-metre dash.
The Tigers increased their lead after half-time with hooker Robbie Farah sending prop Anthony Laffranchi into a gap to take the score to 18-6. The Cowboys responded when their most dangerous player Thurston put captain Travis Norton over to score 15 minutes into the second half.
Tigers' halfback and captain Scott Prince, who won the Clive Churchill Medal on the day, later drifted across field and showed the ball to three defenders before centre Shane Elford released winger Daniel Fitzhenry on a short dash to the line. Hodgson's sideline conversion restored the 12-point lead and the Tigers' confidence soared.
The win was a triumph for unfashionable forwards John Skandalis, who started with the Western Suburbs Magpies in 1996, and Mark O'Neill in his last match, who had started his career with the Balmain Tigers.
30 |
Wests Tigers |
|---|---|
| Tries | Gibbs, Richards, Laffranchi,
Fitzhenry, Payten |
| Goals | Hodgson 5/5 |
| Field Goals | |
16 |
|
| Tries | Bowen, Norton, Sing |
| Goals | Hannay 2/3 |
| Field Goals |
Clive Churchill Medal: Scott Prince
When They Scored
8th Minute: North Queensland 6-0 (M.Bowen try; Hannay goal)
18th Minute: Tied 6-6 (Gibbs try; Hodgson goal)
35th Minute: Wests Tigers 12-6 (Richards try; Hodgson goal)
45th Minute: Wests Tigers 18-6 (Laffranchi try; Hodgson goal)
55th Minute: Wests Tigers 18-12 (Norton try; Hannay goal)
63rd Minute: Wests Tigers 24-12 (Fitzhenry try; Hodgson goal)
76th Minute: Wests Tigers 24-16 (Sing try)
80th Minute: Wests Tigers 30-16 (Payton try; Hodgson goal)
Statistics
Records set in 2005
- Newcastle Knights' club record for their longest losing streak with 13 games from round 1 to round 15.
- Canterbury Bulldogs equalled the record of most points in a match by a losing side, scoring 36 points in their 37-36 loss to the Wests Tigers in round 3.
- Wests Tigers' club record for their longest winning streak with 8 wins from round 16 to round 24.
- Wests Tigers' standing record for their biggest ever win : 54-2 over the Canterbury Bulldogs in Round 24.
- Wests Tigers came only the third team in history to win a premiership in their first finals campaign; only behind South Sydney Rabbitohs in 1908 and Newtown in 1910
Leading try scorers
| Rank | Tries | Player | Team | Matches | Try Ave. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | Billy Slater | Melbourne Storm | 21 | 0.95 |
| 1 | 20 | Matt Bowen | North Queensland Cowboys | 25 | 0.80 |
| 1 | 20 | Colin Best | St George Illawarra Dragons | 26 | 0.77 |
| 1 | 20 | Pat Richards | Wests Tigers | 28 | 0.71 |
| 5 | 19 | Shaun Berrigan | Brisbane Broncos | 23 | 0.83 |
| 6 | 18 | Ty Williams | North Queensland Cowboys | 23 | 0.78 |
| 7 | 17 | Amos Roberts | Sydney Roosters | 24 | 0.71 |
| 6 | 18 | Paul Whatuira | Wests Tigers | 28 | 0.61 |
| 9 | 16 | Brett Stewart | Manly Sea Eagles | 24 | 0.67 |
| 9 | 16 | David Simmons | Cronulla Sharks | 25 | 0.64 |
| 9 | 16 | Matt Sing | North Queensland Cowboys | 25 | 0.64 |
Leading point scorers
| Rank | Points | Player | Team | Matches | Tries | Gls | Fld Goals | Pts Ave. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 308 | Brett Hodgson | Wests Tigers | 28 | 15 | 124 | - | 11.00 |
| 2 | 214 | Luke Burt | Parramatta Eels | 23 | 11 | 85 | - | 9.30 |
| 3 | 190 | Preston Campbell | Penrith Panthers | 23 | 11 | 73 | - | 8.26 |
| 4 | 186 | Luke Covell | Cronulla Sharks | 22 | 9 | 75 | - | 8.45 |
| 5 | 180 | Hazem El Masri | Bulldogs | 18 | 11 | 68 | - | 10.00 |
| 6 | 172 | Matt Orford | Melbourne Storm | 26 | 11 | 63 | 2 | 6.62 |
| 7 | 152 | Josh Hannay | North Queensland Cowboys | 21 | 7 | 62 | - | 7.24 |
| 8 | 147 | Stacey Jones | New Zealand Warriors | 23 | 5 | 63 | 1 | 6.39 |
| 9 | 142 | Clinton Schifcofske | Canberra Raiders | 19 | 6 | 58 | 2 | 7.47 |
| 10 | 140 | Michael Witt | Manly Sea Eagles | 19 | 5 | 60 | - | 7.37 |
Sources and footnotes
- ^ Solomon, David (2007). Pillars of power: Australia's institutions. Federation Press. pp. 204. ISBN 1862876452, 9781862876453. http://books.google.com/books?id=LfNCBtoDV4EC&printsec=frontcover.
- ^ "NRL secures $500m rights deal". ABC News (Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 2005-07-01. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2005/07/01/1405200.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
- ^ B&T magazine article 2005
External links
- NRL official website
- LeagueUnlimited
- Rugby League Tables and Statistics 2005
- Sports Australia League
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