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 teams contesting the 2005 Telstra Premiership, which culminated in a grand final between the Wests Tigers and the North Queensland Cowboys.
2005 National Rugby League | |
---|---|
Teams | 15 |
Premiers | Wests Tigers (1st title) |
Minor premiers | Parramatta Eels (5th title) |
Matches played | 189 |
Points scored | 8861 |
Average attendance | 17,337 |
Attendance | 3,276,675 |
Top points scorer(s) | Brett Hodgson (308) |
Dally M Medal | Johnathan Thurston |
Top try-scorer(s) | Matt Bowen (21) |
Season summary
editIn 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. The Knights also defeated five of the top eight teams during the season, four of which were at home. 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.[3] Minor premiers the Parramatta Eels lost to each of the bottom four teams (Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Raiders and Knights in rounds 8, 2, 19 and 20 respectively) during the course of the season.
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.
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
editAdvertising
editIn 2005 the NRL and their advertising agency MJW Hakuhodo for the third year running stayed with the Hoodoo Gurus' "That's My Team" soundtrack[4] 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.[5]
Regular season
editTeam | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | F1 | F2 | F3 | GF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brisbane Broncos | NQL 13 |
NZL −12 |
SYD 18 |
MEL −46 |
PAR 40 |
SGI 10 |
CRO 4 |
MAN 26 |
CBY 7 |
NQL 17 |
X | SOU 24 |
NEW 18 |
CAN 8 |
WTI 18 |
NZL −12 |
CRO 12 |
X | MEL 13 |
CBY −7 |
CAN 6 |
MAN −1 |
SGI −20 |
PEN −2 |
SYD −7 |
PAR −14 |
MEL −6 |
WTI −28 |
||
Canberra Raiders | X | NEW 25 |
SOU 7 |
SGI 20 |
SYD 8 |
MAN −22 |
MEL −36 |
NEW 4 |
PEN 8 |
CRO −6 |
WTI −12 |
SYD −14 |
X | BRI −8 |
CBY −18 |
NQL 1 |
PEN 8 |
MEL −20 |
PAR 8 |
NZL −8 |
BRI −6 |
WTI −8 |
SOU −13 |
NQL −3 |
PAR −38 |
MAN −18 |
||||
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | SGI 18 |
NQL −12 |
WTI −1 |
CRO −14 |
X | SYD −13 |
NEW 4 |
PAR 14 |
BRI −7 |
MAN −8 |
MEL 10 |
NQL −36 |
SOU 0* |
X | CAN 18 |
MAN 19 |
MEL −27 |
NZL 2 |
PEN 2 |
BRI 7 |
SOU −13 |
NEW −15 |
PAR −52 |
WTI −52 |
PEN −22 |
SYD −20 |
||||
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | PEN 6 |
MAN −26 |
PAR 8 |
CBY 14 |
NQL 32 |
X | BRI −4 |
MEL 20 |
NZL 4 |
CAN 6 |
PEN 8 |
PAR −8 |
NQL −42 |
WTI −16 |
SYD 6 |
X | BRI −12 |
SOU −10 |
NEW 4* |
SGI −10 |
WTI −40 |
MEL 24 |
SYD −6 |
MAN 62 |
NEW −30 |
SOU −4 |
SGI −6 |
|||
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | NZL 6 |
CRO 26 |
MEL 7 |
X | SGI −26 |
CAN 22 |
SOU 34 |
BRI −26 |
WTI 8 |
CBY 8 |
PAR −6 |
PEN 10 |
SYD 4 |
SOU −38 |
NEW 22 |
CBY −19 |
WTI −25 |
PEN −4 |
SGI −26 |
X | NQL −2 |
BRI 1 |
NEW −8 |
CRO −62 |
NZL −2 |
CAN 18 |
PAR −24 |
|||
Melbourne Storm | NEW 38 |
SGI 34 |
MAN −7 |
BRI 46 |
PEN −20 |
PAR −12 |
CAN 36 |
CRO −20 |
X | SOU 26 |
CBY −10 |
SGI 8 |
WTI 16 |
NZL −8 |
PEN −14 |
SOU 42 |
CBY 27 |
CAN 20 |
BRI −13 |
SYD 14 |
NEW −19 |
CRO −24 |
NZL 12 |
X | WTI 12 |
NQL −6 |
BRI 6 |
NQL −8 |
||
Newcastle Knights | MEL −38 |
CAN −25 |
X | NQL −34 |
SOU −25 |
NZL −4 |
CBY −4 |
CAN −4 |
SYD −30 |
WTI −16 |
SGI −2 |
X | BRI −18 |
PAR −50 |
MAN −22 |
PEN 4 |
SYD −14 |
NQL 4 |
CRO −4* |
PAR 6 |
MEL 19 |
CBY 15 |
MAN 8 |
NZL 12 |
CRO 30 |
SGI −8 |
||||
New Zealand Warriors | MAN −6 |
BRI 12 |
NQL −10 |
SOU 32 |
WTI −18 |
NEW 4 |
X | PEN −2 |
CRO −4 |
SYD −4 |
SOU 18 |
WTI 17 |
SGI −14 |
MEL 8 |
PAR −10 |
BRI 12 |
NQL −8 |
CBY −2 |
SYD 2 |
CAN 8 |
PEN −8 |
PAR −18 |
MEL −12 |
NEW −12 |
MAN 2 |
X | ||||
North Queensland Cowboys | BRI −13 |
CBY 12 |
NZL 10 |
NEW 34 |
CRO −32 |
WTI 24 |
PEN 14 |
SYD 20 |
PAR −38 |
BRI −17 |
X | CBY 36 |
CRO 42 |
SGI −30 |
X | CAN −1 |
NZL 8 |
NEW −4 |
SOU −2 |
PEN 20 |
MAN 2 |
SGI −20 |
WTI −12 |
CAN 3 |
SOU 14 |
MEL 6 |
WTI −44 |
MEL 8 |
PAR 29 |
WTI −14 |
Parramatta Eels | WTI 16 |
SOU −23 |
CRO −8 |
PEN 10 |
BRI −40 |
MEL 12 |
WTI 10 |
CBY −14 |
NQL 38 |
X | MAN 6 |
CRO 8 |
PEN 10 |
NEW 50 |
NZL 10 |
SYD −4 |
SOU 36 |
SGI 26 |
CAN −8 |
NEW −6 |
X | NZL 18 |
CBY 52 |
SGI −3 |
CAN 38 |
BRI 14 |
MAN 24 |
X | NQL −29 |
|
Penrith Panthers | CRO −6 |
SYD −8 |
SGI 10 |
PAR −10 |
MEL 20 |
SOU 30 |
NQL −14 |
NZL 2 |
CAN −8 |
SGI −22 |
CRO −8 |
MAN −10 |
PAR −10 |
X | MEL 14 |
NEW −4 |
CAN −8 |
MAN 4 |
CBY −2 |
NQL −20 |
NZL 8 |
SYD 2 |
X | BRI 2 |
CBY 22 |
WTI 16 |
||||
South Sydney Rabbitohs | SYD −12 |
PAR 23 |
CAN −7 |
NZL −32 |
NEW 25 |
PEN −30 |
MAN −34 |
X | SGI −32 |
MEL −26 |
NZL −18 |
BRI −24 |
CBY 0* |
MAN 38 |
SGI −18 |
MEL −42 |
PAR −36 |
CRO 10 |
NQL 2 |
WTI −22 |
CBY 13 |
X | CAN 13 |
SYD 1 |
NQL −14 |
CRO 4 |
||||
St. George Illawarra Dragons | CBY −18 |
MEL −34 |
PEN −10 |
CAN −20 |
MAN 26 |
BRI −10 |
SYD 2 |
WTI 8 |
SOU 32 |
PEN 22 |
NEW 2 |
MEL −8 |
NZL 14 |
NQL 30 |
SOU 18 |
WTI −8 |
X | PAR −26 |
MAN 26 |
CRO 10 |
SYD 38 |
NQL 20 |
BRI 20 |
PAR 3 |
X | NEW 8 |
CRO 6 |
X | WTI −8 |
|
Sydney Roosters | SOU 12 |
PEN 8 |
BRI −18 |
WTI −6 |
CAN −8 |
CBY 13 |
SGI −2 |
NQL −20 |
NEW 30 |
NZL 4 |
X | CAN 14 |
MAN −4 |
X | CRO −6 |
PAR 4 |
NEW 14 |
WTI −10 |
NZL −2 |
MEL −14 |
SGI −38 |
PEN −2 |
CRO 6 |
SOU −1 |
BRI 7 |
CBY 20 |
||||
Wests Tigers | PAR −16 |
X | CBY 1 |
SYD 6 |
NZL 18 |
NQL −24 |
PAR −10 |
SGI −8 |
MAN −8 |
NEW 16 |
CAN 12 |
NZL −17 |
MEL −16 |
CRO 16 |
BRI −18 |
SGI 8 |
MAN 25 |
SYD 10 |
X | SOU 22 |
CRO 40 |
CAN 8 |
NQL 12 |
CBY 52 |
MEL −12 |
PEN −16 |
NQL 44 |
BRI 28 |
SGI 8 |
NQL 14 |
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | F1 | F2 | F3 | GF |
Bold – Home game
X – Bye
* – Golden point game
Opponent for round listed above margin
Ladder
editPos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Parramatta Eels | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 704 | 456 | 248 | 36 |
2 | St George Illawarra Dragons | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 655 | 510 | 145 | 36 |
3 | Brisbane Broncos | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 597 | 484 | 113 | 34 |
4 | Wests Tigers (P) | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 676 | 575 | 101 | 32 |
5 | North Queensland Cowboys | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 639 | 563 | 76 | 32 |
6 | Melbourne Storm | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 640 | 462 | 178 | 30 |
7 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 550 | 564 | -14 | 28 |
8 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 554 | 632 | -78 | 28 |
9 | Sydney Roosters | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 488 | 487 | 1 | 26 |
10 | Penrith Panthers | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 554 | 554 | 0 | 26 |
11 | New Zealand Warriors | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 515 | 528 | -13 | 24 |
12 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 24 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 472 | 670 | -198 | 23 |
13 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 24 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 482 | 700 | -218 | 23 |
14 | Canberra Raiders | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 465 | 606 | -141 | 22 |
15 | Newcastle Knights | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 467 | 667 | -200 | 20 |
Ladder progression
edit- Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 8.
- Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
- Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished in last place on the ladder in that round
- Underlined numbers indicate that the team had a bye during that round.
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Parramatta | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 34 | 36 |
2 | St George Illawarra | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 |
3 | Brisbane | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 |
4 | Wests | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
5 | North Queensland | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 |
6 | Melbourne | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 30 |
7 | Cronulla-Sutherland | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
8 | Manly-Warringah | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 28 |
9 | Sydney | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 26 |
10 | Penrith | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 |
11 | New Zealand | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
12 | Bulldogs | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
13 | South Sydney | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 23 |
14 | Canberra | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
15 | Newcastle | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 |
Finals series
editTo decide the grand finalists from the top eight finishing teams, the NRL adopts the McIntyre final eight system.
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Crowd | |||||
Qualifying Finals | ||||||||
Wests Tigers | 50 – 6 | North Queensland Cowboys | 9 September 2005 | Telstra Stadium | Paul Simpkins | 26,463 | ||
Brisbane Broncos | 18 – 24 | Melbourne Storm | 10 September 2005 | Suncorp Stadium | Steve Clark | 25,193 | ||
St. George Illawarra Dragons | 28 – 22 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 10 September 2005 | WIN Stadium | Tony Archer | 19,608 | ||
Parramatta Eels | 46 – 22 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | 11 September 2005 | Parramatta Stadium | Tim Mander | 19,710 | ||
Semi-finals | ||||||||
Melbourne Storm | 16 – 24 | North Queensland Cowboys | 17 September 2005 | Aussie Stadium | Paul Simpkins | 16,810 | ||
Wests Tigers | 34 – 6 | Brisbane Broncos | 18 September 2005 | Aussie Stadium | Tim Mander | 36,563 | ||
Preliminary Finals | ||||||||
St. George Illawarra Dragons | 12 – 20 | Wests Tigers | 24 September 2005 | Aussie Stadium | Tim Mander | 41,260 | ||
Parramatta Eels | 0 – 29 | North Queensland Cowboys | 25 September 2005 | Telstra Stadium | Steve Clark | 44,327 |
Finals Chart
editGrand Final
editWests Tigers | 30 – 16 | North Queensland Cowboys |
---|---|---|
Tries: 5 Gibbs 18' Richards 35' Laffranchi 45' Fitzhenry 63' Payten 80' Goals: 5 Hodgson 19', 37', 47', 64', 80' (5/6) Field goals: Prince (0/1) |
1st: 12–6 2nd: 18–10 Report[6] |
Tries: 3 Bowen 8' Norton 55' Sing 78' Goals: 2 Hannay 10', 56' (2/3) |
Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 82,453 Referee: Tim Mander Touch judges: Steve Carrall, Matt Cecchin Clive Churchill Medal: Scott Prince (Wests Tigers) |
Statistics and records
edit- The Broncos' Darren Smith was the NRL's oldest player in 2005 at 36 years and 284 days.[7]
- The Brisbane Broncos set a new club record for highest score conceded (50 points) and greatest losing margin (46 points), when they lost 50-4 against the Melbourne Storm at Olympic Park in Round 4. These records were broken in 2020 when they lost 59-0 to the Sydney Roosters in round 4, which was the first (of two) time Brisbane have failed to score a point at their home of Suncorp Stadium.
- The Newcastle Knights lost a club record 13 straight matches from 13 March - 19 June, and went on to win the wooden spoon for the first time.
- In Rounds 23 and 24, the Canterbury Bulldogs suffered their worst defeats since 1935, when they lost 56-4 against the Parramatta Eels in Round 23, then lost 54-2 against Wests Tigers in Round 24.
- Wests Tigers' club record for their longest winning streak with 8 wins from round 16 to round 24.
Player statistics
editThe following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 26.
Top 5 point scorers
Top 5 try scorers
|
Top 5 goal scorers
|
2005 Transfers
editPlayers
editCoaches
editCoach | 2004 Club | 2005 Club |
---|---|---|
Daniel Anderson | New Zealand Warriors | Super League: St. Helens |
Sources and footnotes
edit- ^ Solomon, David (2007). Pillars of power: Australia's institutions. Federation Press. p. 204. ISBN 978-1-86287-645-3.
- ^ "NRL secures $500m rights deal". ABC News. Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2005-07-01. Archived from the original on 2010-03-09. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
- ^ "Knights put to the sword by Eels". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2005-06-11. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ Pace, Daniel (2005-03-02). "Same theme, different sound for NRL ads". AAP Sports News. Australia: The Gale Group, Inc. (). Retrieved 2010-06-30.[permanent dead link ][dead link ]
- ^ B&T magazine article 2005 Archived September 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Middleton, David. 2005 Official Rugby League Annual. Sydney: News Magazines. pp. 112–113.112-113&rft.pub=News Magazines&rft.aulast=Middleton&rft.aufirst=David&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:2005 NRL season" class="Z3988">
- ^ Toohey, Barry (2 February 2011). "Still some bite in old Mad Dog". The Daily Telegraph. Australia: News Limited. Retrieved 2 February 2011.