National Rugby League season 2005

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The year 2005's National Rugby League (NRL) premiership was the 98th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the eighth run by the NRL. The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen clubs contesting the 2005 Telstra Premiership. The Wests Tigers won their first premiership, beating the North Queensland Cowboys in the grand final.

[edit] Season summary

The 2005 NRL season was statistically the closest season ever, with just sixteen points separating the Parramatta Eels (first) and Newcastle Knights (fifteenth). It was also notable in that the previous four premiers failed to qualify for the finals (Bulldogs, Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights). During the season, the National Rugby League announced a six-year $500 million television deal with Channel Nine and Fox Sports, to take effect in 2007.

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.

[edit] Teams

[edit] 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.^[1].

[edit] Ladder

[edit] Finals

[edit] Grand Final

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 ARL season 1995.

The enduring memory from the match was a sublime break and flick pass from Benji Marshall which saw Pat Richards score the Tigers' second try. The moment 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 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.

Wests Tigers 30 (Tries: Gibbs, Richards, Laffranchi, Fitzhenry, Payten. Goals: Hodgson 5/5)

North Queensland Cowboys 16 (Tries: Bowen, Norton, Sing. Goals: Hannay 2/3 )

Clive Churchill Medal: Scott Prince

[edit] Statistics

[edit] Records set in 2005

[edit] Leading try scorers

[edit] Leading point scorers

[edit] Sources and footnotes

[edit] See also

[edit] External links