2005 NRL season
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.
Season summary
In 2005 the NRL's salary cap was $3.25 million for the 25 highest-paid players in a club.The season was statistically the closest season ever, with just sixteen points separating the Parramatta Eels and Newcastle Knights. It was also notable in that the previous four premiers failed to qualify for the finals.
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.
The Knights recorded their worst ever start to a season 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. Minor premiers the Parramatta Eels lost to each of the bottom four teams 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 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.
Ladder
Finals series
To decide the grand finalists from the top eight finishing teams, the NRL adopts the McIntyre Final Eight System.Finals Chart
Grand Final
Statistics and records
- The Broncos' Darren Smith was the NRL's oldest player in 2005 at 36 years and 284 days.
- The Brisbane Broncos set a new club record for highest score conceded and greatest losing margin, 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 is also the only 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.
- Wests Tigers' standing record for their biggest ever win : 54-2 over the Canterbury Bulldogs in Round 24.
Leading try scorers
Leading point scorers
2005 Transfers
Players
| Player | 2004 Club | 2005 Club |
| Michael De Vere | Brisbane Broncos | Super League: Huddersfield Giants |
| Craig Frawley | Brisbane Broncos | Canberra Raiders |
| Paul Green | Brisbane Broncos | Retirement |
| Ben Ikin | Brisbane Broncos | Retirement |
| Gorden Tallis | Brisbane Broncos | Retirement |
| Carl Webb | Brisbane Broncos | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Brad Drew | Canberra Raiders | Super League: Huddersfield Giants |
| Mark McLinden | Canberra Raiders | Super League: London Broncos |
| Joel Monaghan | Canberra Raiders | Sydney Roosters |
| Ruben Wiki | Canberra Raiders | New Zealand Warriors |
| Jamie Feeney | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Melbourne Storm |
| Glen Hughes | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Retirement |
| Steve Price | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | New Zealand Warriors |
| Dennis Scott | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Melbourne Storm |
| Johnathan Thurston | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Paul Franze | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Penrith Panthers |
| Jason Kent | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Super League: Leigh Centurions |
| Matthew Rieck | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Wests Tigers |
| Ian Donnelly | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Melbourne Storm |
| Solomon Haumono | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Super League: London Broncos |
| Albert Torrens | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Andrew Walker | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Suspension |
| Rodney Howe | Melbourne Storm | Retirement |
| Stephen Kearney | Melbourne Storm | Super League: Hull F.C. |
| Ben MacDougall | Melbourne Storm | Edinburgh |
| Andrew McFadden | Melbourne Storm | Retirement |
| Kirk Reynoldson | Melbourne Storm | Newcastle Knights |
| Danny Williams | Melbourne Storm | Super League: London Broncos |
| Jamie Fitzgerald | Newcastle Knights | Retirement |
| Ben Kennedy | Newcastle Knights | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Robbie O'Davis | Newcastle Knights | Retirement |
| Matt Parsons | Newcastle Knights | Retirement |
| Russell Richardson | Newcastle Knights | Retirement |
| Timana Tahu | Newcastle Knights | Parramatta Eels |
| PJ Marsh | New Zealand Warriors | Parramatta Eels |
| Kevin Campion | North Queensland Cowboys | Retirement |
| Nathan Fien | North Queensland Cowboys | New Zealand Warriors |
| Jamie McDonald | North Queensland Cowboys | Melbourne Storm |
| Glenn Morrison | North Queensland Cowboys | Parramatta Eels |
| Adam Dykes | Parramatta Eels | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
| Lee Hopkins | Parramatta Eels | Super League: London Broncos |
| Junior Langi | Parramatta Eels | Super League: Salford City Reds |
| Jamie Lyon | Parramatta Eels | Super League: St. Helens |
| Shane Muspratt | Parramatta Eels | North Queensland Young Guns |
| Corey Pearson | Parramatta Eels | Retirement |
| Craig Stapleton | Parramatta Eels | Super League: Leigh Centurions |
| James Webster | Parramatta Eels | Hull Kingston Rovers |
| Michael Witt | Parramatta Eels | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Ryan Girdler | Penrith Panthers | Retirement |
| Martin Lang | Penrith Panthers | Retirement |
| Amos Roberts | Penrith Panthers | Sydney Roosters |
| Paul Whatuira | Penrith Panthers | Wests Tigers |
| Owen Craigie | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Super League: Widnes Vikings |
| Jason Death | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Willie Manu | South Sydney Rabbitohs | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Justin Smith | South Sydney Rabbitohs | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Paul Stringer | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Parramatta Eels |
| David Thompson | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Retirement |
| Brad Watts | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Super League: Widnes Vikings |
| Nathan Blacklock | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Super League: Hull F.C. |
| John Carlaw | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Retirement |
| Andrew Frew | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Retirement |
| Brent Kite | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Nathan Long | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Retirement |
| Henry Perenara | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Parramatta Eels |
| Mark Riddell | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Parramatta Eels |
| Lincoln Withers | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Canberra Raiders |
| Todd Byrne | Sydney Roosters | New Zealand Warriors |
| Peter Cusack | Sydney Roosters | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Luke Dorn | Sydney Roosters | Super League: London Broncos |
| Brad Fittler | Sydney Roosters | Retirement |
| Shannon Hegarty | Sydney Roosters | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Justin Hodges | Sydney Roosters | Brisbane Broncos |
| Gavin Lester | Sydney Roosters | Retirement |
| Chad Robinson | Sydney Roosters | Parramatta Eels |
| Michael Buettner | Wests Tigers | Retirement |
| Nick Graham | Wests Tigers | Retirement |
| Robert Mears | Wests Tigers | Super League: Leigh Centurions |
| Jason Moodie | Wests Tigers | N/A |
| Scott Sattler | Wests Tigers | Retirement |
| Darren Senter | Wests Tigers | Retirement |
| Paul Mellor | Super League: Castleford Tigers | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
| Colin Best | Super League: Hull F.C. | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Jason Smith | Super League: Hull F.C. | Canberra Raiders |
| Matt Adamson | Super League: Leeds Rhinos | Canberra Raiders |
| Craig Smith | Super League: Wigan Warriors | Newcastle Knights |
| Brad Thorn | Crusaders | Brisbane Broncos |
| Terry Hill | N/A | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Daniel Irvine | N/A | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
| Ben Walker | N/A | South Sydney Rabbitohs |