2005 St. George Illawarra Dragons season

The 2005 St. George Illawarra Dragons season was the seventh in the joint venture club's history. The Dragons competed in the NRL's 2005 premiership season. The team finished second in the regular season, making finals but getting knocked out in the preliminary finals against the Wests Tigers, losing 20–12.

Squad gains and losses or Player2004 Club2005 Club Hull F.C. (Super League) St. George Illawarra Dragons Newcastle Knights St. George Illawarra Dragons South Sydney Rabbitohs St. George Illawarra Dragons South Sydney Rabbitohs St. George Illawarra Dragons North Queensland Cowboys St. George Illawarra Dragons Manly Warringah Sea Eagles St. George Illawarra Dragons St. George Illawarra Dragons Hull F.C. (Super League) St. George Illawarra DragonsRetirement St. George Illawarra Dragons Sydney Roosters St. George Illawarra DragonsRetirement St. George Illawarra Dragons Canberra Raiders St. George Illawarra DragonsRetirement St. George Illawarra Dragons Manly Warringah Sea Eagles St. George Illawarra DragonsRetirement St. George Illawarra Dragons Parramatta Eels St. George Illawarra Dragons Parramatta Eels St. George Illawarra Dragons Canberra Raiders

Ladder

Ladder Progression Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526Ladder Position14th14th15th15th14th14th13th13th12th9th9th10th9th7th6th7th7th8th6th5th3rd3rd3rd3rd2nd2ndSource:

Season results RoundHomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDateVenueRefereeAttendanceSource1 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs46 – 28 St. George Illawarra Dragons11 MarchStadium AustraliaPaul Simpkins33,1052 St. George Illawarra Dragons12 – 46 Melbourne Storm19 MarchWollongong ShowgroundTony Archer, Gavin Badger9,0323 Penrith Panthers18 – 8 St. George Illawarra Dragons26 MarchPenrith StadiumRussell Smith17,1874 Canberra Raiders42 – 22 St. George Illawarra Dragons2 AprilCanberra StadiumTim Mander15,6145 St. George Illawarra Dragons32 – 6 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles9 AprilWollongong ShowgroundSean Hampstead16,1176 St. George Illawarra Dragons24 – 34 Brisbane Broncos17 AprilWollongong ShowgroundSteve Clark17,2877 (ANZAC Day) Sydney Roosters24 – 26 St. George Illawarra Dragons25 AprilSydney Football StadiumSean Hampstead32,3708 Wests Tigers32 – 40 St. George Illawarra Dragons1 MayStadium AustraliaJason Robinson17,5679 St. George Illawarra Dragons42 – 10 South Sydney Rabbitohs7 MayWollongong ShowgroundSean Hampstead11,62410 St. George Illawarra Dragons34 – 12 Penrith Panthers13 MayWollongong ShowgroundPaul Simpkins12,93211 Newcastle Knights16 – 18 St. George Illawarra Dragons21 MayNewcastle International Sports CentreShayne Hayne19,01812 Melbourne Storm24 – 16 St. George Illawarra Dragons29 MayOlympic Park StadiumRussell Smith7,59013 St. George Illawarra Dragons32 – 18 New Zealand Warriors4 JuneWollongong ShowgroundSteve Clark14,47914 St. George Illawarra Dragons34 – 4 North Queensland Cowboys12 JuneJubilee OvalTim Mander15,26015 South Sydney Rabbitohs10 – 28 St. George Illawarra Dragons19 JuneSydney Cricket GroundPaul Simpkins18,33416 St. George Illawarra Dragons24 – 32 Wests Tigers26 JuneJubilee OvalShayne Hayne10,61217BYE18 Parramatta Eels40 – 14 St. George Illawarra Dragons8 JulyParramatta StadiumTim Mander20,19919 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles10 – 36 St. George Illawarra Dragons17 JulyBrookvale OvalSteve Clark17,21820 St. George Illawarra Dragons20 – 10 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks24 JulyJubilee OvalTim Mander17,11321 St. George Illawarra Dragons44 – 6 Sydney Roosters29 JulyWollongong ShowgroundPaul Simpkins19,51222 North Queensland Cowboys16 – 36 St. George Illawarra Dragons5 AugustWillows Sports ComplexTim Mander21,02123 Brisbane Broncos4 – 24 St. George Illawarra Dragons14 AugustLang ParkTim Mander48,99524 St. George Illawarra Dragons25 – 22 Parramatta Eels21 AugustJubilee OvalPaul Simpkins17,52325BYE26 St. George Illawarra Dragons36 – 28 Newcastle Knights4 SeptemberJubilee OvalTony Archer15,867FW1 St. George Illawarra Dragons28 – 22 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks10 SeptemberWollongong ShowgroundTony Archer19,608FW3 St. George Illawarra Dragons12 – 20 Wests Tigers24 SeptemberSydney Football StadiumTony Archer41,260

Notable events After losing their first four matches of the season, the Dragons (who were sitting on the bottom of the ladder at the time) won their first match in round five, defeating the previously-undefeated Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (who were sitting on the top) by 32–6 in Wollongong. In round twelve, St George Illawarra lost 16–24 to the Melbourne Storm at Olympic Park Stadium in Melbourne, a day after another red-and-white team, the Sydney Swans, were thrashed by at Telstra Dome. In round fourteen, halfback Mathew Head suffered a season-ending knee injury in the club's 34–4 win over the North Queensland Cowboys. The result puts St George Illawarra into the NRL's top eight for the first time in the season. In round eighteen, five-eighth and captain Trent Barrett copped a one-game suspension from the tribunal after pleading guilty to striking Parramatta Eels hooker PJ Marsh in the second half. The 40–14 defeat proves to be a major turning point in the club's season, as they would win their final seven games (including a 25–22 win over the Eels in the rematch at Jubilee Oval) to finish second on the ladder, behind the Eels on percentage.

References