The 2005 National Rugby League season consisted of 25 weekly regular season rounds starting in March, followed by four weeks of play-offs that culminated in a grand final on 2 October.
Regular season
Round 1 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereesAttendance Canterbury Bulldogs 46–28 St. George Illawarra Dragons11 March 2005, 7:30pmTelstra StadiumPaul Simpkins 33,105 Wests Tigers12–28 Parramatta Eels12 March 2005, 5:30pmTelstra StadiumRussell Smith17,107 Cronulla Sharks20–14 Penrith Panthers12 March 2005, 7:30pmToyota StadiumShayne HayneJason Robinson19,562 Sydney Roosters24–12 South Sydney Rabbitohs12 March 2005, 7:30pmSydney Football StadiumTony Archer22,186 New Zealand Warriors20–26 Manly Sea Eagles13 March 2005, 2:00pm Ericsson StadiumSean Hampstead13,682 Melbourne Storm48–10 Newcastle Knights13 March 2005, 2:30pm Olympic Park StadiumSteve Clark10,484 Brisbane Broncos29–16 North Queensland Cowboys13 March 2005, 3:00pmSuncorp StadiumTim Mander43,488Bye: Canberra Raiders
Round 2 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereesAttendance North Queensland Cowboys 24–12 Canterbury Bulldogs18 March 2005, 7:30pm Dairy Farmers StadiumSteve Clark 21,138 Canberra Raiders39–14 Newcastle Knights19 March 2005, 5:30pm Canberra StadiumJason Robinson11,835 Brisbane Broncos12–24 New Zealand Warriors19 March 2005, 7:30pm Suncorp StadiumRussell Smith24,719 St George Illawarra Dragons12–46 Melbourne Storm19 March 2005, 7:30pm WIN StadiumTony ArcherGavin Badger9,032 South Sydney Rabbitohs49–26 Parramatta Eels20 March 2005, 2:30pm Sydney Football StadiumSean Hampstead11,445 Manly Sea Eagles46–20 Cronulla Sharks20 March 2005, 3:00pm Brookvale OvalPaul Simpkins14,031 Penrith Panthers20–28 Sydney Roosters20 March 2005, 3:00pm Penrith ParkTim Mander18,228Bye: Wests Tigers
Round 3 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereesAttendance Sydney Roosters 22–40 Brisbane Broncos25 March 2005, 7:30pm Sydney Football StadiumTim Mander 23,157 Penrith Panthers18–8 St George Illawarra Dragons26 March 2005, 5:30pm Penrith ParkRussell Smith17,187 Parramatta Eels10–18 Cronulla Sharks26 March 2005, 7:30pm Parramatta StadiumSean Hampstead12,103 New Zealand Warriors22–32 North Queensland Cowboys27 March 2005, 2:00pm Ericsson StadiumTony Archer13,888 Manly Sea Eagles25–18 Melbourne Storm27 March 2005, 2:30pm Brookvale OvalSteve Clark15,470 Canterbury Bulldogs36–37 Wests Tigers27 March 2005, 3:00pmTelstra StadiumPaul Simpkins19,984 South Sydney Rabbitohs18–25 Canberra Raiders28 March 2005, 3:00pm Sydney Football StadiumJason Robinson14,455Bye: Newcastle Knights
Round 4 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereesAttendance Parramatta Eels26–16 Penrith Panthers1 April 2005, 7:30pm Parramatta StadiumPaul Simpkins15,119 Melbourne Storm50–4 Brisbane Broncos2 April 2005, 5:30pm Olympic Park StadiumSean Hampstead12,194 Canberra Raiders42–22 St George Illawarra Dragons2 April 2005, 7:30pm Canberra StadiumTim Mander15,614 North Queensland Cowboys52–18 Newcastle Knights2 April 2005, 7:30pm Dairy Farmers StadiumJason Robinson22,347 New Zealand Warriors46–14 South Sydney Rabbitohs3 April 2005, 2:00 pm Ericsson StadiumRussell Smith9,751 Cronulla Sharks26–12 Canterbury Bulldogs3 April 2005, 2:30 pm Toyota StadiumTony Archer17,053 Sydney Roosters26–32 Wests Tigers3 April 2005, 3:00 pm Sydney Football StadiumSteve Clark13,946Bye: Manly Sea Eagles
Round 5 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereesAttendance Penrith Panthers 36–16 Melbourne Storm8 April 2005, 7:30 pm Penrith ParkSteve Clark14,844 Wests Tigers 24–6 New Zealand Warriors9 April 2005, 5:30 pm Jade StadiumJason Robinson18,421 Cronulla Sharks 38–6 North Queensland Cowboys9 April 2005, 7:30 pm Toyota ParkTim Mander17,323 St George Illawarra Dragons 32–6 Manly Sea Eagles9 April 2005, 7:30 pm Win StadiumSean Hampstead16,117 Brisbane Broncos 54–14 Parramatta Eels10 April 2005, 2:30 pm Suncorp StadiumTony ArcherShayne Hayne25,843 Canberra Raiders 24–16 Sydney Roosters10 April 2005, 3:00 pm Canberra StadiumRussell Smith19,130 South Sydney Rabbitohs 37–12 Newcastle Knights10 April 2005, 3:00 pm Central Coast StadiumPaul Simpkins16,162Bye: Canterbury Bulldogs
Round 6 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereesAttendance Canterbury Bulldogs 16–29 Sydney Roosters15 April 2005, 7:30 pm Telstra StadiumPaul Simpkins27,111 South Sydney Rabbitohs 6–36 Penrith Panthers16 April 2005, 5:30 pm Sydney Football StadiumTony Archer11,108 Melbourne Storm 14–26 Parramatta Eels16 April 2005, 7:30 pm Olympic ParkTim Mander9,649 North Queensland Cowboys 44–20 Wests Tigers16 April 2005, 7:30 pm Dairy Farmers StadiumSean Hampstead20,361 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 36–14 Canberra Raiders17 April 2005, 2:30 pm Brookvale OvalJason Robinson17,061 Newcastle Knights 26–30 New Zealand Warriors17 April 2005, 2:30 pm Energy Australia StadiumRussell Smith18,173 St George Illawarra Dragons 24–34 Brisbane Broncos17 April 2005, 3:00 pm WIN StadiumSteve Clark17,287Bye: Cronulla Sharks
Finals series The National Rugby League's 2005 finals series ran from 9 September to 2 October 2005, as eight teams vied to win the NRL Premiership in the Grand Final after the 2005 season. The final placings and first-week match-ups were decided only after all the matches in the final week were completed. The Grand Final, played on 2 October, was won by the Wests Tigers who claimed their first-ever NRL premiership. The runners up were the North Queensland Cowboys.
The Finals System The system used for the NRL is the McIntyre final eight system, which is designed by Ken McIntyre in addition to the McIntyre Four, Five and Six systems to determine which two teams will play for the Premiership. In each of the three weeks of the competition, two teams are eliminated until only two teams are left. The better a team finishes in the home-and-away season ladder, the easier their route through to the grand final.
In the first week, twos are paired off as such by rank (games are played at the home ground of the higher seed):
Team 4 vs. Team 5 (4th qualifying final) Team 3 vs. Team 6 (3rd qualifying final) Team 2 vs. Team 7 (2nd qualifying final) Team 1 vs. Team 8 (1st qualifying final)
Once all four games ave been played, teams are grouped into winners and losers, and then ranked based on their home-and-away season standings, for example:
Rank Winners Losers 1 Team 1 Team 2 2 Team 3 Team 5 3 Team 4 Team 6 4 Team 7 Team 8
...Losers #3 and #4 are immediately eliminated, while Winners #3 and #4 will face Losers #1 and #2 (in other words, a "double chance" for the two highest-ranked losers). Winners #1 and #2 receive a bye to week three, to await the winners of the two semi-finals.
The winners of the two preliminary finals will then face off for the premiership in the grand final.
Week One
Fourth Qualifying Final Team 1st Half 2nd Half Total (4) Wests Tigers 14 36 50 (5) Nth QLD 6 0 6
Date Friday, 9 September 2005 8 pm AEST Tries (Wests) 3: B Hodgson1: D Fitzhenry, L Fulton, P Richards,P Whatuira, S Elford Tries (NQLD) 1: M Sing Goals (Wests) 9: B Hodgson Goals (NQLD) 1: J Hannay Injuries None Reports None Venue Telstra Stadium, Sydney Attendance 26,463 Referee Paul Simpkins
Third Qualifying Final Team 1st Half 2nd Half Total (3) Brisbane 4 14 18 (6) Melbourne 18 6 24
Date Saturday, 10 September 2005 6:30 pm AEST Tries (Bris) 1: D Smith, S Minto, B Seymour Tries (Melb) 1: B Slater, G Inglis, J Webster, M King Goals (Bris) 3: B Seymour Goals (Melb) 2: M Orford, C Smith Injuries Melb: Kearns (dislocated shoulder), Slater (ankle) Reports None Venue Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance 25,193 Referee Steve Clark This was the second successive year the Broncos and the Storm have met at this stage, with Melbourne winning 31–14 in 2004. In what looked to be a case of déjà vu, the Storm won this match 24–18. In 2006, they would meet again in a final, but this time in a Grand Final, the Broncos winning 15–8.
Second Qualifying Final Team 1st Half 2nd Half Total (2) St George Illawarra 4 24 28 (7) Cronulla 12 10 22
Date Saturday, 10 September 2005 8:30 pm AEST Tries (StGI) 2: C Best1: D Young, T Barrett, W Naiqama Tries (Cro) 1: B Scott, D Simmons, N Vagana, P Gallen Goals (StGI) 4: M Ennis Goals (Cro) 3: L Covell Injuries None Reports None Venue WIN Stadium, Wollongong Attendance 19,608 Referee Tony Archer
First Qualifying Final Team 1st Half 2nd Half Total (1) Parramatta 28 18 46 (8) Manly 0 22 22
Date Sunday, 11 September 2005 4 pm AEST Tries (Par) 2: T Tahu1: C Robinson, M Riddell, E Grothe, L Burt,D Wagon, A Peek Tries (Man) 2: B Kennedy1: A Watmough, M Witt Goals (Par) 7: L Burt Goals (Man) 2: L Williamson1: M Monaghan Injuries None Reports None Venue Parramatta Stadium, Sydney Attendance 19,710 Referee Tim Mander
Week Two
First Semi-final Team 1st Half 2nd Half Total (6) Melbourne 0 16 16 (5) Nth QLD 16 8 24
Date Saturday, 17 September 2005 7:45 pm AEST Tries (Melb) 1: S Bell, M King, M Orford Tries (NQLD) 2: T Williams1: M Bowen, D Faiumu Goals (Melb) 1: C Smith, M Orford Goals (NQLD) 2: J Thurston, J Hannay Injuries None Reports None Venue Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney Attendance 16,810 Referee Paul Simpkins
Second Semi-final Team 1st Half 2nd Half Total (4) Wests Tigers 10 24 34 (3) Brisbane 0 6 6
Date Sunday, 18 September 2005 4 pm AEST Tries (Wests) 2: D Fitzhenry1: B Hodgson, M. O'Neill, B Marshall, S Prince Tries (Bris) 1: D Lockyer Goals (Wests) 5: B Hodgson Goals (Bris) 1: B Seymour Injuries None Reports None Venue Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney Attendance 36,563 Referee Tim Mander
Week Three
First Preliminary Final Team 1st Half 2nd Half Total (2) St George Illawarra 6 6 12 (4) Wests Tigers 16 4 20
Date Saturday, 24 September 2005 7;45pm AEST Tries (StG) 1: W Naiqama, T Barrett Tries (WES) 2: D Halatau1: C Heighington, B Marshall Goals (StG) 2: M Ennis Goals (WES) 2: B Hodgson F.Goals (StG) None F.Goals (WES) None Injuries Pat Richards (Ankle) Reports None VenueSydney Football Stadium, Sydney Attendance41,260 Referee Tim Mander
Second Preliminary Final Team 1st Half 2nd Half Total (1) Parramatta 0 0 0 (5) Nth QLD 18 11 29
Date Sunday, 25 September 2005 4 pm AEST Tries (Par) None Tries (NQLD) 1: M Bowen, R Jensen, B Firman, T Williams, J Hannay Goals (Par) None Goals (NQLD) 4: J Hannay F.Goals (Par) None F.Goals (NQLD) 1: J Thurston Injuries Par: T Smith (head)NQLD: Norton (back) Reports NQLD: O'Donnell for high shot on T Smith Venue Telstra Stadium, Sydney, NSW Attendance44,327 Referee Steve Clark Brett Firman scores in the 2005 Preliminary Final
2005 NRL Grand Final
Team 1st Half 2nd Half Total (4) Wests Tigers 12 18 30 (5) North Queensland Cowboys 6 10 16 Date Sunday, 2 October 2005 7 pm AEST Tries (Wests Tigers) 1: Bryce Gibbs, Pat Richards, Anthony Laffranchi, Daniel Fitzhenry, Todd Payten Tries (North Queensland Cowboys) 1: Matt Bowen, Travis Norton, Matt Sing Goals (Wests Tigers) 5/6: Brett Hodgson Goals (North Queensland Cowboys) 2/3: Josh Hannay Field Goals (Wests Tigers) None Field Goals (North Queensland Cowboys) NoneInjuries None Reports None Churchill Medal Scott Prince (Wests Tigers) Venue Telstra Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales Attendance 82,453 Referee Tim Mander
References