2005 Warrington Wolves season

The 2005 season was the Warrington Wolves 20th consecutive season playing in England's top division of rugby league. During the season, they competed in Super League X and the 2005 Challenge Cup.

Preseason friendlies

Date and timeVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceReport 26 December 2004; 15:00 Widnes Vikings A Halton Stadium 6–12 Westwood Hull (1/1) 6,957 2 January; 15:00 Barrow Raiders H Halliwell Jones Stadium 66–6 Clarke (2), Lima (2), Gaskell, Grose, Ashall, Kohe-Love, Riley Hull (2/?), Ashall (6/?) Unknown 16 January; 15:00 Whitehaven Warriors H Halliwell Jones Stadium 32–16 Clarke (3), Westwood, Berry, Lima Briers (4/6) 2,816 30 January; 15:00 Salford City Reds H Halliwell Jones Stadium 26–24 Grose (2), Bracek, Fa'afili 4,323

Super League

Warrington's 2005 season was marked by the landmark short-term signing on 31 July of Newcastle Knights scrum half Andrew Johns, considered at the time to be the greatest rugby league player in the world, for the last two rounds of the season and for any forthcoming play-off fixture. Johns, who made his Super League debut against the Leeds Rhinos on 12 September at home to a sold-out Halliwell Jones Stadium, was signed by Warrington with the intention for the club to make it through to the Super League Grand Final for the first time in the club's history. Warrington ultimately lost at home to Hull F.C. in the elimination play-offs, triggering Johns' return to Australia.

Fixtures Warrington Wolves' 2005 Super League fixtures were released on 2 December 2004, with seven being televised live on Sky Sports:

Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVPos.Report 13 February; 15:00 Round 1 London Broncos A Griffin Park 24–28 Mn. Gleeson (2), Hilton, N. Wood, Westwood Briers (2/5) 4,179 Not televised 9th 20 February; 15:00 Round 2 Leigh Centurions H Halliwell Jones Stadium 26–22 Clarke (2), Mn. Gleeson, N. Wood, Briers Briers (3/5) 11,412 Not televised 9th 27 February; 15:15 Round 3 Hull F.C. A KC Stadium 10–32 Briers, Fa'afili Briers (1/2) 10,169 Not televised 6th 4 March; 20:00 Round 4 St Helens H Halliwell Jones Stadium 16–18 Fa'afili, Appo Briers (2/2 + 2 pen.) 12,098 Sky Sports 1 10th 11 March; 20:00 Round 5 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley Rugby Stadium 6–38 Mn. Gleeson Briers (1/1) 15,637 Not televised 10th 20 March; 20:00 Round 6 Huddersfield Giants H Halliwell Jones Stadium 14–6 Kohe-Love, Grose Briers (2/2 + 1 pen.) 9,040 Not televised 10th 25 March; 15:00 Round 7 Salford City Reds A The Willows 10–42 Fa'afili, Bridge Briers (1/2) 6,004 Not televised 10th 29 March; 20:00 Round 8 Widnes Vikings H Halliwell Jones Stadium 44–12 Clarke (3), Fa'afili (2), Wainwright, Westwood, Mn. Gleeson, Briers Briers (1/6 + 1 pen.), Bridge (2/3) 10,061 Sky Sports 2 10th 10 April; 15:00 Round 9 Bradford Bulls H Halliwell Jones Stadium 35–32 Grose (2), Mn. Gleeson (2), N. Wood, Fa'afili Briers (4/6 + 1 pen.)Drop Goals Briers 10,654 Not televised 9th 17 April; 15:30 Round 10 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats A Belle Vue 40–28 Westwood (2), Briers (2), Wainwright, N. Wood, Clarke, Fa'afili Briers (3/7), Bridge (1/1) 5,129 Not televised 9th 24 April; 15:00 Round 11 Hull F.C. H Halliwell Jones Stadium 36–34 Fa'afili (3), Appo (2), Grose, Westwood Appo (1/4), Bridge (3/3) 10,383 Not televised 7th 29 April; 20:00 Round 12 St Helens A Knowsley Road 30–31 N. Wood (2) Kohe-Love, Westwood, Fa'afili Appo (5/5) 12,666 Sky Sports 3 6th 15 May; 15:00 Round 13 Wigan Warriors H Halliwell Jones Stadium 28–22 Lima (2), Wainwright, Swann, N. Wood Bridge (4/5) 12,790 Not televised 6th 22 May; 15:00 Round 14 Bradford Bulls A Odsal Stadium 44–24 Bridge (2), Noone, Kohe-Love, P. Wood, Lima, Fa'afili Bridge (7/7 + 1 pen.) 14,428 Not televised 5th 29 May; 15:00 Round 15 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats H Halliwell Jones Stadium 38–30 Swann (2), N. Wood (2), Mn. Gleeson, Fa'afili, Grose Bridge (4/7 + 1 pen.) 10,113 Not televised 4th 5 June; 15:00 Round 16 Huddersfield Giants A Kirklees Stadium 24–22 Clarke, Fa'afili, Westwood, Bridge Bridge (3/4 + 1 pen.) 6,162 Not televised 3rd 12 June; 15:00 Round 17 Leigh Centurions A Hilton Park 42–7 Fa'afili (2), Westwood, Grose, N. Wood, Clarke, Bridge, Appo Bridge (5/8) 7,249 Not televised 5th 19 June; 15:00 Round 18 Salford City Reds H Halliwell Jones Stadium 48–14 Westwood (3), Swann (2), Kohe-Love (2), Mn. Gleeson (2) Bridge (4/6), Briers (2/3) 10,925 Not televised 4th 3 July; 15:00 Round 19 Widnes Vikings A Halton Stadium 25–24 Clarke, Mn. Gleeson, Lima, N. Wood, Appo Noone (2/5)Drop Goals Briers 9,825 Not televised 3rd 9 July; 18:05 Round 20 Wigan Warriors A JJB Stadium 17–36 Grose, Kohe-Love, Bridge Bridge (2/3)Drop Goals Bridge 14,162 Sky Sports 1 3rd 17 July; 15:00 Round 21 London Broncos H Halliwell Jones Stadium 26–14 Fa'afili (2), Mn. Gleeson, Gaskell, Grose Bridge (3/5) 10,146 Not televised 4th 23 July; 18:05 Round 22 Leeds Rhinos H Halliwell Jones Stadium 22–46 Fa'afili (2), Grose, Swann Appo (1/3 + 1 pen.), Briers (1/1) 11,036 Sky Sports 3 3rd 7 August; 15;00 Round 23 St Helens H Halliwell Jones Stadium 10–30 Mn. Gleeson, P. Wood Bridge (1/2) 12,762 Not televised 4th 14 August; 15:00 Round 24 Huddersfield Giants A Kirklees Stadium 22–38 Mn. Gleeson, Swann, N. Wood, Bridge Bridge (3/4) 4,077 Not televised 4th 21 August; 15:00 Round 25 Widnes Vikings A Halton Stadium 60–16 Kohe-Love (2), N. Wood, Westwood, Lima, Mk. Gleeson, Grose, Fa'afili, Mn. Gleeson, P. Wood, Riley Bridge (8/11) 7,878 Not televised 5th 4 September; 15:00 Round 26 Salford City Reds H Halliwell Jones Stadium 32–22 Westwood, N. Wood, Mn. Gleeson, Bridge, Briers, Leikvoll Bridge (4/6) 9,169 Not televised 5th 12 September; 18:00 Round 27 Leeds Rhinos H Halliwell Jones Stadium 33–16 Fa'afili, Mn. Gleeson, Grose, Swann, N. Wood Johns (5/6 + 1 pen.)Drop Goals Johns 13,024 Sky Sports 1 4th 16 September; 20:00 Round 28 Hull F.C. A KC Stadium 30–16 Swann (2), Kohe-Love (2), Grose Johns (5/5) 15,763 Sky Sports 2 4th

Table

Play-offs

Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVReport 24 September; 18:05 Elimination playoffs Hull F.C. H Halliwell Jones Stadium 6–40 Johns Johns (1/1) 12,243 Sky Sports 1

Challenge Cup

Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVReport 2 April; 14:35 Round 4 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley Rugby Stadium 22–26 N. Wood (2), Clarke, Westwood Bridge (3/4) 8,215 BBC Two

Transfers Gains Player Club Contract Date Martin Gleeson St Helens 4 years July 2004 Toa Kohe-Love Bradford Bulls 1 year September 2004 Logan Swann Bradford Bulls 2 years September 2004 Simon Grix Halifax R.L.F.C. 2 years September 2004 Andy Bracek St Helens 2 years November 2004 Nick Royle Widnes Vikings 1 year 2005 Chris Bridge Bradford Bulls 3 years January 2005

Loans in Player Club Loan period Date Andrew Johns Newcastle Knights End of season July 2005 Scott Grix XIII Limouxin One month August 2005

Losses Player Club Contract Date Darren Burns N/A Retirement September 2004 Mike Forshaw N/A Retirement September 2004 Jérôme Guisset CA Brive September 2004 Ian Sibbit Salford City Reds 2 years September 2004 Richard Varkulis Rochdale Hornets November 2004 John Wilshere Leigh Centurions 1 year December 2004 Gary Hulse Widnes Vikings 2005 Nick Owen Leigh Centurions 2005

Squad

Notes

References