Super League X is the official name of 2005's Super League season. It was the 10th season of the Super League and saw twelve teams from across England compete for the premiership. The season kicked off in early February, culminating in a six team play-off series
The Grand Final, held at Old Trafford on 15 October, saw Bradford Bulls crowned Champions. The Grand Final was the final match of a which itself was the climax of a league season that kicked off in early February.
Season summary Either one or two teams were to be relegated from the league at the end of the season in order to make way for new entrants. The bottom team were certain to be relegated, in order to allow in French club Catalans Dragons. The second bottom team would only be relegated if the winner of National League One met the criteria for Super League entry. On the 3 October the Rugby Football League announced that both finalists in this competition, Castleford Tigers and Whitehaven were eligible for promotion, hence two teams were relegated.
The season was a commercial success, with a rise in average crowd size for the regular rounds of 8,887, continuing the trend of rises every year since 2001. This is the first time in the history of Super League the Grand Final has not included the league leader at the end of the regular season: St Helens were knocked out by Bradford Bulls in the semi-final.
Table
Play-off
Grand final
15 October: Leeds Rhinos 6-15 Bradford Bulls
2005 Transfers
Players
Player2004 Club2005 Club Paul Anderson Bradford Bulls St. Helens Toa Kohe-Love Bradford Bulls Warrington Wolves Logan Swann Bradford Bulls Warrington Wolves Tevita Vaikona Bradford Bulls Saracens F.C. (English rugby union) Ryan Clayton Castleford Tigers Huddersfield Giants Damian Gibson Castleford Tigers Halifax (National League One) Wayne Godwin Castleford Tigers Wigan Warriors Craig Greenhill Castleford Tigers Retirement Lee Harland Castleford Tigers Doncaster Dragons (National League One) Paul Jackson Castleford Tigers Huddersfield Giants Andy Lynch Castleford Tigers Bradford Bulls Paul Mellor Castleford Tigers NRL: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Paul Newlove Castleford Tigers Retirement Sean Ryan Castleford Tigers Retirement Tommy Saxton Castleford Tigers Hull F.C. Ryan Sheridan Castleford Tigers Retirement Michael Smith Castleford Tigers Hull Kingston Rovers (National League One) Nathan Sykes Castleford Tigers Featherstone Rovers (National League One) Jamie Thackray Castleford Tigers Hull F.C. Mark Tookey Castleford Tigers London Broncos Ben Cooper Huddersfield Giants Leigh Centurions Brandon Costin Huddersfield Giants Retirement Darren Fleary Huddersfield Giants Leigh Centurions Darren Turner Huddersfield Giants Retirement Richie Barnett Hull F.C. Retirement Colin Best Hull F.C. NRL: St. George Illawarra Dragons Jason Smith Hull F.C. NRL: Canberra Raiders Matt Adamson Leeds Rhinos NRL: Canberra Raiders David Furner Leeds Rhinos Retirement Russell Bawden London Broncos Retirement Jim Dymock London Broncos Retirement Rob Jackson London Broncos Leigh Centurions Dennis Moran London Broncos Wigan Warriors Steele Retchless London Broncos Retirement Nigel Roy London Broncos Retirement Mat Toshack London Broncos Retirement Joel Caine Salford City Reds Retirement Gavin Clinch Salford City Reds Retirement Jason Flowers Salford City Reds Retirement Martin Moana Salford City Reds Doncaster Dragons (National League One) Scott Naylor Salford City Reds Retirement Martin Gleeson St. Helens Warrington Wolves Chris Joynt St. Helens Retirement John Stankevitch St. Helens Widnes Vikings Gareth Ellis Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Leeds Rhinos Darren Burns Warrington Wolves Retirement Mike Forshaw Warrington Wolves Retirement Jérôme Guisset Warrington Wolves Wigan Warriors Gary Hulse Warrington Wolves Widnes Vikings Ian Sibbit Warrington Wolves Salford City Reds Paul Atcheson Widnes Vikings Retirement Deon Bird Widnes Vikings Castleford Tigers (National League One) Andy Hay Widnes Vikings Doncaster Dragons (National League One) Steve McCurrie Widnes Vikings Leigh Centurions Robert Relf Widnes Vikings Retirement Mick Cassidy Wigan Warriors Widnes Vikings Gary Connolly Wigan Warriors Widnes Vikings Andy Farrell Wigan Warriors Saracens F.C. (English rugby union) David Hodgson Wigan Warriors Salford City Reds Adrian Lam Wigan Warriors Retirement Terry O'Connor Wigan Warriors Widnes Vikings Quentin Pongia Wigan Warriors Retirement Luke Robinson Wigan Warriors Salford City Reds Craig Smith Wigan Warriors NRL: Newcastle Knights Mark Smith Wigan Warriors Widnes Vikings Michael De Vere NRL: Brisbane Broncos Huddersfield Giants Brad Meyers NRL: Brisbane Broncos Bradford Bulls Brad Drew NRL: Canberra Raiders Huddersfield Giants Mark McLinden NRL: Canberra Raiders London Broncos Ben Harris NRL: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Bradford Bulls Jason Kent NRL: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Leigh Centurions Nick Bradley-Qalilawa NRL: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles London Broncos Solomon Haumono NRL: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles London Broncos Stephen Kearney NRL: Melbourne Storm Hull F.C. Danny Williams NRL: Melbourne Storm London Broncos Vinnie Anderson NRL: New Zealand Warriors St. Helens Henry Fa'afili NRL: New Zealand Warriors Warrington Wolves Jerry Seuseu NRL: New Zealand Warriors Wigan Warriors Lee Hopkins NRL: Parramatta Eels London Broncos Junior Langi NRL: Parramatta Eels Salford City Reds Jamie Lyon NRL: Parramatta Eels St. Helens Craig Stapleton NRL: Parramatta Eels Leigh Centurions Chris Thorman NRL: Parramatta Eels Huddersfield Giants David Vaealiki NRL: Parramatta Eels Wigan Warriors Owen Craigie NRL: South Sydney Rabbitohs Widnes Vikings Brad Watts NRL: South Sydney Rabbitohs Widnes Vikings Nathan Blacklock NRL: St. George Illawarra Dragons Hull F.C. Luke Dorn NRL: Sydney Roosters London Broncos Robert Mears NRL: Wests Tigers Leigh Centurions Jason Ferris N/A Leigh Centurions
References
External links Super League X at wigan.rlfans.com