The 2005 Wests Tigers run to their maiden NRL Premiership came out of nowhere.
Having finish the 2004 season in 9th position on the NRL ladder, the Tigers were a bit of a strange mix of players and no one really had them on their radar heading into the 2005 season.
Little did anyone know that a move towards having a smaller, more mobile set of forwards, and the emergence of one of the games greatest young superstars, would power the Wests Tigers to an amazing 2005 season few would ever forget.
Right from his very first game Benji Marshall would prove to be a magician. The Tigers also had a young hooker in Robbie Farah that was quick to establish himself as one of the games best young players. Together they would power the Wests Tigers to a 4th place finish and a final appearance that would end up being a memorable one!
The Wests Tigers annihilated their eventual Grand Final opponents the North Queensland Cowboys 50-6 in the opening weekend of the finals and then followed that up 10 days later with a resounding 34-6 victory over the Brisbane Broncos.
A week later the Tigers would face the Cowboys once again and while the match was a lot closer, the magic of Benji Marshall could not be denied.
Here is the team that won the 2005 NRL Grand Final.
The Wests Tigers – 2005 NRL Grand Final Team
1. Brett Hodgson
2. Daniel Fitzhenry
3. Shane Elford
4. Paul Whatuira
5. Pat Richards
6. Benji Marshall
7. Scott Prince (c)
8. Anthony Laffranchi
9. Robbie Farah
10. John Skandalis
11. Ben Galea
12. Mark O’Neill
13. Dene Halatau
14. Liam Fulton
15. Chris Heighington
16. Bryce Gibbs
17. Todd Payten
Coach: Tim Sheens
Wests Tigers 30
Tries: Bryce Gibbs, Pat Richards, Anthony Laffranchi, Daniel Fitzhenry, Todd Payten
Goals: Brett Hodgson 5/6
North Queensland Cowboys 16
Tries: Matthew Bowen, Travis Norton,. Matt Sing
Goals: Josh Hannay 2/3
Tigers halfback Scott won the Clive Churchill medal in a man of the match performance.
So, do you want to watch the 2005 NRL Grand Final? Let’s do it!
