NRL Rank 1st Points scored For: 704; Against: 456 Captain Nathan Cayless | Play-off result Qualifying Final Coach Brian Smith | |
2005 record Wins: 16; Draws: 0; Losses: 8 | ||
The 2005 Parramatta Eels season was the 59th in the club's history. Coached by Brian Smith and captained by Nathan Cayless, they competed in the National Rugby League's 2005 Telstra Premiership. The Eels finished the regular season on top of the ladder to claim the minor premiership. They came within one match of the 2005 NRL Grand final but were knocked out by the North Queensland Cowboys.
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Summary
2005 marked a resurgence of the Parramatta Eels. After two years in the wilderness, the Eels were back into premiership contention after ending the season as minor premiers on 36 points, ahead of the St. George Illawarra Dragons on points differential. The first week of the 2005 Finals Series saw a comfortable 46–22 win over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, who were in their first finals campaign since the creation of the National Rugby League in 1998. Following the week off, the Parramatta Eels were annihilated by the Johnathan Thurston-led North Queensland Cowboys at ANZ Stadium, 29–0, ending another season in disappointment. Adding further salt to the wound, Parramatta's inspirational forward Nathan Hindmarsh missed the entire finals series and popular cult figure Fuifui Moimoi was suspended in the final round of the season, also missing the finals.