2004 NRL season

The 2004 NRL season (also known as the 2004 Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship from Telstra) was the 97th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the seventh run by the National Rugby League. Fifteen clubs competed during the regular season before the top eight finishing teams contested the finals series. The Bulldogs defeated the Sydney Roosters in the 2004 NRL grand final and in doing so claimed their eighth premiership.

2004 National Rugby League
Teams15
Premiers Bulldogs (8th title)
Minor premiers Sydney Roosters (16th title)
Matches played189
Points scored9086
Attendance3010639
Top points scorer(s) Hazem El Masri (342)
Player of the year Danny Buderus (Dally M Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Amos Roberts (23)

Pre-season

The beginning of the season was largely overshadowed with several Bulldogs players questioned by police in relation to an alleged rape of a 20-year-old Coffs Harbour woman.[1] An independent investigator, former New South Wales chief of detectives, would later fail to find any evidence of misconduct on behalf of the players, and no charges were pressed.

The 2004 World Club Challenge was held on Friday, 13 February 2004, at the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield, England. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls and Penrith Panthers and won by the home team.

The salary cap for the 2004 season was A$3.25 million per club for their 25 highest-paid players.[2]

Regular season

Due to a perceived emphasis in the game on defence, NRL referees were instructed to call out "surrender tackle" this season when ball carriers submit at the ruck, signalling the defence to slow down the tackle in order for defenders to reset.[3]

The first round of the season began on Friday, 12 March with 2003 champions, the Penrith Panthers losing 14–20 to the Newcastle Knights before a crowd of 19,936 at Penrith Stadium.[4]

During a match between the Broncos and the Tigers, the Broncos fielded 14 men at one stage of the Campbelltown Stadium match. In the 60th minute, Brisbane's Shane Webcke knocked out by Tiger Bryce Gibbs. Corey Parker was brought onto the ground while Webcke was still being assisted off. Parker immediately scored off a Darren Lockyer pass and started a Broncos revival (they trailed 24–8 at halftime) which later saw them win 24–32. But, after the fourteenth man was investigated, the Broncos were stripped of the two competition points,[5] which were reinstated weeks later.

A significant comeback was seen in a round 25 clash between the St George Dragons and Manly. Trailing 34–10 after 53 minutes the Dragons came back to win the match 36–34. This match stood in second-place in the rankings of the biggest comebacks in Australian premiership history.

Several players and coaches also made the headlines for the wrong reasons. Jamie Lyon walked out on the Parramatta club after the first round citing burnout and dissatisfaction with living in Sydney, and would later move to the UK for a successful Super League career. Coaches Daniel Anderson and Paul Langmack would have their contracts terminated at the New Zealand Warriors and South Sydney Rabbitohs respectively.

Andrew Johns was injured in Newcastle's third game of the season against Parramatta, and subsequently missed the remainder of the season. The Knights missed the finals of the NRL for the first time since 1996.

2004 was also notable for the emergence of teenage players Sonny Bill Williams (Bulldogs) and Karmichael Hunt (Brisbane Broncos), and their performances, mature beyond their years, would be critical to the fortunes of their clubs.

Due to a favourable draw, the Sydney Roosters did not play a premiership match in Queensland during the season. Additionally, there was only one Queensland derby contested during the regular season, in round six in Townsville.[6]

Teams

The line-up of fifteen teams for the 2004 premiership remained unchanged from the previous season.

Brisbane Broncos
17th season
Ground: Suncorp Stadium
Coach: Wayne Bennett
Captain: Gorden Tallis
Bulldogs RLFC
70th season
Ground: Sydney Showground & Telstra Stadium
Coach: Steve Folkes
Captain: Steve Price
Canberra Raiders
23rd season
Ground: Canberra Stadium
Coach: Matthew Elliott
Captain: Simon Woolford
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
38th season
Ground: Toyota Stadium
Coach: Stuart Raper
Captain: Brett Kimmorley
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
55th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Des Hasler
Captain: Steve Menzies
Melbourne Storm
7th season
Ground Olympic Park Stadium
Coach: Craig Bellamy
Captain: Stephen Kearney
Newcastle Knights
17th season
Ground: EnergyAustralia Stadium
Coach: Michael Hagan
Captain: Andrew Johns
New Zealand Warriors
10th season
Ground: Ericsson Stadium
Coach: Daniel AndersonTony Kemp
Captain: Stacey Jones
North Queensland Cowboys
10th season
Ground: Dairy Farmers Stadium
Coach: Graham Murray
Captain: Travis Norton
Parramatta Eels
58th season
Ground: Parramatta Stadium
Coach: Brian Smith
Captain: Nathan Cayless
Penrith Panthers
38th season
Ground: Penrith Stadium
Coach: John Lang
Captain: Craig Gower
South Sydney Rabbitohs
95th season
Ground: Aussie Stadium
Coach: Paul LangmackArthur Kitinas
Captain: Bryan Fletcher
Sydney Roosters
97th season
Ground: Aussie Stadium
Coach: Ricky Stuart
Captain: Brad Fittler
St. George Illawarra Dragons
6th season
Ground: OKI Jubilee Stadium & WIN Stadium
Coach: Nathan Brown
Captain: Trent Barrett
Wests Tigers
5th season
Ground: Campbelltown Stadium & Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Tim Sheens
Captain: Scott Sattler & Darren Senter

Advertising

In 2004 the NRL and their advertising agency MJW Hakuhodo continued with their use of the Hoodoo Gurus' 1987 hit "What's My Scene" with reworked lyrics as "That's My Team".

In addition to the big 60-second season launch TV commercial, three shorter executions were produced: one targeting young men, another targeting women and one aimed at families. In a year where sexual assault allegations damaged perceptions and the reputation of the code, retaining female fans was seen as a massive challenge.[7]

Statistics and records

  • Anthony Minichiello ran 4,590 metres with the ball in 2004, more than any other player in the competition.[8]
  • Hazem El Masri's tally of 342 points from 2004 still stands as the individual record for most points scored in a season in Australian club rugby league history.
  • The St. George Illawarra Dragons's club record for their biggest comeback was set at 24 points when they came from 34–10 down with only 25 minutes remaining to win 36–34 against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
  • The Brisbane Broncos' 10–0 loss to the Cowboys was their first ever against the Townsville-based club, and the first time they had been held scoreless in Queensland.
  • The Wests Tigers were held scoreless in consecutive weeks (rounds 15 and 16), those two rounds, the Tigers conceded 50+ points, a 50–0 loss to St. George Illawarra Dragons in round 15 and a 56–0 loss to the Sydney Roosters in round 16. Also the Tigers were held scoreless twice against the Roosters, the other time, a 22–0 scoreline in round 9.
  • The North Queensland Cowboys' round 25 clash against the Wests Tigers was their first match broadcast by the Nine Network since round 1, 1995.

Ladder

Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Sydney 2419052710368+34242
2 Bulldogs 2419052760491+26942
3 Brisbane 2416172602533+6937
4 Penrith 2415092672567+10534
5 St George Illawarra 24140102624415+20932
6 Melbourne 24130112684517+16730
7 North Queensland 24121112526514+1229
8 Canberra 24110132554613−5926
9 Wests Tigers 24100142509534−2524
10 Newcastle 24100142516617−10124
11 Cronulla-Sutherland 24100142528645−11724
12 Parramatta 2490152517626−10922
13 Manly-Warringah 2490152615754−13922
14 New Zealand 2460182427693−26616
15 South Sydney 2452172455812−35716

Ladder Progression

  • Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 8.
  • Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
  • Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.
  • Underlined numbers indicate that the team had a bye during that round.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
1 Sydney 2466681012141618202022242628283032343436384042
2 Bulldogs 24468101214141616161820222426283032343638384042
3 Brisbane 22468101212141416181820222224262830323434363737
4 Penrith 024688810121416181818202222222426262828303234
5 St. George-Illawarra 022468810101012121214161820202022242628303234
6 Melbourne 2244468881012141616182022222224242426283030
7 North Queensland 02224446899111315171717171921232325252729
8 Canberra 2246881010101010121214141618202022222222222426
9 Wests 2224468881012141416161616161818202224242424
10 Newcastle 24446668101214141414141616181818202222222224
11 Cronulla-Sutherland 002224668810121414141618202020202222242424
12 Parramatta 02466888101010101214141414161616161820222222
13 Manly-Warringah 2222222468881010101010121414161618202022
14 New Zealand 0002224666881010101012121414161616161616
15 South Sydney 024666666777911131313151515151515151616

Finals series

To decide the grand finalists from the top eight finishing teams, the NRL adopts the McIntyre Final Eight System.

The North Queensland Cowboys qualified for the finals for the first time in their ten-year history, and shocked everybody by finishing just one game short of the grand final. During the finals, they won their first ever game against Queensland rivals Brisbane, thus ending the career of Broncos stalwart Gorden Tallis. Also retiring after the 2004 finals series were Brad Fittler, Ryan Girdler and Kevin Campion.

St. George Illawarra Dragons almost capped a remarkable comeback when they trailed 24–0 only after half an hour of play to come back to only lose 31–30 against the Penrith Panthers in the first Qualifying Final. In doing so the Dragons became the first team to finish fifth to bow out after the first week of the finals, giving Penrith a home preliminary final; despite leading 8–4 at halftime in their preliminary final against the Bulldogs, they lost 30–14, thus ending their premiership defence.

Another notable game was the seventh-placed North Queensland Cowboys reaching the finals for the first time and upsetting the second-placed and competition favourites the Bulldogs 30–22 in the 3rd Qualifying Final. The Cowboys also defeated the Brisbane Broncos for the first time ever during the semi finals but were unable to reach the Grand Final when they lost to the Sydney Roosters in the Preliminary Final.

The Cowboys vs Broncos semi-final was originally fixtured to be played at Aussie Stadium, however, at the behest of both clubs, and in accordance with Aussie Stadium management, the NRL agreed to move the game to Dairy Farmers Stadium in Townsville.[9] The Cowboys won the game 10–0, giving them their first ever win over the Broncos and eliminating from the finals in the process. The game was Broncos' captain and club legend Gorden Tallis' last, who coincidentally was born and raised in Townsville.[10]

The Bulldogs claimed their 8th premiership title by beating the Roosters in the Grand Final.

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Qualifying Finals
Penrith Panthers 31 – 30 St. George Illawarra Dragons 10 September 2004 Penrith Football Stadium Sean Hampstead 21,963
Brisbane Broncos 14 – 31 Melbourne Storm 11 September 2004 Suncorp Stadium Steve Clark 31,100
Bulldogs 22 – 30 North Queensland Cowboys 11 September 2004 Telstra Stadium Tim Mander 18,371
Sydney Roosters 38 – 12 Canberra Raiders 12 September 2004 Aussie Stadium Paul Simpkins 18,375
Semi-finals
North Queensland Cowboys 10 – 0 Brisbane Broncos 18 September 2004 Dairy Farmers Stadium¹ Tim Mander 24,989
Bulldogs RLFC 43 – 18 Melbourne Storm 19 September 2004 Aussie Stadium Paul Simpkins 23,750
Preliminary Finals
Penrith Panthers 14 – 30 Bulldogs 25 September 2004 Aussie Stadium Tim Mander 37,868
Sydney Roosters 19 – 16 North Queensland Cowboys 26 September 2004 Telstra Stadium Paul Simpkins 43,048

¹ Game relocated to Dairy Farmers Stadium, the Cowboys' home ground, from Aussie Stadium. Cowboys designated home team despite the Broncos finishing higher on the table.

Finals Chart

  Qualifying Finals Semi Finals Preliminary Finals Grand Final
                                     
1 Sydney 38
8 Canberra 12
  1W Sydney 19  
2 Canterbury 22   4W North Queensland 10       North Queensland 16    
7 North Queensland 30   2L Brisbane 0           Sydney 13
        Canterbury 16
3 Brisbane 14         2W Penrith 14    
6 Melbourne 31   3W Melbourne 18       Canterbury 30  
  1L Canterbury 43  
4 Penrith 31
5 St. George Illawarra 30

Grand final

3 October 2004
19:00 AEST
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 16–13 Sydney Roosters
Tries:
Matt Utai (2)
Hazem El Masri
Goals:
Hazem El Masri (2/4)
Report Tries:
Anthony Minichiello
Chris Walker
Goals:
Craig Fitzgibbon (2/2)
Field goal
Brett Finch
Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 82,127[11]
Referee: Tim Mander
Man of the Match: Willie Mason

2004 Transfers

Players

Player 2003 Club 2004 Club
Andrew Gee Brisbane Broncos Retirement
Scott Prince Brisbane Broncos Wests Tigers
Richard Swain Brisbane Broncos Super League: Hull F.C.
Rod Jensen Canberra Raiders North Queensland Cowboys
Jamahl Lolesi Canberra Raiders Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Michael Monaghan Canberra Raiders Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Sean Rutgerson Canberra Raiders Super League: Salford City Reds
Shane Marteene Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Travis Norton Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs North Queensland Cowboys
Steve Reardon Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Retirement
Nigel Vagana Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Aaron Cannings Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Parramatta Eels
Luke Dorn Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Sydney Roosters
Tony Jensen Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles St. George Illawarra Dragons
Danny Lima Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Super League: Warrington Wolves
Nathan Long Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles St. George Illawarra Dragons
Ben MacDougall Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Melbourne Storm
Kevin McGuinness Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Super League: Salford City Reds
Mark Shipway Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Super League: Salford City Reds
Marcus Bai Melbourne Storm Super League: Leeds Rhinos
Junior Langi Melbourne Storm Parramatta Eels
Aaron Moule Melbourne Storm Super League: Widnes Vikings
Robbie Ross Melbourne Storm Retirement
Mitchell Sargent Melbourne Storm North Queensland Cowboys
Adam MacDougall Newcastle Knights South Sydney Rabbitohs
Tim Maddison Newcastle Knights Retirement
Sean Rudder Newcastle Knights Super League: Castleford Tigers
John Carlaw New Zealand Warriors St. George Illawarra Dragons
Ali Lauiti'iti New Zealand Warriors Super League: Leeds Rhinos
Logan Swann New Zealand Warriors Super League: Bradford Bulls
John Buttigieg North Queensland Cowboys Retirement
Paul Dezolt North Queensland Cowboys New Zealand Warriors
Paul McNicholas North Queensland Cowboys Super League: Hull F.C.
Chris Muckert North Queensland Cowboys Parramatta Eels
Shane Muspratt North Queensland Cowboys Parramatta Eels
David Thompson North Queensland Cowboys South Sydney Rabbitohs
Alex Chan Parramatta Eels Melbourne Storm
Shayne Dunley Parramatta Eels Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Paul Green Parramatta Eels Brisbane Broncos
Daniel Heckenberg Parramatta Eels Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Brett Hodgson Parramatta Eels Wests Tigers
Jason Moodie Parramatta Eels Wests Tigers
Pat Richards Parramatta Eels Wests Tigers
David Solomona Parramatta Eels Super League: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Darren Treacy Parramatta Eels Retirement
Geoff Bell Penrith Panthers Retirement
Shane Elford Penrith Panthers Wests Tigers
Chris Hicks Penrith Panthers Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Ben Roarty Penrith Panthers Super League: Huddersfield Giants
Scott Sattler Penrith Panthers Wests Tigers
Colin Ward Penrith Panthers Retirement
Jamie Fitzgerald South Sydney Rabbitohs Newcastle Knights
Andrew Hart South Sydney Rabbitohs Super League: London Broncos
Duncan MacGillivray South Sydney Rabbitohs Super League: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wade McKinnon South Sydney Rabbitohs Parramatta Eels
Frank Puletua South Sydney Rabbitohs Penrith Panthers
Russell Richardson South Sydney Rabbitohs Newcastle Knights
John Cross St. George Illawarra Dragons Retirement
Chris Leikvoll St. George Illawarra Dragons Super League: Warrington Wolves
Amos Roberts St. George Illawarra Dragons Penrith Panthers
Hassan Saleh St. George Illawarra Dragons Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Craig Stapleton St. George Illawarra Dragons Parramatta Eels
Eric Grothe Jr. Sydney Roosters Parramatta Eels
Andrew Lomu Sydney Roosters Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Todd Payten Sydney Roosters Wests Tigers
Robbie Beckett Wests Tigers Retirement
Nick Bradley-Qalilawa Wests Tigers Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Terry Hill Wests Tigers N/A
Willie Manu Wests Tigers South Sydney Rabbitohs
Luke O'Donnell Wests Tigers North Queensland Cowboys
Corey Pearson Wests Tigers Parramatta Eels
Steve Trindall Wests Tigers Super League: London Broncos
Lincoln Withers Wests Tigers St. George Illawarra Dragons
Mark Lennon Super League: Castleford Tigers Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Andrew Frew Super League: Halifax St. George Illawarra Dragons
Scott Logan Super League: Hull F.C. South Sydney Rabbitohs
Tony Martin Super League: London Broncos New Zealand Warriors
Chris Thorman Super League: London Broncos Parramatta Eels
Darren Smith Super League: St. Helens Brisbane Broncos
Nick Graham Super League: Wigan Warriors Wests Tigers
Andrew Walker ACT Brumbies (Super 12) Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

Sources and Footnotes

  1. abc.net.au (24 February 2004). "Bulldogs' accuser gives statement to police". ABC News. Australia: ABC. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
  2. "NRL salary cap guide | | ONE SPORT". tvnz.co.nz. 22 February 2006. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  3. Masters, Roy (20 January 2005). "Attacking ploy beaten into submission". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia: Fairfax Digital. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  4. Masters, Roy (13 March 2004). "Knights clean up as Penrith discovers success is a wet cake of soap". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia: Fairfax Media. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
  5. Gould, Phil (4 April 2004). "Winning the war on error". The Sun-Herald. Australia: Fairfax. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  6. "NRL 2004 - Results". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  7. "B&T magazine article 2004". Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2007.
  8. Proszenko, Adrian (6 May 2012). "Gallen set to smash record". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  9. "NRL confirms Townsville final". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 13 September 2004. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  10. Franklin, Katie (18 September 2004). "Cowboys one win away from grand final". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  11. D'Souza, Miguel. "Grand Final History". wwos.ninemsn.com.au. Australian Associated Press. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
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