After six rounds, the Wests Tigers had shown flashes of the attacking style that would later define their 2005 campaign, but consistency still eluded them.
Over the next six weeks, they would experience both frustration and breakthrough moments, producing some of their most entertaining football of the season while slowly shaping the side that would ultimately go on a historic run.
ROUND 7 vs EELS
Parramatta may have had the final say on the scoreboard, but it was Robbie Farah who stole the show in a breakout performance.
Starting at hooker, Farah stunned the home crowd just 40 seconds after kick-off; darting from dummy half and dummying past Luke Burt to score an outstanding long-range individual try before many fans had even taken their seats.
The Tigers were full of confidence, producing another long-range strike in the first half when Pat Richards, playing against his former club, finished a sweeping move from a scrum inside their own half.
Brett Hodgson, Scott Prince and Paul Whatuira combined to keep the attack flowing throughout the contest, and Farah capped his afternoon with a second try late in the match; again running from dummy half and selling two dummies on his way to the line.
Despite those highlights, Parramatta’s size and composure in key moments proved decisive, with tries to Eric Grothe, Glenn Morrison, Timana Tahu and Daniel Wagon turning the contest their way.
Still, the match was an early indication of the threat posed by the Tigers’ developing spine of Hodgson, Marshall, Prince and Farah.
Eels 26 (Grothe 2, Morrison, Tahu, Wagon tries; Burt 3/6 goals) defeated Wests Tigers 16 (Farah 2, Richards tries; Hodgson 2/3 goals) at Parramatta Stadium.
ROUND 8 vs DRAGONS
Facing a St. George Illawarra side gathering momentum after a slow start to the year, the Tigers again came out firing.
They struck early through Anthony Laffranchi after a brilliant movement involving Farah, Marshall and Todd Payten, before Brett Hodgson raced 55 metres from a scrum.
Hodgson, as well as Scott Prince’s kicking game kept the Dragons guessing in this one, while Payten and Liam Fulton (who grabbed a double) were prominent in attack.
But the home side’s class shone through in the second half, with Trent Barrett, Ben Hornby and Mark Gasnier leading the Red V to a comeback win.
Even in defeat, the Tigers’ ability to score from anywhere was on full display, and Fulton’s double underlined his progression into a reliable NRL back-rower after debuting in 2003.
Dragons 40 (Gasnier 2, Torrens 2, Best, Creagh, Hornby tries; Ennis 4/5 goals, Head 2/2 goals) defeated Wests Tigers 32 (Fulton 2, Hodgson, Laffranchi, Payten tries; Hodgson 6/6 goals) at Stadium Australia.
ROUND 9 vs SEA EAGLES
A Mother’s Day shootout at Brookvale saw the Tigers go try-for-try with Manly for much of the afternoon.
Fulton’s hot streak continued with another try, capitalising off good lead-up work from Scott Prince and Anthony Laffranchi.
Laffranchi and Matthew Rieck also crossed, with Rieck’s effort, a great take from a pinpoint Hodgson kick, a standout effort.
Prince added a try of his own thanks to Todd Payten’s clever tap-on close to the line, and Paul Whatuira pounced on a Prince grubber to keep the Tigers in the contest.
However, Ben Kennedy’s hat-trick and the Sea Eagles’ ability to capitalise on repeat sets eventually sealed the result, consigning the Tigers to a fourth straight loss.
Sea Eagles 34 (Kennedy 3, Hicks, Stewart, Witt tries; Witt 5/6 goals) defeated Wests Tigers 26 (Fulton, Laffranchi, Prince, Rieck, Whatuira tries; Hodgson 3/5 goals) at Brookvale Oval.
ROUND 10 vs KNIGHTS
A breakthrough came in Round 10 against Newcastle, where Wests Tigers recorded their first-ever win in the Hunter.
Doubles to Rieck and Whatuira, along with tries to Fulton and Richards, powered the visitors to an outstanding victory over a side featuring several premiership-winners.
Benji Marshall’s sleight of hand created space for Rieck to score his first, before Prince sliced through and found Fulton backing up for another.
Rieck’s second was a gem, stepping inside the Newcastle fullback after a long break, and Pat Richards also grabbed a four-pointer in the corner, furthering his quality try-scoring rate for the season.
Given the Tigers’ past struggles at the venue, the result was a significant psychological boost and signalled the start of a possible momentum shift in their season.
Wests Tigers 32 (Rieck 2, Whatuira 2, Fulton, Richards tries; Hodgson 4/6 goals) defeated Knights 16 (Quinn 2, Thaiday tries; Campbell 2/3 goals) at Newcastle International Sports Centre.
ROUND 11 vs RAIDERS
Back-to-back wins were secured on the back of a blistering start at Campbelltown.
Benji Marshall was the star early, slicing through with that iconic sidestep for a solo try inside eight minutes.
The Raiders fought back from 22-0 down at half-time to trail by just six, but Paul Whatuira’s late try, created by some trademark '05 Tigers quick passing, halted their charge.
The match is probably best remembered for Marshall’s famous step from the scrum, leaving defenders grasping at thin air.
Robbie Farah and Chris Heighington also got their names on the scoresheet in a quality performance at Campbelltown.
Wests Tigers 28 (Whatuira 2, Farah, Heighington, Marshall tries; Hodgson 4/7 goals) defeated Raiders 16 (Chalk, Graham, Withers tries; Gafa 2/3 goals) at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
ROUND 12 vs WARRIORS
In greasy Auckland conditions, the Tigers’ free-flowing attack was stifled by the Warriors’ physical dominance.
Richards scored early in the corner from a Marshall cut-out ball, but that would be their only joy.
Clinton Toopi’s double and the control of Stacey Jones steered the Warriors to victory, with the Tigers unable to match the home side’s power through the middle.
Despite the disappointment, the team’s line-up was beginning to stabilise, with several players locking down positions that would ultimately carry them through to the premiership decider.
Warriors 21 (Toopi 2, Byrne, Villasanti tries; Jones 1/4, Hohaia 1/3 goals; Jones field goal) defeated Wests Tigers 4 (Richards try) at Mount Smart Stadium.
