Monday's Expert League Wrap -
Round 1, 2006

A huge weekend of football to kick off round one of the NRL, but weekend of woe for punters with a number of upsets occurring around the grounds.

Now in its fourth year, the LeagueUnlimited.com Player Awards are back with last year?s winner Andrew Johns joining six players on three points.


The full leader board is below.


The Leagueunlimited.com players of the match are decided by our live score updaters and tallied here each week on Monday's Expert League wrap.



League Wrap: Round 1, 10-12 March 2006
MATCH RESULTS:

Wests Tigers: 24
Tries: Anthony Laffranchi, Paul Whatuira (3), Michael Crockett
Goals: Brett Hodgson 3/5
St George Illawarra Dragons: 15
Tries: Mark Gasnier (3)
Goals: Wes Naiqama 1/3
Field Goals: Trent Barrett
HALF TIME: Dragons 10-8
Telstra Stadium
Crowd: 27,865
Referee: Paul Simpkins
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Mark Gasnier (Dragons)
2 - Scott Prince (Tigers)
1 - Paul Whatuira (Tigers)

Newcastle Knights: 25
Tries: Matthew Gidley, Adam Woolnough, Milton Thaiday, Brian Carney, Riley Brown
Goals: Kurt Gidley 1/3, Andrew Johns 1/2
Field Goals: Andrew Johns
Parramatta Eels: 6
Tries: Micheal Vella
Goals: Luke Burt 1/1
HALF TIME: Knights 8-6
Energy Australia Stadium
Crowd: 26,198
Referee: Russell Smith
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Andrew Johns (Knights)
2 - Milton Thaiday (Knights)
1 - Danny Buderus (Knights)

Canterbury Bulldogs: 22
Tries: Hazem El Masri, Mark O'Meley, Luke Patten, Willie Tonga
Goals: Hazem El Masri 3/4
Penrith Panthers: 24
Tries: Craig Gower, Matthew Cross, Nick Youngquest, Lee Hookey
Goals: Preston Campbell 4/5
HALF TIME: Panthers 14-10
Telstra Stadium
Crowd: 17,510
Referee: Sean Hamptstead
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Craig Gower (Panthers)
2 - Willie Mason (Bulldogs)
1 - Rhys Wesser (Panthers)

Manly Sea Eagles: 14
Tries: Brett Stewart, Steve Bell(2)
Goals: Matt Orford 1/3
Canberra Raiders: 27
Tries: Todd Carney, Phillip Graham, Adam Mogg, Simon Woolford
Goals: Clinton Shifcofske 5/5
Field Goals: Todd Carney
HALF TIME: Raiders 14-8
Brookvale Oval
Crowd: 17,135
Referee: Shayne Hayne
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Clinton Shifcofske (Raiders)
2 - Jason Smith (Raiders)
1 - Lincoln Withers (Raiders)

New Zealand Warriors: 16
Tries: Wairangi Koopu, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei
Goals: Tony Martin 2/3
Melbourne Storm: 22
Tries: Matt Geyer (2), Greg Inglis, Cameron Smith, Steve Turner
Goals: Greg Inglis 1/5
HALF TIME: Storm 8-0
Ericsson Stadium
Crowd: 10,035
Referee: Steven Clark
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Cameron Smith (Storm)
2 - Greg Inglis (Storm)
1 - Wairangi Koopu (Warriors)

Brisbane Broncos: 4
Tries: Darius Boyd
North Queensland Cowboys: 36
Tries: Matthew Bowen, Matt Sing, Jonathan Thurston (3), Neil Sweeney
Goals: Jonathan Thurston 6/7
HALF TIME: Cowboys 24-0
Suncorp Stadium
Crowd: 46,229
Referee: Tony Archer
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Jonathan Thurston (Cowboys)
2 - Aaron Payne (Cowboys)
1 - Paul Bowman (Cowboys)

South Sydney Rabbitohs: 22
Tries: Yileen Gordon, John Sutton, Ben Walker, Nathan Merritt(2)
Goals: Ben Walker 3/3
Sydney Roosters: 40
Tries: Ryan Cross, Brett Finch, Anthony Minichello, Amos Roberts(2), Iosia Soliola, Jamie Soward
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 4/4, Amos Roberts 2/3
HALF TIME: Rabbitohs 18-6
Telstra Stadium
Crowd: 16,741
Referee: Jason Robinson
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Jamie Soward (Roosters)
2 - Amos Roberts (Roosters)
1 - John Sutton (Rabbitohs)

Cronulla Sharks - Bye

FULL DRAW, RESULTS & LINKS TO LIVE SCORES ? CLICK HERE

Next weekend?s matches:
Round 2, 17-19 March 2006
Fri 7:30 CANTERBURY BULLDOGS v WESTS TIGERS Telstra Stadium
Sat 7:30 (5:30 Syd) PARRAMATTA EELS v NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS Waikato Stadium NZ
Sat 7:30 CRONULLA SHARKS v BRISBANE BRONCOS Toyota Park
Sat 8:30 (9:30 Syd) NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS v MANLY SEA EAGLES Dairy Farmers Stadium
Sun 2.30 SYDNEY ROOSTERS v MELBOURNE STORM Aussie Stadium
Sun 3.00 ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS v PENRITH PANTHERS WIN Stadium
Sun 3.00 CANBERRA RAIDERS v NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS Canberra Stadium
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS - BYE

FOR CENTREBET ODDS ? CLICK HERE

LEAGUEUNLIMITED.COM PLAYER AWARDS 2006
LEADER BOARD
The Leagueunlimited.com players awards are decided by our live score updaters.
Want to be a live score updater? For further enquiries, email us.

3 points
Mark Gasnier (Dragons), Craig Gower (Panthers), Andrew Johns (Knights), Clinton Shifcofske (Raiders), Cameron Smith (Storm), Jamie Soward (Roosters), Jonathan Thurston (Cowboys)

2 points
Greg Inglis (Storm), Willie Mason (Bulldogs), Aaron Payne (Cowboys), Scott Prince (Tigers), Amos Roberts (Roosters), Jason Smith (Raiders), Milton Thaiday (Knights)

1 points
Paul Bowman (Cowboys), Danny Buderus (Knights), Wairangi Koopu (Warriors), John Sutton (Rabbitohs), Rhys Wesser (Panthers), Paul Whatuira (Tigers), Lincoln Withers (Raiders)