Monday?s
Expert League Wrap - Round 11, 2006

Round 11 gave us a shortened weekend of rugby league football with three teams having the bye. Friday night kicked off with the Panthers proving to good in downing the Parramatta Eels 30-20 in Penrith.

Saturday afternoon took us to Auckland to see the Warriors kick clear of cellar with an upset 34-12 win over Wests Tigers. Saturday night in Brookvale saw the Manly Sea Eagles overcome competition frontrunners Melbourne Storm, also by 34-12. Meanwhile, a rainy Newcastle played host as the Knights downed the Canberra Raiders by 22-12.

Sunday football delivered two matches with the Canterbury Bulldogs defeating the Cronulla Sharks 32-24 at Telstra Stadium. Meanwhile, the Sydney Roosters narrowly defeated the South Sydney Rabbitiohs 28-26 at Aussie Stadim.

After 11 rounds of football, last year's wooden spooners, the Newcastle Knights are top of the ladder with 16 points. But they share top spot with four other teams: the Storm, the North Queensland Cowboys, the Brisbane Broncos and the Bulldogs, also on 16 points.

Then there's a break of four competition points, and the log jam continues with no less than five teams on 12 points.

All match results and details are listed below.

LeagueUnlimited.com Player Awards
The LeagueUnlimited.com Player Awards? leader board is getting tight with Cowboys five-eighth Johnathan Thurston and Storm hooker Cameron Smith sharing top spot on 16 points. But Knights half back Andrew Johns has made a charge and is now just one point adrift on 15 points. Meanwhile Sea Eagles half back Matt Orford has made his impression on the leader board and joins Storm full back Greg Inglis on 14 points.

Not far away are Adam Dykes (Sharks) on 13 points and Hazem El Masri (Bulldogs) on 12 points. Matthew Bowen (Cowboys), Danny Buderus (Knights) and Karmichael Hunt (Broncos) are all well in contention on 10 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.

Want to be a live score updater? For further enquiries, email us.

League Wrap: Round 11, 19 ? 21 May 2006
MATCH RESULTS:

Penrith Panthers: 30
Tries: Luke Priddis(2), Michael Gordon, Rhys Wesser, Matthew Cross
Goals: Preston Campbell 5/6
Parramatta Eels: 20
Tries: John Williams, Fuifui Moimoi, Glenn Morrison, Daniel Wagon
Goals: Brett Delaney 2/4
Half time: Panthers 22-16
Venue: CUA Stadium, Penrith
Crowd: 16,764
Referee: Steven Clark
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Luke Lewis (Panthers)
2 - Luke Priddis (Panthers)
1 - Rhys Wesser (Panthers)

New Zealand Warriors: 34
Tries: Louis Anderson, Sione Faumuina, Grant Rovelli, Simon Mannering, Evarn Tuimavave, Brent Webb
Goals: Tony Martin 5/6
Wests Tigers: 12
Tries: Taniela Tuiaki(2)
Goals: Benji Marshall 2/2
Half time: Warriors 22-6
Venue: Ericsson Stadium
Crowd: 8,210
Referee: Jarred Maxwell
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Brent Webb (Warriors)
2 - Evarn Tuimavave (Warriors)
1 - Tony Martin (Warriors)

Manly Sea Eagles: 34
Tries: Mark Bryant, Chris Hicks(2), Paul Stephenson, Glenn Stewart, Steve Matai
Goals: Matt Orford 5/6
Melbourne Storm: 12
Tries: Matt Geyer, Steve Turner
Goals: Matt Geyer 2/2
Half time: Sea Eagles 16-0
Venue: Brookvale Oval
Crowd: 9,338
Referee: Gavin Badger
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Matt Orford (Sea Eagles)
2 - Cooper Cronk (Storm)
1 - Shayne Dunley (Sea Eagles)

Newcastle Knights: 22
Tries: Brad Tighe, Brian Carney(3)
Goals: Andrew Johns 3/4
Canberra Raiders: 12
Tries: Phillip Graham, Michael Hodgson
Goals: Clinton Schifcofske 2/2
Half time: Knights 12-6
Venue: EnergyAustralia Stadium
Crowd: 18,236
Referee: Jason Robinson
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Andrew Johns (Knights)
2 - Brian Carney (Knights)
1 - Phillip Graham (Raiders)

Canterbury Bulldogs: 32
Tries: Hazem El Masri, Willie Tonga, Matthew Utai(2), Daniel Holdsworth
Goals: Hazem El Masri 6/8
Cronulla Sutherland Sharks: 24
Tries: Phil Bailey, Greg Bird, Luke Covell, Matt Hilder, David Simmons
Goals: Luke Covell 2/5
Half time: Bulldogs 14-6
Venue: Telstra Stadium
Crowd: TBA
Referee: Tony Archer
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Matthew Utai (Bulldogs)
2 - Hazem El Masri (Bulldogs)
1 - Brett Kimmorley (Sharks)

Sydney Roosters: 28
Tries: Amos Roberts, Iosia Soliola, John Doyle, David Shillington, Vince Mellars
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 4/5
South Sydney Rabbitohs: 26
Tries: David Fa'alogo, Adam MacDougall, Joe Williams, Nathan Merritt, Ben Rogers
Goals: Joe Williams 3/5
Half time: Roosters 12-10
Venue: Aussie Stadium
Crowd: 13,221
Referee: Shayne Hayne
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Anthony Tupou (Roosters)
2 - Iosia Soliola (Roosters)
1 - Adam MacDougall (Rabbitohs)

Brisbane Broncos ? Bye
North Queensland Cowboys ? Bye
St George Illawarra Dragons - Bye

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

Upcoming matches:
NEW SOUTH WALES v QUEENSLAND - State of Origin I - 24 May 2006
Wed 8:00 BLUES MAROONS - Telstra Stadium
Round 12, 26-28 May 2006
Fri 7:30 KNIGHTS v DRAGONS - EnergyAustralia Stadium
Sat 5:30 COWBOYS v RAIDERS - Dairy Farmers Stadium
Sat 7:30 BRONCOS v BULLDOGS - Suncorp Stadium
Sat 7:30 SHARKS v WARRIORS - Toyota Park
Sun 2:30 STORM v PANTHERS - Olympic Park
Sun 3:00 EELS v ROOSTERS - Parramatta Stadium
Sun 3:00 RABBITOHS v TIGERS - Telstra Stadium
SEA EAGLES - BYE

FOR LATEST 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.

16 points
Cameron Smith (Storm), Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys)

15 points
Andrew Johns (Knights)

14 points
Greg Inglis (Storm), Matt Orford (Sea Eagles)

13 points
Adam Dykes (Sharks)

12 points
Hazem El Masri (Bulldogs)

10 points
Matthew Bowen (Cowboys), Danny Buderus (Knights), Karmichael Hunt (Broncos)

9 points
Ben Kennedy (Sea Eagles), Willie Mason (Bulldogs)

8 points
Mark Gasnier (Dragons), Darren Lockyer (Broncos), Clinton Schifcofske (Raiders)

7 points
Steve Bell (Sea Eagles), Preston Campbell (Panthers)

6 points
Cooper Cronk (Storm), Craig Gower (Panthers), Mathew Head (Dragons), Nathan Hindmarsh (Eels), Corey Parker (Broncos), Ruben Wiki (Warriors)

5 points
Roy Asotasi (Bulldogs), Petero Civoniceva (Broncos), Robert Farah (Tigers), Nathan Fien (Warriors), Paul Gallen (Sharks), Justin Hodges (Broncos), Steve Menzies (Sea Eagles), Luke O'Donnell (Cowboys), Steve Price (Warriors), Amos Roberts (Roosters), Jason Smith (Raiders), Alan Tongue (Raiders), Rhys Wesser (Panthers)

4 points
Brian Carney (Knights), Aaron Gorrell (Dragons), Brett Hodgson (Tigers), Adam MacDougall (Rabbitohs), Mark O?Meley (Bulldogs), Luke Priddis (Panthers), Steve Simpson (Knights), Jamie Soward (Roosters), Anthony Tupou (Roosters), Paul Whatuira (Tigers)

3 points
Trent Barrett (Dragons), Luke Covell (Sharks), Michael Crocker (Storm), Brett Finch (Roosters), Craig Fitzgibbon (Roosters), Clint Greenshields (Dragons), Reni Maitua (Bulldogs), Scott Prince (Tigers), Milton Thaiday (Knights), Lance Thompson (Sharks), Tame Tupou (Broncos), Matthew Utai (Bulldogs), Brent Webb (Warriors), Lincoln Withers (Raiders)

2 points
Luke Bailey (Dragons), Brenton Bowen (Cowboys), George Carmont (Knights), Peter Cusack (Rabbitohs), Daniel Fitzhenry (Tigers), Awen Guttenbeil (Warriors), Ashley Harrison (Roosters), Brett Kearney (Sharks), Tom Learoyd-Lahrs (Raiders), Luke Lewis (Panthers), Tony Martin (Warriors), Wade McKinnon (Eels), Anthony Minichiello (Roosters), Mark O'Meley (Bulldogs), Aaron Payne (Cowboys), Josh Perry (Knights), Todd Polglase (Rabbitohs), Luke Rooney (Panthers), John Skandalis (Tigers), David Simmons (Sharks), Matt Sing (Cowboys), Craig Smith (Knights), Iosia Soliola (Roosters), Steven Southern (Cowboys), John Sutton (Rabbitohs), Brad Thorn (Broncos), Clinton Toopi (Warriors), Evarn Tuimavave (Warriors), Trent Waterhouse (Panthers), Dean Young (Dragons)

1 point
Darren Albert (Sharks), Paul Bowman (Cowboys), Nathan Cayless (Eels), Matt Cooper (Dragons), Shayne Dunley (Sea Eagles), Michael Ennis (Broncos), Kurt Gidley (Knights), Matthew Gidley (Knights), Phillip Graham (Raiders), Tony Grimaldi (Bulldogs), Lee Hookey (Panthers), Brett Kimmorley (Sharks), Matt King (Storm), Wairangi Koopu (Warriors), Luke MacDougall (Rabbitohs), Benji Marshall (Tigers), Fuifui Moimoi (Eels), Luke Patten (Bulldogs), Shane Rodney (Panthers), Brent Sherwin (Bulldogs), Billy Slater (Storm), Tim Smith (Eels), Brett Stewart (Sea Eagles), Shane Tronc (Cowboys), Simon Woolford (Raiders), Craig Wing (Roosters), William Zillman (Raiders)