Monday?s Expert League Wrap - Round 19, 2006

Friday night football kicked off to a packed Kogarah?s Oki Jubilee Stadium with the St George Illawarra Dragons playing host to the Canterbury Bulldogs. Played in a semi-final atmosphere, the match saw both sides entertain the bumper crowd with some great forward clashes. The Bulldogs finally got the better of the home side in posting a 22-16 victory. The result sees both sides on 26 points, with the points differential giving the Bulldogs second spot on the National Rugby League ladder.

On Saturday, we travelled to Auckland where a visiting Parramatta Eels side kept their finals hopes alive with a 20-12 win over the New Zealand Warriors. Sitting on 18 points, the Eels are just outside of the top eight while the Warriors are now battling to keep in touch on 14 points.

Saturday night took us west of Sydney to Penrith to see the Panthers defeat the North Queensland Cowboys by 17-8. The Penrith side are on the fringe of the top eight and join a number of teams on 20 points, including the Cowboys.

Meanwhile, the hapless South Sydney Rabbitohs went down again, the fifth-placed Manly Sea Eagles travelling to Homebush to post a 26-20 win over the 2006 wooden spooners.

Sunday football saw three matches, kicking off with the Newcastle Knights hosting the Melbourne Storm. The Storm are now top of the table and six points clear after recording a 24-16 win over the home side. The Knights join the log jam of teams on 20 points and are still clinging to the top eight.

Meanwhile in Sydney, the Roosters scored an upset win over the Cronulla Sharks, defeating the visitors 38-32 in a match where the score line reflected the level of defence. The Roosters have snapped a six match losing streak but are still in the lower half of the ladder on 16 competition points. The Sharks are 22 points and running sixth.

Round 19 wrapped up in the national capital with the Raiders overcoming last year?s premiers, Wests Tigers, by 20-18 at Canberra Stadium. The result sees the Raiders on 20 points and within shot of a finals berth while Wests Tigers are on the outside and looking in on 18 points.

All match results and details are listed below.

LeagueUnlimited.com Player Awards
Raiders full back Clinton Schifcofske may be heading off to Union but this isn?t affecting his League form. The Raiders fullback scored maximum points on the weekend and has kicked away in this year?s LeagueUnlimited.com Player Awards. ?Schif? is in front on 24 points, four points clear of his nearest rival.

Greg Inglis (Storm), Matt Orford (Sea Eagles), Cameron Smith (Storm) are all in equal second place on 20 points. Meanwhile Nathan Hindmarsh (Eels), Ben Kennedy (Sea Eagles), Willie Mason (Bulldogs), and Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys) are not far away on 17 points.

With just seven rounds remaining, the leader board sees a number of players still in contention in the 10-15 points range. 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

MATCH RESULTS:
League Wrap: Round 19, 14 July ? 16 July 2006

St George Illawarra Dragons: 16
Tries: Ben Creagh, Mark Gasnier(2)
Goals: Aaron Gorrell 2/4
Field Goals: Ben Hornby 0/1
Canterbury Bulldogs: 22
Tries: Brent Sherwin, Sonny Bill Williams, Daniel Holdsworth(2)
Goals: Hazem El Masri 3/4
Half time: Bulldogs 10-4
Venue: OKI Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah
Crowd: 18,223
Referee: Steve Clark
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Roy Asotasi (Bulldogs)
2 - Willie Mason (Bulldogs)
1 - Brent Sherwin (Bulldogs)

New Zealand Warriors: 12
Tries: Grant Rovelli, Steve Price
Goals: Tony Martin 2/2
Parramatta Eels: 20
Tries: Nathan Hindmarsh, Luke O'Dwyer, Jarryd Hayne(2)
Goals: Mark Riddell 1/4, Jarryd Hayne 1/2
Half time: Eels 18-6
Venue: Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland (Ericsson Stadium)
Crowd: 14,499
Referee: Sean Hampstead
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Nathan Hindmarsh (Eels)
2 - Simon Mannering (Warriors)
1 - Jarryd Hayne (Eels)

Penrith Panthers: 17
Tries: Luke Priddis, Rhys Wesser, Michael Gordon
Goals: Preston Campbell 2/3
Field Goals: Craig Trindall
North Queensland Cowboys: 8
Tries: Steven Southern
Goals: Johnathan Thurston 2/2
Half time: Cowboys 2-0
Venue: CUA Stadium, Penrith
Crowd: 8,212
Referee: Ben Cummins
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Preston Campbell (Panthers)
2 - Joel Clinton (Panthers)
1 - Matthew Bowen (Cowboys)

South Sydney Rabbitohs: 20
Tries: Luke MacDougall, Nathan Merritt(2), David Peachey
Goals: Ben Walker 2/4
Manly Sea Eagles: 26
Tries: Brett Stewart, Luke Williamson, Michael Robertson(3)
Goals: Matt Orford 3/5
Half time: Sea Eagles 16-10
Venue: Telstra Stadium
Crowd: 7,509
Referee: Jarred Maxwell
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Michael Robertson (Sea Eagles)
2 - Nathan Merritt (Rabbitohs)
1 - Matt Orford (Sea Eagles)

Newcastle Knights: 16
Tries: Anthony Quinn(2), Brian Carney
Goals: Andrew Johns 2/4
Melbourne Storm: 24
Tries: Cooper Cronk, Ryan Hoffman, Billy Slater, Jeremy Smith
Goals: Cameron Smith 4/4
Half time: Storm 12-10
Venue: EnergyAustralia Stadium
Crowd: 21,655
Referee: Paul Simpkins
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Cooper Cronk (Storm)
2 - Clint Newton (Knights)
1 - Billy Slater (Storm)

Sydney Roosters: 38
Tries: Ryan Cross(2), Chris Flannery, Sam Perrett(2), Iosia Soliola, Setaimata Sa
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 5/9
Cronulla Sutherland Sharks: 32
Tries: Greg Bird, Adam Dykes, Nigel Vagana, Darren Albert, Brett Kearney
Goals: Luke Covell 6/6
Half time: Sharks 18-16
Venue: Aussie Stadium
Crowd: 9,241
Referee: Jason Robinson
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Craig Fitzgibbon (Roosters)
2 - Nigel Vagana (Sharks)
1 - David Shillington (Roosters)

Canberra Raiders: 20
Tries: Todd Carney, Marshall Chalk, Phillip Graham
Goals: Clinton Schifcofske 4/5
Wests Tigers: 18
Tries: Dean Collis, Brett Hodgson, Shannon McDonnell
Goals: Brett Hodgson 3/4
Half time: 12-all
Venue: Canberra Stadium
Crowd: 9,125
Referee: Tony Archer
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Clinton Schifcofske (Raiders)
2 - Jason Smith (Raiders)
1 - Scott Prince (Tigers)

Brisbane Broncos v Bye

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

UPCOMING MATCHES:
Round 20, 21-23 July 2006
Fri 7:30 STORM v SHARKS - Olympic Park
Sat 5:30 BULLDOGS v ROOSTERS - Telstra Stadium
Sat 7:30 KNIGHTS v RABBITOHS - EnergyAustralia Stadium
Sat 7:30 COWBOYS v BRONCOS - Dairy Farmers Stadium
Sun 2:30 TIGERS v EELS - Telstra Stadium
Sun 3:00 SEA EAGLES v PANTHERS - Brookvale Oval
Sun 3:00 RAIDERS v DRAGONS - Canberra Stadium
WARRIORS v 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.

24 points
Clinton Schifcofske (Raiders)

20 points
Greg Inglis (Storm), Matt Orford (Sea Eagles), Cameron Smith (Storm)

17 points
Nathan Hindmarsh (Eels), Ben Kennedy (Sea Eagles), Willie Mason (Bulldogs), Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys)

15 points
Preston Campbell (Panthers), Andrew Johns (Knights)

14 points
Cooper Cronk (Storm), Mark Gasnier (Dragons)

13 points
Adam Dykes (Sharks), Hazem El Masri (Bulldogs), Darren Lockyer (Broncos)

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

10 points
Roy Asotasi (Bulldogs), Petero Civoniceva (Broncos), Robert Farah (Tigers)

9 points
Paul Gallen (Sharks), Mathew Head (Dragons), Brett Hodgson (Tigers), Steve Price (Warriors), Jason Smith (Raiders)

8 points
Brett Kimmorley (Sharks), Corey Parker (Broncos), Scott Prince (Tigers), Ruben Wiki (Warriors), Dean Young (Dragons)

7 points
Steve Bell (Sea Eagles), Mark O?Meley (Bulldogs), Amos Roberts (Roosters), Sonny Bill Williams (Bulldogs)

6 points
Craig Gower (Panthers), Nathan Fien (Warriors), Craig Fitzgibbon (Roosters), Luke Lewis (Panthers), Steve Menzies (Sea Eagles), Grant Rovelli (Warriors), Lance Thompson (Sharks), Alan Tongue (Raiders)

5 points
Trent Barrett (Dragons), Peter Cusack (Rabbitohs), Aaron Gorrell (Dragons), Justin Hodges (Broncos), Wade McKinnon (Eels), Luke O'Donnell (Cowboys), Simon Mannering (Warriors), Aaron Payne (Cowboys), Brad Thorn (Broncos), Brent Webb (Warriors), Rhys Wesser (Panthers)

4 points
Darren Albert (Sharks), Brian Carney (Knights), Sione Faumuina (Warriors), David Kidwell (Storm), Jarryd Hayne (Eels), Ryan Hoffman (Storm), Ben Hornby (Dragons), Anthony Laffranchi (Tigers), Adam MacDougall (Rabbitohs), Fuifui Moimoi (Eels), Clint Newton (Knights), David Peachey (Rabbitohs), Luke Priddis (Panthers), Andrew Ryan (Bulldogs), David Simmons (Sharks), Steve Simpson (Knights), Billy Slater (Storm), Jamie Soward (Roosters), Anthony Tupou (Roosters), Paul Whatuira (Tigers), Lincoln Withers (Raiders)

3 points
Luke Bailey (Dragons), Greg Bird (Sharks), Joel Clinton (Panthers), Darius Boyd (Broncos), Dean Collis (Tigers), Matt Cooper (Dragons), Luke Covell (Sharks), Michael Crocker (Storm), Greg Eastwood (Broncos), Brett Finch (Roosters), Michael Gordon (Panthers), Phillip Graham (Raiders), Clint Greenshields (Dragons), Nathan Hinton (Knights), Brett Kearney (Sharks), Luke MacDougall (Rabbitohs), Reni Maitua (Bulldogs), Manase Manuokafoa (Rabbitohs), Michael Robertson (Sea Eagles), Jerome Ropati (Warriors), Brett Stewart (Sea Eagles), Milton Thaiday (Knights), Tame Tupou (Broncos), Matthew Utai (Bulldogs), Anthony Watmough (Sea Eagles)

2 points
Brenton Bowen (Cowboys), George Carmont (Knights), Todd Carney (Raiders), Daniel Fitzhenry (Tigers), Keith Galloway (Tigers), Awen Guttenbeil (Warriors), Ashley Harrison (Roosters), Scott Hill (Storm), Wairangi Koopu (Warriors), Tom Learoyd-Lahrs (Raiders), Tony Martin (Warriors), Anthony Minichiello (Roosters), Mark O'Meley (Bulldogs), Benji Marshall (Tigers), Nathan Merritt (Rabbitohs), John Morris (Eels), Luke Patten (Bulldogs), Josh Perry (Knights), Todd Polglase (Rabbitohs), Luke Rooney (Panthers), John Skandalis (Tigers), Matt Sing (Cowboys), Craig Smith (Knights), Tim Smith (Eels), Iosia Soliola (Roosters), Brent Sherwin (Bulldogs), Steven Southern (Cowboys), John Sutton (Rabbitohs), Timana Tahu (Eels), Clinton Toopi (Warriors), Evarn Tuimavave (Warriors), Nigel Vagana (Sharks), Trent Waterhouse (Panthers), Shane Webcke (Broncos), Michael Weyman (Raiders), Craig Wing (Roosters)

1 point
Paul Bowman (Cowboys), Nathan Cayless (Eels), Ben Creagh (Dragons), Shayne Dunley (Sea Eagles), Michael Ennis (Broncos), Nathan Friend (Storm), Matt Geyer (Storm), Kurt Gidley (Knights), Matthew Gidley (Knights), Tony Grimaldi (Bulldogs), Daniel Holdsworth (Bulldogs), Lee Hookey (Panthers), Matt King (Storm), Todd Lowrie (Knights), Steve Matai (Sea Eagles), Daryl Millard (Dragons), Ryan O'Hara (Tigers), Shannon McDonnell (Tigers), Mark Riddell (Eels), Shane Rodney (Panthers), David Shillington (Roosters), Brent Tate (Broncos), Shane Tronc (Cowboys), Ben Walker (Rabbitohs), Simon Woolford (Raiders), William Zillman (Raiders)