Monday?s
Expert Leagueunlimited.com Players Awards? and the winner is?

2005 LEAGUEUNLIMITED.COM PLAYER OF THE YEAR: ANDREW JOHNS Congratulations to Andrew Johns who has taken out the Leagueunlimited.com Player Awards for 2005.

?Joey? has been in sensational form since coming back from injury last June, leading a resurgent Newcastle Knights outfit who have come within a whisker of avoiding the wooden spoon.

Johns scored 28 points overall, three points clear of last year?s winner, Storm half back Matt Orford. Cowboys? full back Matt Bowen also finished in equal second place on 25 points. Not far away was Warriors? skipper Stacey Jones on 21 points while Wests Tigers full back Brett Hodgson scored 20 points overall.

Luke Bailey heads up an impressive list of front rowers, the Dragons? prop picked up numerous man of the match awards to surge ahead and out score fellow front rowers Roy Asotasi (Bulldogs), Shane Webcke (Broncos) and Ruben Wiki (Warriors) on the leader board. Bailey joins back rowers Nathan Hindmarsh (Eels) and Ben Kennedy (Sea Eagles) on 19 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 Mondays Expert?s League wrap.

THE LEAGUEUNLIMITED.COM PLAYERS OF THE YEAR Based on usual position. Points scored in brackets. Full back of the year: M Bowen (Cowboys) [25] Wingers of the year: 1st: M Sing (Cowboys) [9]; 2nd: (tie) H El Masri (Bulldogs); E Grothe (Eels) [7] Centres of the year: 1st: M King (Storm) [10]; 2nd: (tie) S Berrigan (Broncos) [6]; M Gasnier (Dragons) [6]; N Vagana (Sharks) [6] Five eighth of the year: (tie) P Campbell (Panthers) [19]; D Lockyer (Broncos) [19] Half back of the year: A Johns (Knights) [28] (c) Prop forwards of the year: 1st: L Bailey (Dragons) [19]; 2nd: R Asotasi (Bulldogs) [13] Hooker of the year: L Priddis (Panthers) [15] Second row forwards of the year: 1st: N Hindmarsh (Eels) [19]; 2nd: S Menzies (Sea Eagles) [14] Lock forward of the year: B Kennedy (Sea Eagles) [19]

League Wrap: Round 26, 2-4 September 2005 MATCH RESULTS: PARRAMATTA EELS 28 Tries: Widders 2, B Smith, Vella, Burt Goals: Burt 4/5 BRISBANE BRONCOS 14 Tries: Civoniceva, Thaiday Goals: Seymour 3/3 Parramatta Stadium Fri 7:30pm Crowd: 20,340 Referee: Paul Simpkins Half time: Broncos 14-6 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - D Widders (Eels) 2 - F Moi Moi (Eels) 1 - B Tate (Broncos)

CRONULLA SHARKS 22 Tries: Mellor 2, Kingston, Peachey Goals: Covell 3/5 STH SYDNEY RABBITOHS 26 Tries: Sutton 2, Polglase 2 Goals: B.Walker 5/5 Toyota Park Sat 5:30pm Crowd: 17,111 Referee: Russell Smith Half time: Sharks 12-6 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - J Sutton (Rabbitohs) 2 - B Walker (Rabbitohs) 1 - N Vagana (Sharks)

NTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 30 Tries: Bowen 2, Sing, Bowman, Williams Goals: Thurston 5/5 MELBOURNE STORM 24 Tries: Bell, Inglis, Scott, Hoffman Goals: Orford 2/2, Smith 2/2 Dairy Farmers Stadium Sat 7:30pm Crowd: 22,471 Referee: Tim Mander Half time: Cowboys 20-12 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - M Bowen (Cowboys) 2 - J Thurston (Cowboys) 1 - R Kearns (Storm)

CANBERRA RAIDERS 18 Tries: Hindmarsh 2, Gafa Goals: Schifcofscke 3/3 MANLY SEA EAGLES 36 Tries: Watmough, Hicks, Menzies, Harris, Monaghan, Matai Goals: Williamson 6/8 Canberra Stadium Sat 7:30pm Crowd: 10,366 Referee: Stephen Clark Half time: Sea Eagles 24-6 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - B Kennedy (Sea Eagles) 2 - M Monaghan (Sea Eagles) 1 - J Smith (Raiders)

SYDNEY ROOSTERS 32 Tries: S Perrett 2, R Cross, A Roberts, A Minichiello, M Crocker Goals: C Fitzgibbon 2/4, A Roberts 1/1, L Ricketson 1/1 CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 12 Tries: C Hughes, D McIlwain Goals: L Young 2/2 Aussie Stadium Sun 2:30pm Crowd: 8,903 Referee: Sean Hampstead Halftime: Roosters 14-0 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - B Finch (Roosters) 2 - S Perrett (Roosters) 1 - B Anasta (Bulldogs)

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 36 Tries: Best, Creagh, Timmins, Bailey, Ryles, Naiqama Goals: Naiqama (3/4), Ennis (3/3) NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 28 Tries: Simpson 2, Tighe 2, Carmont Goals: Johns (4/4), Gidley (0/1) Oki Jubilee Stadium Sun 3:00pm Crowd: 15,867 Referee: Tony Archer Half Time: Dragons 22-6 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - L Bailey (Dragons) 2 - J Ryles (Dragons) 1 - A Johns (Knights)

WESTS TIGERS 22 Tries: P Richards 2, B Marshall, P Whatuira Goals: B Hodgson 3/4 PENRITH PANTHERS 38 Tries: B Howland 2, T Waterhouse, L Swain, L Priddis, S Rodney, J Clinton Goals: P Campbell 5/7 Telstra Stadium Sun 3:00pm Crowd: 17,256 Referee: Shayne Hayne Half time: Panthers 18-16 Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - C Gower (Panthers) 2 - B Howland (Panthers) 1 - P Richards (Tigers)

Warriors v BYE

Full draw and results ? CLICK HERE

Next weekend?s matches: Finals Week One, 9-11 September 2005 WESTS TIGERS v NTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS - Telstra Stadium - Fri 8:00pm BRISBANE BRONCOS v MELBOURNE STORM - Suncorp Stadium - Sat 6:30pm ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS v CRONULLA SHARKS - WIN Stadium - Sat 8:30pm PARRAMATTA EELS v MANLY SEA EAGLES - Parramatta Stadium - Sun 4:00pm

LEAGUEUNLIMITED.COM PLAYER AWARDS 2005 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.

28 points A Johns (Knights)

25 points M Bowen (Cowboys), M Orford (Storm)

21 points S Jones (Warriors)

20 points B Hodgson (Tigers)

19 points L Bailey (Dragons), P Campbell (Panthers), N Hindmarsh (Eels), B Hornby (Dragons), B Kennedy (Sea Eagles), D Lockyer (Broncos), B Slater (Storm)

15 points L Priddis (Panthers), J Thurston (Cowboys) 14 points S Menzies (Sea Eagles), A Minichiello (Roosters), S Prince (Tigers) 13 points R Asotasi (Bulldogs), B Kimmorley (Sharks), J Smith (Raiders) 12 points B Anasta (Bulldogs) 11 points M Monaghan (Sea Eagles), C Schifcofske (Raiders), S Webcke (Broncos), R Wiki (Warriors) 10 points M King (Storm), T Smith (Eels) 9 points P Gallen (Sharks), C Fitzgibbon (Roosters), A Harrison (Rabbitohs), A Laffranchi (Tigers), M Minichiello (Rabbitohs), D Peachey (Sharks), M Sing (Cowboys), D Stagg (Broncos), J Sutton (Rabbitohs), B Walker (Rabbitohs), A Watmough (Sea Eagles) 8 points J Cayless (Roosters), J Ryles (Dragons), R Wesser (Panthers), D Widders (Eels), L Withers (Raiders) 7 points D Buderus (Knights), H El Masri (Bulldogs), R Farah (Tigers), E Grothe (Eels), J Morris (Eels), D Nutley (Sharks), A Tongue (Raiders), T Waterhouse (Panthers), P Whatuira (Tigers), D Young (Dragons) 6 points S Berrigan (Broncos), P Cusack (Rabbitohs), A Dykes (Sharks), B Finch (Roosters), M Gasnier (Dragons), K Kahler (Raiders), K Hunt (Broncos), G Morrison (Eels), S Price (Warriors), M Riddell (Eels), A Ryan (Bulldogs), B Sherwin (Bulldogs), N Vagana (Sharks), T Williams (Cowboys), S Woolford (Raiders) 5 points P Bailey (Sharks), L Burt (Eels), T Byrne (Warriors), N Cayless (Eels), R Cross (Roosters), S Faumuina (Warriors), P Franze (Panthers), M Geyer (Storm), C Gower (Panthers), T Grimaldi (Bulldogs), J Hannay (Cowboys), R Jensen (Cowboys), R Kearns (Storm), B Marshall (Tigers), P Richards (Tigers), J Skandalis (Tigers), B Smith (Eels), C Smith (Storm), B Stewart (Sea Eagles), B Tate (Broncos), M Vatuvei (Warriors), J Williams (Rabbitohs), C Wing (Roosters), M Witt (Sea Eagles) 4 points P Bowman (Cowboys), P Civoniceva (Broncos), C Greenshields (Dragons), M Head (Dragons), W Koopu (Warriors), H Maiava (Sharks), F Moi Moi (Eels), J Monaghan (Roosters), W Naiqama (Dragons), C Newton (Knights), C Parker (Broncos), A Payne (Cowboys), B Seymour (Broncos), B Thorn (Broncos) 3 points T Campese (Raiders), M Chalk (Raiders), M Cooper (Dragons), L Covell (Sharks), M Ennis (Dragons), N Fein (Warriors), P Graham (Raiders), T Hill (Sea Eagles), J Hodges (Broncos), R Hoffman (Storm), L Hohaia (Warriors), PJ Marsh (Eels), W McKinnon (Eels), J Miller (Raiders), A Morley (Roosters), M O'Neill (Tigers), L Patten (Bulldogs), A Roberts (Roosters), C Smith (Knights), T Tahu (Eels), L Thompson (Dragons), C Toopi (Warriors), C Webb (Cowboys) 2 points T Barrett (Dragons), R Bell (Rabbitohs), S Bell (Storm), B Berrigan (Broncos), B Creagh (Dragons), D Faiumu (Cowboys), N Fien (Warriors), B Firman (Cowboys), C Flannery (Roosters), M Gafa (Raiders), D Galea (Panthers), M Gidley (Knights), A Guttenbeil (Warriors), S Hegarty (Rabbitohs), B Howland (Panthers), D Kidwell (Storm), H L'Estrange (Roosters), A MacDougall (Rabbitohs), R Maitua (Bulldogs), N Merritt (Sharks), I Paleaasina (Warriors), S Perrett (Roosters), P Rauhihi (Cowboys), L Ricketson (Roosters), S Simpson (Knights), S Southern (Cowboys), J Stevens (Sharks), M Sullivan (Sharks), M Thaiday (Knights), B Tighe (Knights), A Tupou (Roosters), G Turner (Storm), M Utai (Bulldogs), S Walker (Rabbitohs), B Webb (Warriors) 1 point C Best (Dragons), L Bott (Broncos), A Brideson (Bulldogs), G Carmont (Knights), D Cooper (Knights), J Croker (Raiders), D Fitzhenry (Tigers), B Fletcher (Rabbitohs), L Fulton (Tigers), C Hicks (Sea Eagles), M Hilder (Sharks), I Hindmarsh (Raiders), L MacDougall (Rabbitohs), F Meli (Warriors), V Mellars (Sharks), L O'Donnell (Cowboys), M O'Meley (Bulldogs) , S Rodney (Panthers), J Ropati (Warriors), B Scott (Sharks), S Timmins (Dragons), W Tonga (Bulldogs), C Walker (Roosters), J Webster (Storm), S B Williams (Bulldogs), A Woolnough (Knights)

Also: LU Awards - CLICK HERE