Tuesday's Expert - NRL 2013 Round 1

We look back at the first round of the 2013 NRL Telstra Premiership, and an early look at the eight joint leaders of the 2013 LeagueUnlimited.com Player of the Year.

Round 1 produced some surprising results, with the Newcastle Knights and Parramatta Eels surging to the top of the table with 30+ point victories over an unimpressive Wests Tigers and New Zealand Warriors respectively.

Below you'll find the results, player of the match points and match details for each Round 1 fixture.

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS 28 defeated SYDNEY ROOSTERS 10
National Rugby League - Round 1 - Thursday 7 March 2013, 8:05pm
Venue: Sydney Football Stadium (Allianz Stadium)
Crowd: 35,952
Halftime: South Sydney Rabbitohs 16 Sydney Roosters 4

REPORT: "Bunnies boil Roosters in 2013 opener"

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 Points - George Burgess (1 try)
2 Points - Sam Burgess
1 Point - Greg Inglis

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS 28
Tries: Nathan Merritt 3, Chris McQueen, George Burgess
Goals: Adam Reynolds 4/5

SYDNEY ROOSTERS 10
Tries: James Maloney, Sonny Bill Williams
Goals: James Maloney 1/2

Holden Cup: Sydney Roosters 26-24

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES 22 defeated BRISBANE BRONCOS 14
National Rugby League - Round 1 - Friday 8 March 2013, 8:05pm
Venue: Lang Park (Suncorp Stadium)
Crowd: 31,139
Halftime: Brisbane Broncos 14 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 6

REPORT: "Sea Eagles victors in comeback over Broncos"

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 Points - Daly Cherry-Evans (1 try)
2 Points - Steve Matai (2 tries)
1 Point - Brent Kite

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES 22
Tries: Steve Matai 2, Daly Cherry-Evans, David Williams
Goals: Jamie Lyon 3/4

BRISBANE BRONCOS 14
Tries: Matt Gillett, Lachlan Maranta
Goals: Scott Prince 3/3

Holden Cup: Brisbane Broncos 30-28

PARRAMATTA EELS 40 defeated NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS 10
National Rugby League - Round 1 - Saturday 9 March 2013, 5:30pm
Venue: Parramatta Stadium
Crowd: 13,351
Halftime: Parramatta Eels 18 New Zealand Warriors 0

REPORT: "Sandow slips Eels into form"

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 Points - Chris Sandow (1 try, 6 goals)
2 Points - Jarryd Hayne (3 tries)
1 Point - Ken Sio (2 tries)

PARRAMATTA EELS 40
Tries: Jarryd Hayne 3, Ken Sio 2, Chris Sandow, Matthew Ryan
Goals: Chris Sandow 6/7

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS 10
Tries: Jacob Lillyman, Dane Nielsen
Goals: Shaun Johnson 1/2

Holden Cup: Parramatta Eels 46-8

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 24 defeated CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS 12
National Rugby League - Round 1 - Saturday 9 March 2013, 7:30pm
Venue: Central Coast Stadium (Bluetongue Stadium)
Crowd: 11,627
Halftime: North Queensland Cowboys 18 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 12

REPORT: "Cowboys account for Bulldogs at Bluetongue"

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 Points - Johnathan Thurston (3 goals)
2 Points - Brent Tate
1 Point - Drury Low

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 24
Tries: Ashley Graham, Gavin Cooper, Antonio Winterstein
Goals: Johnathan Thurston 3/4

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS 12
Tries: Josh Reynolds, Steve Turner
Goals: Krisnan Inu 2/3

Holden Cup: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 40-20

PENRITH PANTHERS 32 defeated CANBERRA RAIDERS 10
National Rugby League - Round 1 - Sunday 10 March 2013, 2:00pm
Venue: Penrith Stadium (Centrebet Stadium)
Crowd: 10,882
Halftime: Penrith Panthers 12 Canberra Raiders 6

REPORT: "Penrith pounce on Raiders"

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 Points - James Segeyaro (1 try)
2 Points - Matt McIlwrick
1 Point - Luke Walsh (6 goals)

PENRITH PANTHERS 32
Tries: Sika Manu, James Segeyaro, Lachlan Coote, Nathan Smith, Nigel Plum
Goals: Luke Walsh 6/6

CANBERRA RAIDERS 10
Tries: Josh McCrone, Blake Ferguson
Goals: Jarrod Croker 1/2

Holden Cup: Penrith Panthers 40-16

MELBOURNE STORM 30 defeated ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 10
National Rugby League - Round 1 - Sunday 10 March 2013, 3:00pm
Venue: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium (AAMI Park)
Crowd: 16,251
Halftime: Melbourne Storm 18 St George Illawarra Dragons 0

REPORT: "Flat Melbourne prevail over Dragons"

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 Points - Cooper Cronk
2 Points - Jesse Bromwich
1 Point - Justin O'Neill (2 tries)

MELBOURNE STORM 30
Tries: Justin O'Neill 2, Mahe Fonua, Billy Slater, Gareth Widdop
Goals: Cameron Smith 5/5

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 10
Tries: Jamie Soward, Jason Nightingale
Goals: Jamie Soward 1/2

Holden Cup: Melbourne Storm 36-12

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS 12 defeated GOLD COAST TITANS 10
National Rugby League - Round 1 - Sunday 10 March 2013, 6:30pm
Venue: Endeavour Field (Sharks Stadium)
Crowd: 17,541
Halftime: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 6 Gold Coast Titans 0

REPORT: "Emotional Sharks outlast Titans"

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 Points - Paul Gallen
2 Points - Todd Carney
1 Point - Andrew Fifita (1 try)

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS 12
Tries: Matthew Wright, Andrew Fifita
Goals: Michael Gordon 2/2

GOLD COAST TITANS 10
Tries: David Mead, Dave Taylor
Goals: Aidan Sezer 1/2

Holden Cup: Gold Coast Titans 29-16

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 42 def WESTS TIGERS 10
National Rugby League - Round 1 - Monday 11 March 2013, 7:00pm
Venue: Newcastle International Sports Centre (Hunter Stadium)
Crowd: 21,935
Halftime: Newcastle Knights 24 Wests Tigers 6

REPORT: "Knight-mate Monday evening for Tigers"

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 Points - Darius Boyd
2 Points - Akuila Uate (3 tries)
1 Point - Jarrod Mullen

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 42
Tries: Akuila Uate 2, James McManus 2, Dane Gagai 2
Goals: Kurt Gidley 7/9

WESTS TIGERS 10
Tries: Adam Blair, Tim Moltzen
Goals: Benji Marshall 1/2

Holden Cup: Wests Tigers 22-12

2013 LEAGUEUNLIMITED.COM Player of the Year Leaderboard
Updated after Round 1

3 Points
George Burgess (Rabbitohs), Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles), Chris Sandow (Eels), Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys), James Segeyaro (Panthers), Cooper Cronk (Storm), Paul Gallen (Sharks), Darius Boyd (Knights).

2 Points
Sam Burgess (Rabbitohs), Steve Matai (Sea Eagles), Jarryd Hayne (Eels), Brent Tate (Cowboys), Matt McIlwrick (Raiders), Jesse Bromwich (Storm), Todd Carney (Sharks), Akuila Uate (Knights).

1 Point
Greg Inglis (Rabbitohs), Brent Kite (Sea Eagles), Ken Sio (Eels), Drury Low (Bulldogs), Luke Walsh (Panthers), Justin O'Neill (Storm), Andrew Fifita (Sharks), Jarrod Mullen (Knights)

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