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Monday's expert - Round 3 wrap
Monday's Expert is back - with a full wrap of everything happening around the rugby league traps this Monday 1 April 2019. Includes match review charges, POTY leaderboard, crowds, ratings and injury news.
First things first...
The results are in. Check out how Round 3 played out in our one-page results wrap.
Our match reports for the third round can be found here. And while we're on it, another massive thank you to our dedicated volunteer updaters - Rob Crosby, Andrew Jackson, Sam Bourke, Justin Davies, Andrew Ferguson and Mick Radojkovic, as well as preview writers Josh Robertson, Rick Edgerton and Jeff Dickinson-Fox.
Match review
Just the one charge from the round, with Canberra's Joey Leilua likely to escape suspension.
Joseph Leilua (Raiders). 68th minute, Grade 1 Dangerous Contact (head/neck) on Tim Glasby.
Base penalty 100 points
No prior offences last two years.
Guilty / no contest 100 points (one matches)
Early guilty plea 75 points (no suspension)
OUTCOME: Early guilty plea submitted. No suspension, 74 carryover points.
The LU Leaderboard
At the conclusion of each match our reporters choose their best three players from the match. You can views those points in each match in their respective match reports. Each week we'll update the leaderboard:
9 points - Adam Reynolds (SOU)
6 points - Robbie Farah (WST), Shaun Johnson (CRO)
5 points - Cameron Munster (MEL), Blake Ferguson (PAR)
4 points - John Bateman (CAN), David Klemmer (NEW), Clint Gutherson (PAR)
3 points - Kenny Bromwich (MEL), Blake Green (WAR), Jason Taumalolo (NQL), Jarrod Croker (CAN), Sam Burgess (SOU), Cameron Smith (MEL), Corey Oates (BRI), Tevita Pangai Junior (BRI), Briton Nikora (CRO), James Maloney (PEN), Luke Keary (SYD), Paul Vaughan (SGI), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (CAN), James Tedesco (SYD), Tom Trbojevic (MAN), Daly Cherry-Evans (MAN), Kieran Foran (CBY)
2 points - Edrick Lee (NEW), Cameron Murray (SOU), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (WAR), Benji Marshall (WST), Michael Morgan (NQL), Dylan Brown (PAR), Josh Papali'i (CAN), Suliasi Vunivalu (MEL), James Fisher Harris (PEN), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (SYD), Luke Brooks (WST), Andrew McCullough (BRI), Isaac Liu (SYD), Chad Townsend (CRO), Brodie Croft (MEL), Jayden Okunbor (CBY), Cody Walker (SOU)
1 point - Nathaniel Roache (WAR), Russell Packer (WST), John Asiata (NQL), Daniel Alvaro (PAR), Braidon Burns (SOU), Jack Bird (BRI), Jai Arrow (GLD), Mitch Barnett (NEW), Shaun Lane (PAR), Benji Marshall (WST), Ben Hunt (SGI), Manase Fainu (MAN), Matt Prior (CRO), Josh Addo-Carr (MEL), Lachlan Lewis (CBY), Anthony Don (GLD)
Sore points
A quick look at the injury news to come out of Round 3:
Braidon Burns (SOU) - hamstring & ankle - SCANS
Greg Inglis (SOU) - shoulder - ROUND 4
Jake Friend (SYD) - shoulder - SCANS
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (SYD) - ribs - SCANS
Cooper Cronk (SYD) - hamstring - ROUND 4
Matt Moylan (CRO) - hamstring - ROUND 7
Paul Gallen (CRO) - ribs - ROUND 4 or 5
Nathan Peats (GLD) - pectoral - ROUND 9 to 15
Connor Watson (NEW) - MCL - ROUND 4
Tepai Moeroa (PAR) - calf - ROUND 4
Gareth Widdop (SGI) - dislocated shoulder - SCANS
Issac Luke (SOU) - hamstring - ROUND 4
Benji Marshall (WST) - hamstring - SCANS
Luke Garner (WST) - shoulder - ROUND 4
Metrics Metrics Metrics
Each week we'll do our best to keep you across the crowd figures and TV ratings which are often the most talked-about parts of the game.
Round 3 attendance (times are AEDT)
| Thu 8:05pm | Broncos v Dragons | Suncorp Stadium | 21,081 |
| Fri 6:00pm | Raiders v Knights | GIO Stadium Canberra | 10,585 |
| Fri 8:05pm | Eels v Roosters | ANZ Stadium | 13,367 |
| Sat 3:00pm | Sea Eagles v Warriors | Christchurch Stadium | 11,774 |
| Sat 5:30pm | Cowboys v Sharks | 1300SMILES Stadium | 11,610 |
| Sat 7:35pm | Panthers v Storm | Carrington Park, Bathurst | 10,973 |
| Sun 4:05pm | Wests Tigers v Bulldogs | Campbelltown Stadium | 15,127 |
| Sun 6:10pm | Rabbitohs v Titans | ANZ Stadium | 10,128 |
| Round Average | 13,081 | Round Total | 104,645 |
| Season Average | 15,980 | Season Total | 383,521 |
After three rounds last year (NRL season 2018), 381,017 had attended 24 matches at an average of 15,876 per game.
Round 3 ratings
| Day/Time | Match | Nine Network | Fox League | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 8:05pm | Broncos v Dragons | 769K (486K metro, 283K reg) | 228K | 997K |
| Fri 6:00pm | Raiders v Knights | N/A | 226K | 226K |
| Fri 8:05pm | Eels v Roosters | 611K (378K metro, 233K reg) | 240K | 851K |
| Sat 3:00pm | Sea Eagles v Warriors | N/A | 202K | 202K |
| Sat 5:30pm | Cowboys v Sharks | N/A |
267K | 267K |
| Sat 7:35pm | Panthers v Storm | N/A |
258K | 258K |
| Sun 4:05pm | Wests Tigers v Bulldogs | 460K (280K metro, 180K reg) | 218K | 678K |
| Sun 6:10pm | Rabbitohs v Titans | N/A | 242K | 242K |
| Totals | 1.840M | 1.881M | 3.721M |
Note: Ratings figures courtesy of Mediaweek Australia on Twitter and TV Tonight.
One last thing...
It is indeed April Fools Day today and the NRL is not immune - the NRL on Facebook went with something that many fell for:
While the Canberra Raiders went in another direction:
BREAKING: "We're coming Home" - Raiders to take six home games to England in 2020.#WeAreRaidershttps://t.co/YWdl9sCuEB
— Canberra Raiders (@RaidersCanberra) March 31, 2019
Enjoy your April Fools, folks!