Monday's Expert - Round 21 wrap

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Monday's Expert is here - with a full wrap of everything happening around the rugby league traps this Monday 12 August 2019. Includes match review charges, POTY leaderboard, crowds, ratings and injury news.


First things first...

The results are in. Check out how Round 21 played out in our one-page results wrap. You can check out results from any competition across the NSWRL and QRL, as well as Super League and Championship here.

Our match reports for the twenty-first round can be found here.

And while we're on it, thank you as always to our dedicated volunteer updaters and writers - Andrew Jackson, Justin Davies, Rob Crosby, Andrew Ferguson and Josh Robertson.


Match review

Seven players charged in Round 21:

Josh McGuire (Cowboys)
9th minute, Grade 2 Contrary Conduct on David Fifita
Base penalty 200 points
2 x similar prior offences last 2 years (2 x 50% loading)
1 x non-similar prior offence last 2 years (20% loading)
5 carryover points to add
Guilty / no contest 440+5=445 points (4 matches)
Early guilty plea 330+5=335 points (3 matches)
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOMESuspended 3 matches. 35 carryover points accrued.

Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks)
69th minute, Grade 1 Contrary Conduct on Josh Mansour
Base penalty $1500 fine
Guilty / no contest $1500 fine
Early guilty plea $1150 fine
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: $1150 fine.

Brian Kelly (Titans)
31st minute, Grade 1 Dangerous Throw on Patrick Kaufusi
Base penalty 100 points
Guilty / no contest 100 points (1 match)
Early guilty plea 75 points (0 matches)
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: No suspension. 75 carryover points accrued.

Tyrone Peachey (Titans)
44th minute, Grade 1 Careless High Tackle on Korbin Sims
Base penalty $1500 fine
Guilty / no contest $1500 fine
Early guilty plea $1150 fine
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: $1150 fine.

Luke Garner (Wests Tigers)
23rd minute, Grade 1 Dangerous Contact (other) on Lachlan Lewis
Base penalty 100pts
1 x non-similar prior offence last 2 years (20% loading)
35 carryover points to add
Guilty / no contest 120+35=155 points (1 match)
Early guilty plea 90+35=125 points (1 match)
PLEA: Not guilty. To face judiciary Tuesday night.
OUTCOME: Guilty. 1 match suspension. 55 carryover points accrued.

Chris Smith (Bulldogs)
77th minute, Grade 1 Dangerous Contact (other) on Ryan Matterson
Base penalty 100 points
Guilty / no contest 100 points (1 match)
Early guilty plea 75 points (0 matches)
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: No suspension, 75 carryover points accrued.

Elliott Whitehead (Raiders)
28th minute, Grade 1 Dangerous Contact (other) on Joseph Manu
Base penalty 100 points
Guilty / no contest 100 points (1 match)
Early guilty plea 75 points (0 matches)
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: No suspension. 75 carryover points accrued.


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:

29 points - James Tedesco (Roosters)
25 points - Cameron Smith (Storm)
24 points - Cameron Munster (Storm)
20 points - Cody Walker (Rabbitohs)
19 points - Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys), Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles), Mitchell Moses (Eels), James Maloney (Panthers)
18 points - Anthony Milford (Broncos)
17 points - Mitchell Pearce (Knights)
16 points - John Bateman (Raiders), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Raiders), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors), Josh Papalii (Raiders)
15 points - David Klemmer (Knights), Payne Haas (Broncos)
14 points - Clint Gutherson (Eels), James Fisher-Harris (Panthers), Luke Keary (Roosters), Shaun Johnson (Sharks)
13 points - Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs), Damien Cook (Rabbitohs)
12 points - Luke Brooks (Wests Tigers), Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers), Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers), Blake Green (Warriors), Josh Hodgson (Raiders)
11 points - Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs), Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm), Kalyn Ponga (Knights)
10 points - Latrell Mitchell (Roosters), Kenneath Bromwich (Storm), Ben Hunt (Dragons), Tyrone Roberts (Titans), Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
9 points - Paul Vaughan (Dragons), Michael Morgan (Cowboys)
8 points - Corey Norman (Dragons), Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Manase Fainu (Sea Eagles), Martin Taupau (Sea Eagles), Siosiua Taukeiaho (Roosters)
7 points - John Asiata (Cowboys), Chanel Harris-Tavita (Warriors), Nathan Cleary (Panthers), Corey Thompson (Wests Tigers), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Panthers), Jahrome Hughes (Storm)
6 points - Jack Cogger (Bulldogs), Kieran Foran (Bulldogs), Paul Gallen (Sharks), Issac Luke (Warriors), Reed Mahoney (Eels), Viliame Kikau (Panthers), Brandon Smith (Storm)
5 points - Corey Oates (Broncos), Blake Ferguson (Eels), Brian To'o (Panthers), Josh Morris (Sharks), Ryan Matterson (Wests Tigers), Wade Graham (Sharks), Aiden Tolman (Bulldogs), Briton Nikora (Sharks), Brian Kelly (Titans)
4 points - Nathan Brown (Eels), Andrew Fifita (Sharks), Jake Clifford (Cowboys), Matthew Lodge (Broncos), Bronson Xerri (Sharks), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Storm), Jesse Bromwich (Storm), Liam Martin (Panthers), Kane Elgey (Sea Eagles), Ken Maumalo (Warriors), Will Hopoate (Bulldogs), David Fifita (Broncos), Ryan Sutton (Raiders), Josh Jackson (Bulldogs), Jayden Okunbor (Bulldogs), Josh Addo-Carr (Storm), Chad Townsend (Sharks), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Roosters), Brodie Croft (Storm)
3 points - Connor Watson (Knights), Aidan Sezer (Raiders), Braden Hamlin-Uele (Sharks), John Sutton (Rabbitohs), Tevita Pangai (Broncos), Jake Turpin (Broncos), Jai Arrow (Titans), Kodi Nikorima (Broncos), Brendan Elliot (Sea Eagles), Dylan Brown (Eels), Gareth Widdop (Dragons), Reuben Garrick (Sea Eagles), Victor Radley (Roosters), Joel Thompson (Sea Eagles), Maika Sivo (Eels), Sam Burgess (Rabbitohs), Boyd Cordner (Roosters), Moses Mbye (Wests Tigers), Joseph Manu (Roosters), Curtis Sironen (Sea Eagles), Manu Ma'u (Eels), Jarrod Croker (Raiders), Matt Moylan (Sharks), Corey Harawira-Naera (Bulldogs), Michael Gordon (Titans), Kyle Flanagan (Sharks), Josh Reynolds (Wests Tigers), Jack Wighton (Raiders), Josh McGuire (Cowboys), Joe Ofahengaue (Broncos), James Graham (Dragons), Lachlan Croker (Sea Eagles), Brandon Wakeham (Bulldogs), Jarome Luai (Panthers)
2 points - Kyle Feldt (Cowboys), Michael Chee-Kam (Wests Tigers), Edrick Lee (Knights), Alex Twal (Wests Tigers), Suliasi Vunivalu (Storm), Brett Morris (Roosters), Josh Hoffman (Eels), Joseph Leilua (Raiders), Mason Lino (Knights), Jordan Rapana (Raiders), Jazz Tevaga (Warriors), Scott Drinkwater (Storm), Michael Jennings (Eels), Connor Tracey (Rabbitohs), Blake Lawrie (Dragons), Phillip Sami (Titans), Daniel Alvaro (Eels), Kotoni Staggs (Broncos), Matt Scott (Cowboys), Addin Fonua-Blake (Sea Eagles), Joseph Tapine (Raiders), Herman Ese'ese (Knights), Andrew McCullough (Broncos), Isaac Liu (Roosters), Lachlan Lewis (Bulldogs), Matt Burton (Panthers), Cameron McInnes (Dragons), Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans), Josh Mansour (Panthers), Jayden Brailey (Sharks), Jarrod Wallace (Titans), Ryan James (Titans), Mitchell Barnett (Knights), Danny Levi (Knights), Esan Marsters (Wests Tigers), Joe Lovodua (Dragons)
1 point - Reimis Smith (Bulldogs), Campbell Graham (Rabbitohs), Alexander Brimson (Titans), Bailey Simonsson (Raiders), Adam Elliott (Bulldogs), Jesse Ramien (Knights), Brad Takairangi (Eels), Tariq Sims (Dragons), James Tamou (Panthers), Jake Granville (Cowboys), Jack Williams (Sharks), Thomas Burgess (Rabbitohs), Shaun Lane (Eels), Agnatius Paasi (Warriors), Sitili Tupouniua (Roosters), Jack Gosiewski (Sea Eagles), Peta Hiku (Warriors), Matt Prior (Sharks), Cade Cust (Sea Eagles), Jack Bird (Broncos), Daniel Tupou (Roosters), Matthew Dufty (Dragons), Jacob Host (Dragons), Russell Packer (Wests Tigers), Liam Knight (Rabbitohs), Tepai Moeroa (Eels), Christian Crichton (Bulldogs), Anthony Don (Titans), Matt Ikuvalu (Roosters), Braidon Burns (Rabbitohs), Nathaniel Roache (Warriors)


Sore points

A quick look at the injury news to come out of Round 21:

Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers) - fractured tibia - TBC

Moses Mbye (Wests Tigers) - hip flexor - TBC

Brad Parker (Sea Eagles) - knee - 2 weeks

Curtis Sironen (Sea Eagles) - hamstring - 1-2 weeks

Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles) - ankle - monitored

Sam Verrills (Roosters) - knee - scans

Ryan Papenhutzen (Storm) - foot - TBC

Brandon Smith (Storm) - ankle - TBC

Jahrome Hughes (Storm) - back - TBC

Justin Olam (Storm) - concussion - monitored

Sam Burgess (Rabbitohs) - quad - monitored

Braidon Burns (Rabbitohs) - hamstring - TBC

Kane Evans (Eels) - illness - Round 22

Matt Prior (Sharks) - ribs - TBC

Andrew Fifita (Sharks) - knee - TBC

Pat Kaufusi (Dragons) - leg - TBC

The good news

Here's who clubs could be expecting back this week either from suspension or injury - keep an eye out for their names on Tuesday as teamlists are named:

Broncos: Matt Gillett

Raiders: Joey Leilua

Bulldogs: Kieran Foran, Adam Elliott

Sharks: Matt Moylan

Storm: Jahrome Hughes, Curtis Scott

Knights: James Gavet, Slade Griffin

Cowboys: Jordan McLean, Jordan Kahu, Ben Hampton

Eels: Kane Evans, George Jennings

Panthers: James Maloney

Rabbitohs: Braidon Burns, Sam Burgess, Cory Denniss

Dragons: Zac Lomax

Roosters: Siosiua Taukieaho, Boyd Cordner, Ryan Hall

Warriors: Kodi Nikorima

Wests Tigers: Moses Mbye


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 21 attendance (times are AEST)

Thu 7:50pm Cowboys v Broncos 1300SMILES 17,530
Fri 6pm Warriors v Sea Eagles Mt Smart 9,595
Fri 7:55pm Panthers v Sharks Panthers 10,860
Sat 3pm Dragons v Titans Netstrata Jubilee 6,532
Sat 5:30pm Eels v Knights Bankwest 20,671
Sat 7:35pm Bulldogs v Wests TigersANZ 9,636
Sun 2pm Raiders v Roosters GIO 19,530
Sun 4:05pm Rabbitohs v Storm Gosford 19,533
Round Average 14,236
Round Total 113,887
Season Average 14,963 Season Total 2,394,038

After 21 rounds last year (NRL season 2018), 2,397,468 had attended 160 matches at an average of 14,984 per game.

Round 21 ratings

Day/Time Match Nine Network Fox League Aggregate
Thu 7:50pm Cowboys v Broncos 620K (367K metro, 253K reg) 222K 842K
Fri 6pm Warriors v Sea Eagles N/A 225K 225K
Fri 7:55pm Panthers v Sharks 502K (323K metro, 179K reg) 250K 752K
Sat 3pm Dragons v Titans N/A
160K 160K
Sat 5:30pm Eels v Knights N/A
248K 248K
Sat 7:35pm Bulldogs v Wests Tigers 313K (202K metro, 111K reg)
198K 198K
Sun 2pm Raiders v Roosters N/A 252K252K
Sun 4:05pm Rabbitohs v Storm 557K (313K metro, 244K reg) 339K 896K

Totals 1.992M1.894M 3.886M

Note: Ratings figures courtesy of Mediaweek Australia on Twitter and TV Tonight.


One last thing...

CRL Newcastle have won their maiden title, defeating reigning NSWRL Women's Premiers Mounties at ANZ Stadium on Saturday evening.