Monday's Expert - Round 23 wrap

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Monday's Expert is here - with a full wrap of everything happening around the rugby league traps this Monday 26 August 2019. Includes match review charges, POTY leaderboard, crowds, ratings and injury news.

First things first...

The results are in. Check out how Round 23 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-third 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, Sam Bourke, Andrew Ferguson, Josh Robertson and Rob Crosby.

Match review

Round 23 has seen eight players charged with nine offences across Thursday, Friday and Sunday, with no players charged from Saturday's matches:

Reimis Smith (Bulldogs)
50th minute, Grade 1 Striking on Maika Sivo
Base penalty 200 points
Guilty / no contest 200 points (2 matches)
Early guilty plea 150 points (1 match)
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: Suspended 1 match. 50 carryover points accrued.

Nathan Brown (Eels)
48th minute, Grade 2 Shoulder Charge on Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Base penalty 350 points
Guilty / no contest 350 points (3 matches)
Early guilty plea 262 points (2 matches)
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: Suspended 2 matches. 62 carryover points accrued.

Jaydn Su'A (Rabbitohs)
48th minute, Grade 1 Careless High Tackle on Alex Glenn
Base penalty $1500 fine
Guilty / no contest $1550 fine
Early guilty plea $1150 fine
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: $1150 fine

Jaydn Su'A (Rabbitohs)
48th minute, Grade 1 Dangerous Contact (head/neck) on Alex Glenn
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.

James Roberts (Rabbitohs)
14th minute, Grade 2 Dangerous Contact (head/neck) on Corey Oates
Base penalty 300 points
Guilty / no contest 300 points (3 matches)
Early guilty plea 225 points (2 matches)
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: Suspended 2 matches. 25 carryover points accrued.

Brent Naden (Panthers)
53rd minute, Grade 1 Careless High Tackle on Kyle Feldt
Base penalty $1500 fine
Guilty / no contest $1500 fine
Early guilty plea $1150 fine
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: $1150 fine

Joey Leilua (Raiders)
51st minute, Grade 1 Dropping Knees on Reuben Garrick
Base penalty 200 points
1 x non-similar prior offence last 2 years (20% loading)
50 carryover points to add
Guilty / no contest 240+50=290 points (2 matches)
Early guilty plea 180+50=230 points (2 matches)
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: Suspended 2 matches. 30 carryover points accrued.

Curtis Scott (Storm)
15th minute, Grade 1 Dangerous Contact (head/neck) on Phil Sami
Base penalty 100 points
1 x non-similar prior offence last 2 years (20% loading)
Guilty / no contest 120 points (1 match)
Early guilty plea 90 points (0 matches)
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: No suspension. 90 carryover points accrued.

Mitch Rein (Titans)
64th minute, Grade 1 Dangerous Throw on Brandon Smith
Base penalty 100 points
1 x similar prior offence last 2 years (50% loading)
Guilty / no contest 150 points (1 match)
Early guilty plea 112 points (1 match)
PLEA: Guilty - early plea
OUTCOME: Suspended 1 match. 12 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:

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

Sore points

A quick look at some of the injury news to come out of Round 23:

Joel Thompson (Sea Eagles) - arm - scans

Moses Suli (Sea Eagles) - ankle - scans

Sosaia Feki (Sharks) - groin - scans

Jack Williams (Sharks) - ankle - scans

Jesse Arthars (Titans) - concussion - monitored

Latrell Mitchell (Roosters) - calf - monitored

Will Chambers (Storm) - ankle - 2-4 weeks

Tautau Moga (Knights) - hamstring - monitored

Danny Levi (Knights) - ribs - scans

Jake Clifford (Cowboys) - ankle - monitored

Sam Burgess (Rabbitohs) - quad - ongoing, monitored

Tom Amone (Rabbitohs) - elbow - scans

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:

Raiders: Joe Tapine

Sharks: Matt Moylan

Sea Eagles: Brad Parker, Curtis Sironen

Knights: Tautau Moga, Connor Watson

Cowboys: Jake Clifford, Ben Hampton

Eels: Ray Stone

Panthers: Jarome Luai

Rabbitohs: Sam Burgess, Alex Johnston

Dragons: Ben Hunt, Patrick Kaufusi

Roosters: Latrell Mitchell, Boyd Cordner, Ryan Hall

Warriors: Karl Lawton

Wests Tigers: Moses Mbye, Mahe Fonua

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 23 attendance (times are AEST)

After 23 rounds last year (NRL season 2018), 2,631,642 had attended 176 matches at an average of 14,953 per game.

Round 23 ratings

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

Warrington and Sheffield claim the Cups!

The cities of Warrington and Sheffield in the UK are spending their Sunday celebrating after the Wolves claimed the Coral Challenge Cup with a win over St Helens, and the Eagles downed Widnes to win the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup.

The Wembley double-header final attracted well over 60,000 fans and the Wolves-Saints clash provides the perfect entree to the upcoming Super League post-season, with the teams ranked first and second headed into the final three rounds.