Monday's Expert - 2019 Grand Final wrap

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Monday's Expert is here - with a full wrap of everything happening around the rugby league traps this Monday 7 October 2019. Includes match review charges, POTY leaderboard, crowds, ratings and injury news.


First things first...

Congratulations to the Sydney Roosters who have claimed the NRL premiership for the second consecutive season. They become the first club since the Broncos to go back-to-back, and the first team to do so fully within the NRL era (1998- ).

Congratulations also to the Brisbane Broncos who are back-to-back NRLW premiers, taking a decisive victory on Sunday to win the women's title.

Match reports from Grand Final day, including from Newtown's last minute State Championship victory, can be found here.

Our Road to Glory Finals Guide maps out how the NRL, NSWRL, QRL, BRL, and RFL finals series look. Check it out here.


Thank you!

Before we look back at the Grand Final news, a huge thanks to yesterday's team who covered hours and hours of footy between them - Rob Crosby, Josh Robertson and Justin Davies, with Andrew Jackson providing fantastic content from ANZ Stadium throughout the day and night.

Further to that, we've had a fantastic team of live bloggers and writers all season. A massive thanks to the tireless work of the above four, as well as immeasurable contributions from Andrew Ferguson, Rick Edgerton, Sam Bourke, Mick Radojkovic and Jeff Dickinson-Fox.


Match review

One player was charged from Sunday's NRL Grand Final.

Joseph Tapine (Raiders)

  • Grade 1 Careless High Tackle
  • 19th minute
  • on Victor Radley
  • Base penalty 100 points
  • 2 x non-similar prior offences last two years (40% loading)
  • Guilty / no contest 140 points = 1 match
  • Early plea 105 points = 1 match
  • PLEA: Guilty - early plea
  • OUTCOME: Suspended 1 match, 5 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:

Congratulations to James Tedesco, the LeagueUnlimited.com Player of the Year.

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

And here's the leaderboard for the NRL Women's Premiership:

Congratulations to Rona Peters, the LeagueUnlimited.com NRLW Player of the Year.

6 points - Rona Peters (Broncos)
5 points - Ali Brigginshaw (Broncos)
4 points - Botille Vette-Welsh (Dragons), Corban McGregor (Roosters), Charntay Poko (Warriors)
3 points - Kezie Apps (Dragons), Jessica Sergis (Dragons), Annetta Nuuausala (Warriors), Raecene McGregor (Broncos)
2 points - Amber Pilley (Broncos)
1 point - Tamika Upton (Broncos), Maddie Studdon (Dragons), Jules Newman (Warriors), Maitua Feterika (Dragons), Amber Hall (Broncos)


Sore points

A quick look at some of the injury news to come out of the Grand Final:

Luke Keary (Roosters, Australia) - ankle - scans

Mitch Aubusson (Roosters) - concussion


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.

Attendance

The Grand Final was attended by 82,922 fans.

This brings the total aggregate attendance for 2019 to 3,175,871. This is down on the 2018 aggregate attendance of ‭3,253,214‬ by 2.3%.

Ratings

An average of 2.6 million fans watched the 2019 NRL Grand Final.

1.866m watched in the five cities, with 832K in Sydney, 320K in Melbourne, 534K in Brisbane, 87K in Adelaide and 93K in Perth.

775K watched in regional centres, 441K in NSW, 216K in Queensland, 72K in Victoria, 34K in Tasmania and 12K in WA.

Note: Ratings figures courtesy of Mediaweek Australia on Twitter.


There's still plenty more to come!

The men's and women's Betfred Super League Grand Finals are on next weekend, with Castleford v Leeds (womens) and St Helens v Salford (mens) facing off on Friday and Saturday respectively.

The PM's XIII clash between Australia and Fiji in Suva is on Friday night as well, then the World Cup 9's is on the following weekend (check out squads herecheck out squads here).

After that, there's a raft of international action all the way into November!