Monday's Expert - 2020 NRL Finals Week 3

Monday's Expert is here - with the full results from NRL Finals Week 3, along with Match Review charges, LeagueUnlimited.com Player of the Year leaderboard, injury news, crowd and TV ratings info.

All listed times are AEDT (NSW/VIC/ACT).

RELATED: See the full list of 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership Draw and Results.

Finals Week 3 NRL Results & Match Review Charges

Melbourne Storm 30
Canberra Raiders 10

Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Crowd: 37112
Date: Friday 16 October 2020 at 7:50pm

MELBOURNE STORM (30)
Tries: Jesse Bromwich, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Suliasi Vunivalu, Justin Olam, Dale Finucane
Conversions: Cameron Smith (4/5)
Penalty Goals: Cameron Smith (1/1)

CANBERRA RAIDERS (10)
Tries: Nick Cotric (2)
Conversions: Jarrod Croker (1/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Jahrome Hughes
2 points - Cameron Smith
1 points - Christian Welch

Match review - Storm v Raiders

No charges laid from this match

Injury news - Storm v Raiders

Melbourne confirmed a clean bill of health after this one.

What next?

The Raiders shot at redemption after falling short on Grand Final day last year comes to a disappointing end and they farewell a handful of players including English enforcer John Bateman and Bulldogs-bound winger Nick Cotric.

Melbourne are off to another Grand Final - their fourth in five years.

Penrith Panthers 20
South Sydney Rabbitohs 16

Venue: ANZ Stadium
Crowd: 30116
Date: Saturday 17 October 2020 at 7:50pm

PENRITH PANTHERS (20)
Tries: Brian To'o, Tyrone May, Dylan Edwards
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (3/3)
Penalty Goals: Nathan Cleary (1/1)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (16)
Tries: Alex Johnston, Dane Gagai, Corey Allan
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Adam Reynolds (0/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Dylan Edwards
2 points - Cody Walker
1 points - Apisai Koroisau

Match review - Panthers v Rabbitohs

Corey ALLAN (Rabbitohs)
Grade 1 Shoulder Charge
15th minute on Josh Mansour
Base penalty 200pts
Guilty / no contest 200pts (2 games)
Guilty early plea 150pts (1 game)
PLEA: TBC

Injury news - Panthers v Rabbitohs

Penrith hooker Api KOROISAU had a concerning moment when he picked up what looked like a burner to his shoulder. He assured viewers post-game in an interview he won't be troubled and will line up next week. Viliame KIKAU missed the prelim win through suspension and will return in the back row next week.

What next?

An unlikely run from the bottom half of the eight ends for the Bunnies, their season ending on Preliminary Final weekend for the fifth time since 2012.

Penrith have qualified for their first NRL decider since they won the title against the Roosters in 2003.

RELATED: Click here to view the current NRL Telstra Premiership ladder.

LeagueUnlimited Player of the Year standings

At the conclusion of each match our reporters will 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 right here in Monday's Expert.

33 points - Nathan Cleary (Panthers)
29 points - Cameron Smith (Storm)
23 points - Jack Wighton (Raiders), Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs)
22 points - Shaun Johnson (Sharks)
21 points - Kalyn Ponga (Knights)
20 points - Cody Walker (Rabbitohs), James Tedesco (Roosters)
19 points - Clinton Gutherson (Eels)
18 points - Jarome Luai (Panthers)
17 points - Cameron Munster (Storm), Jahrome Hughes (Storm), Luke Keary (Roosters)
14 points - George Williams (Raiders), Brett Morris (Roosters), Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers)
13 points - Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles), Kodi Nikorima (Warriors), Matthew Dufty (Dragons), Jamal Fogarty (Titans)
12 points - Ashley Taylor (Titans), Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm)
11 points - Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys), Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Damien Cook (Rabbitohs), David Klemmer (Knights), Josh Papali'i (Raiders)
10 points - Scott Drinkwater (Cowboys), Sione Katoa (Bulldogs), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors)
9 points - Mitchell Moses (Eels), Stephen Crichton (Panthers), Mitchell Pearce (Knights), Isaah Yeo (Panthers)
8 points - Blake Green (Warriors), Alexander Brimson (Titans), Junior Paulo (Eels), Dylan Edwards (Panthers), Dylan Brown (Eels), Kurt Mann (Knights)
7 points - Liam Martin (Panthers), Latrell Mitchell (Rabbitohs), Peta Hiku (Warriors), James Fisher-Harris (Panthers), Harry Grant (Storm), Wade Graham (Sharks), David Nofoaluma (Wests Tigers), Jarrod Croker (Raiders)
6 points - Curtis Sironen (Sea Eagles), Zac Lomax (Dragons), Apisai Koroisau (Panthers), Siosiua Taukeiaho (Roosters), Reed Mahoney (Eels), Blayke Brailey (Sharks), Ben Hunt (Dragons), Matt Burton (Panthers), Joseph Manu (Roosters), Eliesa Katoa (Warriors)
5 points - Maika Sivo (Eels), Corey Norman (Dragons), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Raiders), Young Tonumaipea (Titans), Will Hopoate (Bulldogs), Daniel Saifiti (Knights), Cameron McInnes (Dragons), Nathan Brown (Eels), Josh Addo-Carr (Storm), Luke Brooks (Wests Tigers), Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Eels), Michael Morgan (Cowboys), Adam Doueihi (Wests Tigers), Cade Cust (Sea Eagles)
4 points - Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (Storm), Hudson Young (Raiders), Tom Starling (Raiders), Toby Rudolf (Sharks), Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans), Justin Olam (Storm), Alex Johnston (Rabbitohs), Josh Morris (Sharks), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Storm), Sitili Tupouniua (Roosters), Kyle Flanagan (Roosters), Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Tevita Pangai Junior (Broncos), Viliame Kikau (Panthers), Shaun Lane (Eels), Kotoni Staggs (Broncos), Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs), Anthony Milford (Broncos), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Bulldogs)
3 points - Semi Valemi (Raiders), Valentine Holmes (Cowboys), Bradman Best (Knights), Chanel Harris-Tavita (Warriors), Martin Taupau (Sea Eagles), John Bateman (Raiders), Aiden Tolman (Bulldogs), Jack Murchie (Raiders), Jamayne Isaako (Broncos), Charlie Staines (Panthers), Nick Meaney (Bulldogs), Tyson Frizell (Dragons), Joseph Leilua (Wests Tigers), Jesse Ramien (Sharks), Will Kennedy (Sharks), Kevin Proctor (Titans), Brian Kelly (Titans), Addin Fonua-Blake (Sea Eagles), Mitchell Barnett (Knights), Waqa Blake (Eels), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Roosters), Adam Clune (Dragons), Christian Welch (Storm), Corey Allan (Rabbitohs), Jake Clifford (Cowboys)
2 points - Emre Guler (Raiders), Ryan Sutton (Raiders), Lachlan Fitzgibbon (Knights), David Fifita (Broncos), Morgan Harper (Bulldogs), Braydon Trindall (Sharks), Kieran Foran (Bulldogs), Joseph Tapine (Raiders), Campbell Graham (Rabbitohs), Jake Averillo (Bulldogs), Beau Fermor (Titans), Thomas Burgess (Rabbitohs), Nick Cotric (Raiders), Dale Finucane (Storm), Corey Thompson (Wests Tigers), Kyle Feldt (Cowboys), Lindsay Collins (Roosters), Chad Townsend (Sharks), Jorge Taufua (Sea Eagles), Kenneath Bromwich (Storm), Payne Haas (Broncos), Sam Williams (Raiders), Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks), Tohu Harris (Warriors), Braden Hamlin-Uele (Sharks), Ryan Matterson (Eels), Mikaele Ravalawa (Dragons), Josh Jackson (Bulldogs), Siosifa Talakai (Sharks), Daniel Tupou (Roosters), Dane Gagai (Rabbitohs), Matt Ikuvalu (Roosters), Wayde Egan (Warriors), Michael Jennings (Eels), Isaac Liu (Roosters)
1 point - Luke Thompson (Bulldogs), Jayden Okunbor (Bulldogs), Kurt Capewell (Panthers), Adam Pompey (Warriors), Dunamis Lui (Raiders), Jarrod Wallace (Titans), Josh Mcguire (Cowboys), Phillip Sami (Titans), Darius Boyd (Broncos), Tui Kamikamica (Storm), Connor Watson (Knights), Andrew McCullough (Broncos), Billy Walters (Wests Tigers), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Cowboys), Elliott Whitehead (Raiders), Sam Lisone (Titans), Adam Elliott (Bulldogs), Josh Reynolds (Wests Tigers), Herman Ese'ese (Knights), Jaydn Su'A (Rabbitohs), Tom Opacic (Cowboys), Brendan Elliot (Sea Eagles), Thomas Flegler (Broncos), Taniela Paseka (Sea Eagles), Jordan Pereira (Dragons), Luke Garner (Wests Tigers), James Tamou (Panthers), Patrick Carrigan (Broncos), Ethan Lowe (Rabbitohs), Liam Knight (Rabbitohs), Tyrell Fuimaono (Dragons), Coen Hess (Cowboys), Alex Twal (Wests Tigers), Caleb Aekins (Panthers), Tevita Tatola (Rabbitohs)

Metrics Metrics Metrics

Each week we'll also do our best to keep you across the crowd figures and TV ratings which are often the most talked-about parts of the game. 

Crowds - Finals Week 3

Both finals recorded in excess of 30,000 fans as restrictions on COVID-safe venues continue to relax. There was some drama at Suncorp on Friday however:

BREAKING: #NRL fans entering Suncorp Stadium tonight after the ticket gate debacle which left 20,000 outside at kickoff were told "sit wherever you want" upon entering the ground after the gates were thrown open#NRLStormRaiders #NRLFinals
— LeagueUnlimited.com rugby league site & magazine (@LeagueUnlimited) October 16, 2020

Ratings - Finals Week 3

Friday 7:50pm - Storm v Raiders - 1,224,000
FTA - 891K (550K metro, 341K regional)
STV - 333K

Saturday 7:50pm - Panthers v Rabbitohs - 1,271,000
FTA - 913K (548K metro, 365K regional)
STV - 358K

NRLW ratings (Saturday)
12:30pm Dragons v Warriors - 47K Nine, 12K Fox
4:00pm Roosters v Broncos - 60K Nine, 36K Fox