Monday's Expert - 2021 NRL Finals Week 1

Monday's Expert - with the full results from Week 1 of the NRL Finals along with Match Review charges, LeagueUnlimited.com Player of the Year leaderboard, injury news, crowd and TV ratings info and next week's fixtures.

All listed times are AEST (NSW/QLD/VIC/ACT).

RELATED: See the full list of 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Draw and Results.

NRL Finals Week 1 Results

Qualifying Final (1 v 4)

Melbourne Storm 40
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 12

Venue: Sunshine Coast Stadium
Crowd: 9120
Date: Friday 10 September 2021 at 7:50pm

MELBOURNE STORM (40)
Tries: Isaac Lumelume, Ryan Papenhuyzen (2), Kenneath Bromwich, Christian Welch, Justin Olam
Two Point Field Goals: Ryan Papenhuyzen (1/1)
Conversions: Ryan Papenhuyzen (5/6)
Penalty Goals: Ryan Papenhuyzen (2/2)

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (12)
Tries: Jason Saab (2)
Conversions: Reuben Garrick (2/2)

Elimination Final (5 v 8)

Sydney Roosters 25
Gold Coast Titans 24

Venue: Queensland Country Bank Stadium
Crowd: 15237
Date: Saturday 11 September 2021 at 5:40pm

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (25)
Tries: Matt Ikuvalu, James Tedesco, Daniel Tupou, Josh Morris
Field Goals: Sam Walker (1/2)
Conversions: Adam Keighran (3/4)
Penalty Goals: Adam Keighran (1/1)

GOLD COAST TITANS (24)
Tries: Beau Fermor, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Brian Kelly, Jarrod Wallace
Field Goals: Tyrone Peachey (0/1)
Conversions: Jamal Fogarty (3/4)
Penalty Goals: Jamal Fogarty (1/1)

Qualifying Final (2 v 3)

Penrith Panthers 10
South Sydney Rabbitohs 16

Venue: Queensland Country Bank Stadium
Crowd: 18244
Date: Saturday 11 September 2021 at 7:50pm

PENRITH PANTHERS (10)
Tries: Stephen Crichton
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (1/1)
Penalty Goals: Nathan Cleary (2/2)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (16)
Tries: Cody Walker, Jaxson Paulo
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (1/2)
Penalty Goals: Adam Reynolds (3/3)

Elimination Final (6 v 7)

Parramatta Eels 28
Newcastle Knights 20

Venue: Browne Park, Rockhampton
Crowd: 5087
Date: Sunday 12 September 2021 at 4:05pm

PARRAMATTA EELS (28)
Tries: Waqa Blake, Mitchell Moses, Blake Ferguson (2), Viliami Penisini
Conversions: Mitchell Moses (4/5)

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (20)
Tries: Enari Tuala (3), Hymel Hunt
Conversions: Jake Clifford (2/4)

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

Match Review Charges - Finals Week 1

RESULTS

Suspensions (early pleas):
2 matches - Sue (NEW), 25 carryovers

Fines (early pleas):
$2150 - Kikau (PEN)
$1600 - Paulo (PAR)
$1150 - Schuster (MAN)

Judiciary challenges:
Verrills (SYD) - guilty to Grade 1, seeking downgrade. RESULT: Guilty of Grade 2. Suspended 2 matches, no carryovers.
Niukore (PAR) - not guilty. RESULT: Guilty. $2400 fine.

LeagueUnlimited Player of the Year standings

Our writers issue points every game for who they judge as the best player on the field.

38 points - Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles/NSW)

34 points - Nathan Cleary (Panthers/NSW)

28 points - Cody Walker (Rabbitohs)

25 points - James Tedesco (Roosters)

23 points - Mitchell Moses (Eels)

22 points - Will Kennedy (Sharks), Clinton Gutherson (Eels), Latrell Mitchell (Rabbitohs/NSW)

19 points - Adam Doueihi (Wests Tigers), Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles), Ben Hunt (Dragons/QLD)

18 points - Jahrome Hughes (Storm)

17 points - David Fifita (Titans), Cameron Munster (Storm), Nicholas Hynes (Storm), Payne Haas (Broncos/NSW)

16 points - Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm)

15 points - Kalyn Ponga (Knights), Daine Laurie (Wests Tigers), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors), Jake Clifford (Cowboys/Knights)

14 points - Sam Walker (Roosters), Brandon Smith (Storm), Jarome Luai (Panthers/NSW)

13 points - Brian To'o (Panthers), Isaiah Papali'i (Eels), Alexander Brimson (Titans)

12 points - Reece Walsh (Warriors), Christian Welch (Storm), Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs)

11 points - Reed Mahoney (Eels), Harry Grant (Storm)

10 points - Scott Drinkwater (Cowboys), Joseph Manu (Roosters)

9 points - Stephen Crichton (Panthers), Luke Brooks (Wests Tigers), Keaon Koloamatangi (Rabbitohs), Ashley Taylor (Titans), Viliame Kikau (Panthers), Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs), Reuben Garrick (Sea Eagles), Matt Burton (Panthers)

8 points - James Fisher-Harris (Panthers), Kieran Foran (Sea Eagles), Tyrone Peachey (Titans), Shaun Johnson (Sharks), George Williams (Raiders)

7 points - Matthew Dufty (Dragons), Luke Thompson (Bulldogs), Benji Marshall (Rabbitohs)

6 points - Jordan Rapana (Raiders), Bradman Best (Knights), Alex Johnston (Rabbitohs), Maika Sivo (Eels), Tevita Pangai Junior (Broncos), Anthony Milford (Broncos), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Roosters), Daniel Saifiti (Knights), Haumole Olakau'atu (Sea Eagles), Valentine Holmes (Cowboys), Josh Papali'i (Raiders), Mitchell Pearce (Knights), Jamal Fogarty (Titans), Josh Addo-Carr (Storm), Isaah Yeo (Panthers), Braydon Trindall (Sharks), Damien Cook (Rabbitohs), Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors), Jamayne Isaako (Broncos)

5 points - Josh Curran (Warriors), Jason Saab (Sea Eagles), Tyson Gamble (Broncos), Drew Hutchison (Roosters), Tom Starling (Raiders), Mitchell Barnett (Knights), Corey Harawira-Naera (Raiders), Josh Schuster (Sea Eagles), Dylan Edwards (Panthers), Luke Keary (Roosters), Brett Morris (Roosters), Chad Townsend (Sharks), Toby Rudolf (Sharks), Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (Titans/QLD)

4 points - Sitili Tupouniua (Roosters), Tui Kamikamica (Storm), Liam Martin (Panthers), Joseph Tapine (Raiders), Dale Finucane (Storm), Jack Wighton (Raiders), Dane Gagai (Rabbitohs), Tohu Harris (Warriors), Jayden Brailey (Knights), Stefano Utoikamanu (Wests Tigers), Nathan Brown (Eels), Kodi Nikorima (Warriors), Victor Radley (Roosters), Mark Nicholls (Rabbitohs), Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks)

3 points - Siosiua Taukeiaho (Roosters), Josh Hodgson (Raiders), Apisai Koroisau (Panthers), Enari Tuala (Knights), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Storm), Matt Ikuvalu (Roosters), Luciano Leilua (Wests Tigers), Adam Clune (Dragons), Connor Watson (Knights), Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans), Luke Metcalf (Sharks), Jayden Campbell (Titans), Sam Williams (Raiders), Jake Averillo (Bulldogs), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Bulldogs), Tesi Niu (Broncos), Angus Crichton (Roosters), Justin Olam (Storm), Briton Nikora (Sharks), David Klemmer (Knights), Thomas Burgess (Rabbitohs), Jake Granville (Cowboys), Tariq Sims (Dragons), Toby Sexton (Titans), Ryan Sutton (Raiders), Tom Dearden (Broncos), Blake Ferguson (Eels), Mikaele Ravalawa (Dragons), Jai Arrow (Rabbitohs), Paul Vaughan (Dragons), Euan Aitken (Warriors), Herbie Farnworth (Broncos), Josh Jackson (Bulldogs), Xavier Savage (Raiders)

2 points - Bunty Afoa (Warriors), Waqa Blake (Eels), Hudson Young (Raiders), Jeremy Marshall-King (Bulldogs), Tyrone May (Panthers), Bayley Sironen (Warriors), Jesse Bromwich (Storm), Josh Mansour (Rabbitohs), Taniela Paseka (Sea Eagles), Jack de Belin (Dragons), Bailey Simonsson (Raiders), Hame Sele (Rabbitohs), Tyson Frizell (Knights), Sione Katoa (Bulldogs), Murray Taulagi (Cowboys), Wayde Egan (Warriors), Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys), Josh Morris (Roosters), Peta Hiku (Warriors), Jack Bird (Dragons), Junior Paulo (Eels), Marata Niukore (Eels), Phillip Sami (Titans), Josh Aloiai (Sea Eagles), Nick Meaney (Bulldogs), Blake Lawrie (Dragons), Lachlan Ilias (Rabbitohs), Dylan Napa (Bulldogs), Blayke Brailey (Sharks), Zac Lomax (Dragons), Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys), Ryan Matterson (Eels), Moses Leota (Panthers), Jack Williams (Sharks), Matthew Lodge (Broncos), Daniel Tupou (Roosters), Josh Kerr (Dragons), Martin Taupau (Sea Eagles), Moses Mbye (Wests Tigers), Moses Suli (Sea Eagles)

1 point - Jack Hetherington (Bulldogs), Isaac Liu (Roosters), Beau Fermor (Titans), Blake Taaffe (Rabbitohs), Shawn Blore (Wests Tigers), Kotoni Staggs (Broncos), Dean Ieremia (Storm), Thomas Flegler (Broncos), Matt Frawley (Raiders), Tukupa Hau Tapuha (Roosters), Mitchell Dunn (Cowboys), Alex Twal (Wests Tigers), Caleb Aekins (Raiders), Xavier Coates (Broncos), Ben Murdoch-Masila (Warriors), David Nofoaluma (Wests Tigers), Sebastian Kris (Raiders), Nat Butcher (Roosters), Felise Kaufusi (Storm), Will Hopoate (Bulldogs), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Cowboys), Brodie Jones (Knights), Corey Thompson (Titans), Jaydn Su'A (Rabbitohs), Kurt Mann (Knights), Francis Molo (Cowboys), Mathew Feagai (Dragons), Lindsay Collins (Roosters), Emre Guler (Raiders), Albert Kelly (Broncos), Ryan James (Raiders), Lachlan Lewis (Bulldogs), Dylan Brown (Eels), Braden Hamlin-Uele (Sharks), Connor Tracey (Sharks), Coen Hess (Cowboys), Reece Robson (Cowboys), Matt Moylan (Sharks), Shane Wright (Cowboys), Andrew McCullough (Dragons), Paul Momirovski (Panthers), Joe Ofahengaue (Wests Tigers)

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 1

Melbourne Storm (40) v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (12)
Fri 10 Sep 7:50PM at Sunshine Coast Stadium (Crowd: 9120)
Sydney Roosters (25) v Gold Coast Titans (24)
Sat 11 Sep 5:40PM at Queensland Country Bank Stadium (Crowd: 15237)
Penrith Panthers (10) v South Sydney Rabbitohs (16)
Sat 11 Sep 7:50PM at Queensland Country Bank Stadium (Crowd: 18244)
Parramatta Eels (28) v Newcastle Knights (20)
Sun 12 Sep 4:05PM at Browne Park (Crowd: 5087)

Ratings - Finals Week 1

Fri 7:50pm - MEL v MAN - 1.143M
FTA 807K from 519K metro & 288K regional
STV 336K

Sat 5:40pm - SYD v GLD - 1.049M
FTA 705K from 453K metro & 252K regional
STV 344K

Sat 7:50pm - PEN v SOU - 1.235M
FTA 853K from 536K metro & 317K regional
STV 382K

Sun 4:05pm - PAR v NEW - TBC
FTA metro only 517K, regional TBC
STV 330K

FTA total: TBC
STV total: 1.392M
Overall total: TBC

Finals Weeks 2 & 3 schedule

Week 2

1st Semi Final
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v Sydney Roosters
Fri 17 Sep 7:50PM at BB Print Stadium, Mackay

2nd Semi Final
Penrith Panthers v Parramatta Eels
Sat 18 Sep 7:50PM at BB Print Stadium, Mackay

Week 3

2nd Preliminary Final
South Sydney Rabbitohs v Winner Sea Eagles/Roosters
Fri 24 Sep 7:50PM at Suncorp Stadium

1st Preliminary Final
Melbourne Storm v Winner Panthers/Eels
Sat 25 Sep 4:00PM at Suncorp Stadium

Full 2021 NRL draw & results

Finals map

A look at how the finals race is shaping up with all the remaining weeks of the season.