Monday's Expert - 2021 NRL Finals Week 3

Monday's Expert - with the full results from Week 3 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 3 Results

Second Preliminary Final

South Sydney Rabbitohs 36
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 16

Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Crowd: 26249
Date: Friday 24 September 2021 at 8:05pm

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (36)
Tries: Cody Walker (2), Alex Johnston (2), Jaxson Paulo (2), Campbell Graham
Conversions: Blake Taaffe (4/7)

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (16)
Tries: Reuben Garrick (2), Tom Trbojevic
Conversions: Reuben Garrick (2/3)

First Preliminary Final

Melbourne Storm 6
Penrith Panthers 10

Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Crowd: 29011
Date: Saturday 25 September 2021 at 4:00pm

MELBOURNE STORM (6)
Tries: Ryan Papenhuyzen
Conversions: Ryan Papenhuyzen (1/1)

PENRITH PANTHERS (10)
Tries: Stephen Crichton, Brian To'o
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (1/2)

Match Review Charges - Finals Week 3

RESULTS

Suspensions (early pleas):
3 matches - Josh Aloiai (Sea Eagles), 40 carryovers
1 match - Harry Grant (Storm), 80 carryovers

Fines (early pleas):
$2500 - Stephen Crichton (Panthers)
$1350 - James Fisher-Harris (Panthers)

LeagueUnlimited Player of the Year standings

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

40 points - Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles/NSW)

38 points - Nathan Cleary (Panthers/NSW)

31 points - Cody Walker (Rabbitohs)

25 points - Mitchell Moses (Eels), James Tedesco (Roosters)
22 points - Clinton Gutherson (Eels), Will Kennedy (Sharks), Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles), Latrell Mitchell (Rabbitohs/NSW)
19 points - Jahrome Hughes (Storm), Adam Doueihi (Wests Tigers), Ben Hunt (Dragons/QLD)
17 points - Cameron Munster (Storm), Nicholas Hynes (Storm), David Fifita (Titans), Payne Haas (Broncos/NSW)
16 points - Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm)
15 points - Jake Clifford (Cowboys), Daine Laurie (Wests Tigers), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors), Kalyn Ponga (Knights)
14 points - Brandon Smith (Storm), Sam Walker (Roosters), Jarome Luai (Panthers/NSW)
13 points - Isaiah Papali'i (Eels), Alexander Brimson (Titans), Brian To'o (Panthers)
12 points - Christian Welch (Storm), Reece Walsh (Warriors), Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs)
11 points - Harry Grant (Storm), Reed Mahoney (Eels), Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs)
10 points - Joseph Manu (Roosters), Scott Drinkwater (Cowboys)
9 points - Isaah Yeo (Panthers), Matt Burton (Panthers), Ashley Taylor (Titans), Reuben Garrick (Sea Eagles), Viliame Kikau (Panthers), Keaon Koloamatangi (Rabbitohs), Stephen Crichton (Panthers), Luke Brooks (Wests Tigers)
8 points - James Fisher-Harris (Panthers), George Williams (Raiders), Shaun Johnson (Sharks), Dylan Edwards (Panthers), Tyrone Peachey (Titans), Kieran Foran (Sea Eagles)
7 points - Matthew Dufty (Dragons), Luke Thompson (Bulldogs), Benji Marshall (Rabbitohs)
6 points - Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Roosters), Tevita Pangai Junior (Broncos), Daniel Saifiti (Knights), Braydon Trindall (Sharks), Mitchell Pearce (Knights), Jordan Rapana (Raiders), Josh Addo-Carr (Storm), Alex Johnston (Rabbitohs), Valentine Holmes (Cowboys), Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors), Damien Cook (Rabbitohs), Anthony Milford (Broncos), Jamayne Isaako (Broncos), Jamal Fogarty (Titans), Maika Sivo (Eels), Josh Papali'i (Raiders), Haumole Olakau'atu (Sea Eagles), Bradman Best (Knights)
5 points - Jason Saab (Sea Eagles), Josh Curran (Warriors), Josh Schuster (Sea Eagles), Toby Rudolf (Sharks), Brett Morris (Roosters), Mitchell Barnett (Knights), Corey Harawira-Naera (Raiders), Chad Townsend (Sharks), Drew Hutchison (Roosters), Luke Keary (Roosters), Tom Starling (Raiders), Tyson Gamble (Broncos), Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (Titans/QLD)
4 points - Liam Martin (Panthers), Kodi Nikorima (Warriors), Joseph Tapine (Raiders), Jayden Brailey (Knights), Tui Kamikamica (Storm), Dale Finucane (Storm), Sitili Tupouniua (Roosters), Victor Radley (Roosters), Jack Wighton (Raiders), Mark Nicholls (Rabbitohs), Dane Gagai (Rabbitohs), Nathan Brown (Eels), Tohu Harris (Warriors), Stefano Utoikamanu (Wests Tigers), Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks)
3 points - Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Bulldogs), Tesi Niu (Broncos), Josh Hodgson (Raiders), Siosiua Taukeiaho (Roosters), Adam Clune (Dragons), Mikaele Ravalawa (Dragons), Matt Ikuvalu (Roosters), Sam Williams (Raiders), Ryan Sutton (Raiders), Angus Crichton (Roosters), Tariq Sims (Dragons), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Storm), Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans), Apisai Koroisau (Panthers), Connor Watson (Knights), Tom Dearden (Broncos), David Klemmer (Knights), Xavier Savage (Raiders), Toby Sexton (Titans), Jake Averillo (Bulldogs), Justin Olam (Storm), Paul Vaughan (Dragons), Enari Tuala (Knights), Luke Metcalf (Sharks), Briton Nikora (Sharks), Euan Aitken (Warriors), Blake Ferguson (Eels), Thomas Burgess (Rabbitohs), Josh Jackson (Bulldogs), Luciano Leilua (Wests Tigers), Jayden Campbell (Titans), Herbie Farnworth (Broncos), Jai Arrow (Rabbitohs), Jake Granville (Cowboys)
2 points - Jack de Belin (Dragons), Jeremy Marshall-King (Bulldogs), Bailey Simonsson (Raiders), Jesse Bromwich (Storm), Wayde Egan (Warriors), Peta Hiku (Warriors), Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys), Lachlan Ilias (Rabbitohs), Blake Taaffe (Rabbitohs), Nick Meaney (Bulldogs), Moses Suli (Sea Eagles), Jack Williams (Sharks), Tyrone May (Panthers), Hame Sele (Rabbitohs), Sione Katoa (Bulldogs), Bunty Afoa (Warriors), Josh Mansour (Rabbitohs), Taniela Paseka (Sea Eagles), Josh Morris (Roosters), Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys), Junior Paulo (Eels), Josh Kerr (Dragons), Blake Lawrie (Dragons), Martin Taupau (Sea Eagles), Zac Lomax (Dragons), Dylan Napa (Bulldogs), Josh Aloiai (Sea Eagles), Blayke Brailey (Sharks), Phillip Sami (Titans), Marata Niukore (Eels), Hudson Young (Raiders), Moses Mbye (Wests Tigers), Daniel Tupou (Roosters), Tyson Frizell (Knights), Murray Taulagi (Cowboys), Moses Leota (Panthers), Jack Bird (Dragons), Waqa Blake (Eels), Bayley Sironen (Warriors), Ryan Matterson (Eels), Matthew Lodge (Broncos)
1 point - Xavier Coates (Broncos), Shawn Blore (Wests Tigers), Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Beau Fermor (Titans), Isaac Liu (Roosters), Ben Murdoch-Masila (Warriors), Ryan James (Raiders), Andrew McCullough (Dragons), Paul Momirovski (Panthers), Tukupa Hau Tapuha (Roosters), Jack Hetherington (Bulldogs), Lindsay Collins (Roosters), Thomas Flegler (Broncos), Sebastian Kris (Raiders), Matt Frawley (Raiders), Mitchell Dunn (Cowboys), Francis Molo (Cowboys), Lachlan Lewis (Bulldogs), Matt Moylan (Sharks), Braden Hamlin-Uele (Sharks), Dylan Brown (Eels), Mathew Feagai (Dragons), Reece Robson (Cowboys), Shane Wright (Cowboys), Alex Twal (Wests Tigers), Albert Kelly (Broncos), Connor Tracey (Sharks), Coen Hess (Cowboys), Nat Butcher (Roosters), David Nofoaluma (Wests Tigers), Brodie Jones (Knights), Kotoni Staggs (Broncos), Dean Ieremia (Storm), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Cowboys), Corey Thompson (Titans), Emre Guler (Raiders), Kurt Mann (Knights), Caleb Aekins (Raiders), Felise Kaufusi (Storm), Will Hopoate (Bulldogs), Joe Ofahengaue (Wests Tigers), Jaydn Su'A (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

South Sydney Rabbitohs (36) v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (16)
Fri 24 Sep 8:05PM at Suncorp Stadium (Crowd: 26249)

Melbourne Storm (6) v Penrith Panthers (10)
Sat 25 Sep 4:00PM at Suncorp Stadium (Crowd: 29011)

Ratings - Finals Week 3

Fri 7:50pm - SOU v MAN - 1.512M
FTA 1.083M from 706K metro & 377K regional
STV 429K

Sat 7:50pm - MEL v PEN - 1.678M
FTA 1.216M from 810K metro & 406K regional
STV 462K

FTA total: 3.19M (2.299M metro, 783K regional)
STV total: 891K

Overall total: 4.081M

Grand Final schedule

Week 4

2021 NRL Grand Final
Penrith Panthers v South Sydney Rabbitohs
Sun 3 Oct 7:30PM at Suncorp Stadium (6:30pm QLD local time)

Gates open 12pm, Intrust Super Cup 12:15pm and 2:45pm, Entertainment 5pm, NRL kickoff 6:30pm
Times are AEST - QLD local. Add one hour for AEDT

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.

QRL results - Finals Week 2

Intrust Super Cup

Tweed Seagulls (41) v Redcliffe Dolphins (22)
Sat 25 Sep 2:10PM at Tugun Seahawks RLFC
Burleigh Bears (16) v Souths Logan Magpies (4)
Sun 26 Sep 3:05PM at Pizzey Park

Full results summary - click here.

Hastings Deering Colts (U21)

Wynnum Manly Seagulls (39) v Mackay Cutters (28)
Sat 25 Sep 11:45AM at Tugun Seahawks RLFC
Townsville Blackhawks (26) v Souths Logan Magpies (6)
Sun 26 Sep 12:45PM at Pizzey Park

Full results summary - click here.