Monday's Expert - 2022 NRL Round 2

Time for a full wrap-up of the weekend's NRL action. Monday's Expert brings you the full results wrap from the weekend, plus Match Review charges, injury news, our POTY standings, crowds, TV ratings and a look ahead to next round.

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

RELATED: See the full list of 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Draw and Results.

NRL Round 2 results

Melbourne Storm 15
South Sydney Rabbitohs 14

Venue: AAMI Park
Crowd: 13269
Date: Thursday 17 March 2022 at 8:05pm

MELBOURNE STORM (15)
Tries: Xavier Coates, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Cameron Munster
Field Goals: Ryan Papenhuyzen (1/1)
Conversions: Harry Grant (0/2), Ryan Papenhuyzen (1/1)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (14)
Tries: Alex Johnston, Jaxson Paulo, Campbell Graham
Two Point Field Goals: Latrell Mitchell (1/1)
Conversions: Latrell Mitchell (0/3)

MATCH REPORT: Storm escape with win after Latrell pulls a Rabbit out of the hat in Golden Point thriller (Sam Bourke)

St George Illawarra Dragons 16
Penrith Panthers 20

Venue: Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Crowd: 10057
Date: Friday 18 March 2022 at 6:00pm

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (16)
Tries: Tyrell Sloan, Zac Lomax, Jaydn Su'A
Conversions: Zac Lomax (2/3)

PENRITH PANTHERS (20)
Tries: Viliame Kikau (2), Spencer Leniu
Conversions: Stephen Crichton (3/3)
Penalty Goals: Stephen Crichton (1/1)

MATCH REPORT: Kikau celebrates his 100th game in style with a win over spirited Dragons (AJ Lucantonio)

Sydney Roosters 26
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 12

Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground
Crowd: 11872
Date: Friday 18 March 2022 at 8:05pm

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (26)
Tries: Drew Hutchison, Daniel Tupou, Nat Butcher (2), Sitili Tupouniua
Conversions: Sam Walker (3/5)

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (12)
Tries: Karl Lawton, Daly Cherry-Evans
Conversions: Reuben Garrick (2/2)

MATCH REPORT: Butcher bags a brace in battle of the birds (Rob Crosby)

Gold Coast Titans 20
Warriors 18

Venue: Cbus Super Stadium
Crowd: 13481
Date: Saturday 19 March 2022 at 3:00pm

GOLD COAST TITANS (20)
Tries: Beau Fermor, Greg Marzhew (2), Phillip Sami
Conversions: Toby Sexton (2/4)

WARRIORS (18)
Tries: Wayde Egan, Marcelo Montoya, Adam Pompey
Conversions: Reece Walsh (3/3)

MATCH REPORT: Brimson gets the Titans home (Andrew Ferguson)

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 18
Parramatta Eels 16

Venue: PointsBet Stadium
Crowd: 11459
Date: Saturday 19 March 2022 at 5:30pm

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (18)
Tries: Ronaldo Mulitalo, Sione Katoa, Connor Tracey, Teig Wilton
Conversions: Nicho Hynes (1/4)

PARRAMATTA EELS (16)
Tries: Mitchell Moses, Reed Mahoney
Conversions: Clinton Gutherson (2/2)
Penalty Goals: Clinton Gutherson (2/2)

MATCH REPORT: Hynes the hero as Sharks seal homecoming win in style (Andrew Jackson)

North Queensland Cowboys 26
Canberra Raiders 6

Venue: Queensland Country Bank Stadium
Crowd: 13864
Date: Saturday 19 March 2022 at 7:35pm

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (26)
Tries: Murray Taulagi, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Kyle Feldt, Jeremiah Nanai
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (3/4)
Penalty Goals: Valentine Holmes (2/2)

CANBERRA RAIDERS (6)
Tries: Corey Harawira-Naera
Conversions: Corey Harawira-Naera (1/1)

MATCH REPORT: Cowboys take first win over poor Raiders (Josh Robertson)

Newcastle Knights 26
Wests Tigers 4

Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium
Crowd: 23214
Date: Sunday 20 March 2022 at 4:05pm

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (26)
Tries: Jake Clifford, Tyson Frizell, Bradman Best, Dominic Young, Dane Gagai
Conversions: Jake Clifford (2/5)
Penalty Goals: Jake Clifford (1/1)

WESTS TIGERS (4)
Tries: Ken Maumalo
Conversions: Jackson Hastings (0/1)

MATCH REPORT: Knights continue perfect start as terrible Tigers fall to 0-2 (Adam Huxtable)

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 10
Brisbane Broncos 16

Venue: Accor Stadium
Crowd: 13453
Date: Sunday 20 March 2022 at 6:15pm

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (10)
Tries: Braidon Burns, Jeremy Marshall-King
Conversions: Matt Burton (1/2)
Penalty Goals: Matt Burton (0/1)

BRISBANE BRONCOS (16)
Tries: Corey Oates, Herbie Farnworth (2)
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (2/3)

MATCH REPORT: Reynolds' debut ends in win after defensive thriller over the Dogs (AJ Lucantonio)

NRL ladder after Round 2

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

Match Review Charges - Round 2

Check out the 2022 match review structure and penalties table here.

PLEAS
WIlton (CRO) - early plea - 1 match suspension
Burgess (SGI), Stone (PAR) Ofahengaue (WST) - early plea - $1000 fine
GIlbert (NQL) - early plea - $1500 fine

CONTESTS
Hastings (WST) - guilty, contesting grading - unsuccessful. Suspended 3 matches

Who could be back?

A quick look at who's likely to be back on deck next round.

Canberra - Jordan Rapana (suspension), Brad Schneider (COVID)

Cronulla - Braydon Trindall (suspension)

Melbourne - Jordan Grant (calf)

Newcastle - Daniel Saifiti (leg), Sauaso Sue (suspension)

North Qld - Ben Hampton (hamstring), Jamayne Taunoa-Brown (knee)

St Geo Illa - Billy Burns (foot), Jayden Sullivan (hamstring), Aaron Woods (hamstring)

Sydney - Egan Butcher (foot), Joseph Suaalii (foot)

LeagueUnlimited Player of the Year standings

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

5 points - Nicho Hynes (Sharks), Jake Clifford (Knights)

4 points - Dane Gagai (Knights)

3 points - Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys), Mikaele Ravalawa (Dragons), Herbie Farnworth (Broncos), Harry Grant (Storm), Jahrome Hughes (Storm), Tom Gilbert (Cowboys), Junior Paulo (Eels), Sean O'Sullivan (Panthers), Viliame Kikau (Panthers), Jack Wighton (Raiders), Albert Kelly (Broncos), Payne Haas (Broncos), Alexander Brimson (Titans), Siosiua Taukeiaho (Roosters)

2 points - Isaiah Papali'i (Eels), Sam Walker (Roosters), Jarome Luai (Panthers), Luke Thompson (Bulldogs), Cameron Munster (Storm), Ken Maumalo (Wests Tigers), Tyrell Sloan (Dragons), Tyson Frizell (Knights), Liam Martin (Panthers), Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (Titans), Phillip Sami (Titans), Peta Hiku (Cowboys), Kurt Capewell (Broncos)

1 point - Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks), Kyle Feldt (Cowboys), Corey Waddell (Bulldogs), Max King (Bulldogs), Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm), Josh Curran (Warriors), Dominic Young (Knights), Hudson Young (Raiders), Mitchell Moses (Eels), Stephen Crichton (Panthers), James Tedesco (Roosters), Ben Hunt (Dragons), Latrell Mitchell (Rabbitohs), Greg Marzhew (Titans)

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 - Round 2

Melbourne Storm (15) v South Sydney Rabbitohs (14)
Thu 17 Mar 8:05PM at AAMI Park (Crowd: 13269)

St George Illawarra Dragons (16) v Penrith Panthers (20)
Fri 18 Mar 6:00PM at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium (Crowd: 10057)
Sydney Roosters (26) v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (12)
Fri 18 Mar 8:05PM at Sydney Cricket Ground (Crowd: 11872)

Gold Coast Titans (20) v Warriors (18)
Sat 19 Mar 3:00PM at Cbus Super Stadium (Crowd: 13481)
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (18) v Parramatta Eels (16)
Sat 19 Mar 5:30PM at PointsBet Stadium (Crowd: 11459)
North Queensland Cowboys (26) v Canberra Raiders (6)
Sat 19 Mar 7:35PM at Queensland Country Bank Stadium (Crowd: 13864)

Newcastle Knights (26) v Wests Tigers (4)
Sun 20 Mar 4:05PM at McDonald Jones Stadium (Crowd: 23214)
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (10) v Brisbane Broncos (16)
Sun 20 Mar 6:15PM at Accor Stadium (Crowd: 13453)

Total R2: 110,669
Average R2: 13,834

Season total after R2: 235,764
Season average after R1: 14,735

Ratings - Round 2

STV ratings (Fox League)

Thu 8:05pm - MEL v SOU - 212K
Fri 6:00pm - SGI v PEN - 191K
Fri 8:05pm - SYD v MAN - 224K
Sat 3:00pm - GLD v WAR - 144K
Sat 5:30pm - CRO v PAR - 227K
Sat 7:35pm - NQL v CAN - 201K
Sun 4:05pm - NEW v WST - 221K
Sun 6:15pm - CBY v BRI - 280K

Round 1 STV total: 1.7M

FTA ratings (Nine Network)

Thu 8:05pm - MEL v SOU - 532K (348K metro, 184K regional)
Fri 8:05pm - SYD v MAN - 434K (286K metro, 148K regional)
Sun 4:05pm - NEW v WST - 381K (239K metro, 142K regional)

Round 2 FTA total: 1.347M

Round 3 fixtures

St George Illawarra Dragons v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Thu 24 Mar 8:05PM at WIN Stadium

Wests Tigers v Warriors
Fri 25 Mar 6:00PM at Campbelltown Stadium
South Sydney Rabbitohs v Sydney Roosters
Fri 25 Mar 8:05PM at Accor Stadium

Penrith Panthers v Newcastle Knights
Sat 26 Mar 3:00PM at Carrington Park
Melbourne Storm v Parramatta Eels
Sat 26 Mar 5:30PM at AAMI Park
Canberra Raiders v Gold Coast Titans
Sat 26 Mar 7:35PM at GIO Stadium Canberra

Brisbane Broncos v North Queensland Cowboys
Sun 27 Mar 4:05PM at Suncorp Stadium
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Sun 27 Mar 6:15PM at 4 Pines Park

Full 2022 NRL draw & results