Monday's Expert - 2023 NRL Round 18

A full wrap of NRL Round 18, with the full scoresheet, ladder, stats leaders, match review, player of the year points, injury news, crowd stats, TV ratings and upcoming fixtures.

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

RELATED: See the full list of 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Draw and Results.

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 52
St George Illawarra Dragons 16

Venue: PointsBet Stadium, Woolooware / Dharawal
Crowd: 10267
Date: Thursday 29 June 2023 at 7:50pm

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (52)
Tries: Nicho Hynes, Briton Nikora (2), Jesse Ramien, Thomas Hazelton, Ronaldo Mulitalo (2), William Kennedy, Siosifa Talakai
Conversions: Nicho Hynes (8/9)

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (16)
Tries: Mikaele Ravalawa, Tautau Moga, Tyrell Sloan
Conversions: Zac Lomax (2/3)

Cronulla: Kennedy, Katoa, Ramien, Talakai, Mulitalo; Moylan, Hynes; Kaufusi, Brailey, Hamlin-Uele, Nikora, Wilton, Finucane (C). Int: McInnes, Hazelton, Williams, Graham.
St George Illawarra: Sloan, Feagai, Moga, Lomax, Ravalawa; Sullivan, Hunt (C); Molo, Liddle, Lawrie, Murdoch-Masila, Su'A, De Belin. Int: Molo, Couchman, Hunt, Mbye.

Warriors 6
South Sydney Rabbitohs 28

Venue: Go Media Stadium, Penrose / Aotearoa
Crowd: 22612
Date: Friday 30 June 2023 at 6:00pm

WARRIORS (6)
Tries: Marcelo Montoya
Conversions: Shaun Johnson (1/1)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (28)
Tries: Alex Johnston (2), Blake Taaffe, Cameron Murray, Tyrone Munro
Conversions: Blake Taaffe (3/5)
Penalty Goals: Blake Taaffe (1/1)

Warriors: Nicoll-Klokstad, Watene-Zelezniak, Berry, Pompey, Montoya; Metcalf, Johnson; Fonua-Blake, Egan, Afoa, Ford, Barnett, Harris (C). Int: Walker, Sironen, Ale, Lussick.
Souths: Taaffe, Johnston, Munro, Milne, Kennar; Walker, Ilias; Tatola, Havili, Burgess, Koloamatangi, Chee-Kam, Murray (C). Int: Cook, Sele, Mitchell, Moale.

Melbourne Storm 16
Penrith Panthers 34

Venue: Marvel Stadium, Melbourne / Wurundjeri
Crowd: 26829
Date: Friday 30 June 2023 at 8:00pm

MELBOURNE STORM (16)
Tries: Harry Grant, Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Conversions: Nick Meaney (2/2)
Penalty Goals: Nick Meaney (2/2)

PENRITH PANTHERS (34)
Tries: Stephen Crichton, Izack Tago (2), Liam Martin, Zac Hosking, Brian To'o
Conversions: Stephen Crichton (5/6)

Melbourne: Meaney, Warbrick, Smith, Olam, Coates; Munster, Hughes; Sims, Grant, Welch (C), Loiero, Asofa-Solomona, King. Int: Garlick, Kamikamica, Wishart, Eisenhuth.
Penrith: Edwards, Turuva, Tago, Crichton, To'o; Luai, Cogger; Leota, Kenny, Fisher-Harris, Sorensen, Martin, Yeo (C). Int: Smith, Leniu, Hosking, Peachey.

Canberra Raiders 26
Gold Coast Titans 22

Venue: GIO Stadium Canberra, Bruce / Ngunnawal
Crowd: 11659
Date: Saturday 1 July 2023 at 3:00pm

CANBERRA RAIDERS (26)
Tries: Albert Hopoate, Sebastian Kris, Matthew Timoko, Tom Starling
Conversions: Jarrod Croker (4/4)
Penalty Goals: Jarrod Croker (1/1)

GOLD COAST TITANS (22)
Tries: David Fifita, Jojo Fifita, Alofiana Khan-Pereira, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
Conversions: Tanah Boyd (3/4)

Canberra: Kris, Hopoate, Croker (C), Timoko, Rapana; Wighton, Fogarty; Mariota, Woolford, Tapine, Young, Whitehead, Horsburgh. Int: Saulo, Starling, Guler.
Gold Coast: Brimson, Khan-Pereira, Kelly, Schoupp, Fifita; Foran, Boyd; Fotuaika, Verrills, Fa'asuamaleaui (C), Fifita, Stimson, Liu. Int: Campbell, Clark, Jolliffe, Randall.

North Queensland Cowboys 74
Wests Tigers 0

Venue: Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville / Wulgurukaba
Crowd: 20535
Date: Saturday 1 July 2023 at 5:30pm

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (74)
Tries: Tom Dearden, Valentine Holmes (2), Semi Valemei (2), Luciano Leilua, Scott Drinkwater (2), Murray Taulagi (3), Jeremiah Nanai, Jordan McLean
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (11/13)

WESTS TIGERS (0)

North QLD: Drinkwater, Valemei, Holmes, Hiku, Taulagi; Dearden, Townsend (C); McLean, Robson, Hess, Leilua, Nanai, Cotter. Int: Granville, Neame, Finefeuiaki, Taumalolo.
Wests Tigers: Bula, Nofoaluma, Naden, To'a, Tupou; Laurie, Wakeham; Utoikamanu, Simpkin, Klemmer, Papali'i, Blore, Bateman (C). Int: Da Silva, Pole, Twal, Seyfarth.

Brisbane Broncos 24
Dolphins 16

Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane / Yuggera-Turrbal
Crowd: 30606
Date: Saturday 1 July 2023 at 7:35pm

BRISBANE BRONCOS (24)
Tries: Selwyn Cobbo (3), Herbie Farnworth (2)
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (2/5)

DOLPHINS (16)
Tries: Kodi Nikorima, Valynce Te Whare, Jeremy Marshall-King
Conversions: Jamayne Isaako (2/3)

Brisbane: Sailor, Oates, Staggs, Farnworth, Cobbo; Mam, Reynolds (C); Palasia, Walters, Haas, Piakura, Hetherington, Carrigan. Int: Willison, Smoothy, Jensen, Taupau.
Dolphins: Nikorima, Isaako, Tabuai-Fidow, Te Whare, Niu; Katoa, O'Sullivan; Bromwich (C), Marshall-King, Lemuelu, Kaufusi, Bromwich, Stone. Int: Aitken, Ese'ese, Kerr, Nicholls.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 0
Newcastle Knights 66

Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park / Wanngal
Crowd: 11004
Date: Sunday 2 July 2023 at 2:00pm

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (0)

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (66)
Tries: Jackson Hastings (2), Bradman Best (3), Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Phoenix Crossland (2), Kurt Mann, Greg Marzhew, Enari Tuala
Conversions: Kalyn Ponga (11/11)

Canterbury: Perham, Kiraz, Averillo, Alamoti, Addo-Carr; Rajab, Burton (C); King, Mahoney, Pangai Junior, Okunbor, Preston, Morrin. Int: Edwards, Sutton, Topine, Faitala-Mariner.
Newcastle: Ponga (C), Young, Tuala, Best, Marzhew; Gamble, Hastings; Saifiti, Crossland, Thompson, Frizell, Fitzgibbon, Elliott. Int: Saifiti, Mann, Hetherington, Croker.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 18
Sydney Roosters 16

Venue: 4 Pines Park, Brookvale / Cammeraygal
Crowd: 17385
Date: Sunday 2 July 2023 at 4:05pm

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (18)
Tries: Daly Cherry-Evans (2), Ben Trbojevic
Conversions: Reuben Garrick (3/3)

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (16)
Tries: Junior Pauga, James Tedesco, Joseph Manu
Conversions: Sandon Smith (2/3)

Manly: Garrick, Saab, Parker, Koula, Tuipulotu; Schuster, Cherry-Evans (C); Paseka, Croker, Sipley, Olakau'atu, Tuilagi, Trbojevic. Int: Trbojevic, Aloiai, Bullemor, Woods.
Sydney: Tedesco (C), Tupou, Allan, Manu, Pauga; Keary, Smith; Waerea-Hargreaves, Turpin, Collins, Radley, Butcher, Brown. Int: Whyte, Hutchison, May, Wong.

Parramatta Eels had a bye this round.

Ladder after Round 18

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

RLP stats leaders

Top tries

Top points

Thanks to Rugby League Project.

Match review

10 players have been hit with charges across the first six games of the round to Saturday, with Alex Twal and Dale Finucane facing suspension and the other eight facing fines.

Three players were fined from Sunday's matches, and by lunch time, Finucane and Twal had entered early pleas for their charges to accept 2 and 1 matches respectively.

Click here to find out the details on each and every charge.

Who could be back?

Here's who's in line to return to the field next weekend.

Six players are expected to return next round - Dolphins pair Anthony Milford and Jarrod Wallace; St George Illawarra's Jack Bird and Moses Suli, and Parramatta's Shaun Lane and Sam Loizou.

LeagueUnlimited Player of the Year standings

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

25 points - Shaun Johnson (Warriors)

20 points - Nicho Hynes (Sharks)

19 points - Payne Haas (Broncos), Mitchell Moses (Eels)

17 points - Scott Drinkwater (Cowboys), Reece Walsh (Broncos/Maroons)

16 points - Ben Hunt (Dragons)

14 points - James Tedesco (Roosters), Cody Walker (Rabbitohs)

13 points - Latrell Mitchell (Rabbitohs), Clinton Gutherson (Eels), Adam Reynolds (Broncos), Cameron Munster (Storm), Corey Horsburgh (Raiders), Kalyn Ponga (Knights), David Fifita (Titans)

12 points - Isaah Yeo (Panthers)

11 points - Dylan Edwards (Panthers), Nathan Cleary (Panthers), AJ Brimson (Titans), Hudson Young (Raiders), Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)

10 points - Harry Grant (Storm)

9 points - Herbie Farnworth (Broncos), Valentine Holmes (Cowboys/Maroons)

8 points - J'maine Hopgood (Eels), Campbell Graham (Rabbitohs), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins), Kodi Nikorima (Dolphins), William Kennedy (Sharks), Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Storm)

7 points - Jamal Fogarty (Raiders), Dylan Brown (Eels), Briton Nikora (Sharks), Izack Tago (Panthers), Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs), Jamayne Isaako (Dolphins), Jeremy Marshall-King (Dolphins)

6 points - Luke Keary (Roosters), Haumole Olakau'atu (Sea Eagles), Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys), Nick Meaney (Storm), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Roosters), Matt Burton (Bulldogs), Luke Brooks (Wests Tigers), Jacob Kiraz (Bulldogs), Jahream Bula (Wests Tigers), Chad Townsend (Cowboys)

5 points - Phillip Sami (Titans), Greg Marzhew (Knights), Brian To'o (Panthers), Blayke Brailey (Sharks), Jacob Liddle (Dragons), Josh Schuster (Sea Eagles), Reuben Cotter (Cowboys/Maroons)

4 points - Joseph Manu (Roosters), Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Bradman Best (Knights), Josh Papali'i (Raiders), William Warbrick (Storm), Jacob Preston (Bulldogs), Siosifa Talakai (Sharks), Tohu Harris (Warriors), Jonah Pezet (Storm), Scott Sorensen (Panthers), Jack Wighton (Raiders), Brandon Wakeham (Wests Tigers), Reuben Garrick (Sea Eagles), Tom Dearden (Cowboys), Wayde Egan (Warriors), Reed Mahoney (Bulldogs), Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans)

3 points - Matt Moylan (Sharks), Sean O'Sullivan (Dolphins), Kieran Foran (Titans), Lachlan Croker (Sea Eagles), Brandon Smith (Roosters), Jackson Hastings (Knights), Taane Milne (Rabbitohs), Jarome Luai (Panthers), Junior Tupou (Wests Tigers), Selwyn Cobbo (Broncos), Sam Walker (Roosters), Jake Averillo (Bulldogs), Tanah Boyd (Titans), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Warriors), Alofiana Khan-Pereira (Titans), Daniel Saifiti (Knights), Tyson Frizell (Knights), Sebastian Kris (Raiders), Tyson Gamble (Knights), Tyrone Peachey (Panthers), Damien Cook (Rabbitohs), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Warriors), Lachlan Ilias (Rabbitohs), Stephen Crichton (Panthers), Viliami Penisini (Eels), Dane Gagai (Knights), Lachlan Miller (Knights), Eliesa Katoa (Storm), Anthony Milford (Dolphins), Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (Titans), Keaon Koloamatangi (Rabbitohs), Heilum Luki (Cowboys), Murray Taulagi (Cowboys/Maroons), Lindsay Collins (Roosters/Maroons)

2 points - Matthew Timoko (Raiders), Isaiah Papali'i (Wests Tigers), Keenan Palasia (Broncos), Jaeman Salmon (Panthers), Braidon Burns (Bulldogs), Thomas Flegler (Broncos), Daniel Tupou (Roosters), Egan Butcher (Roosters), Tevita Pangai Junior (Bulldogs), Connor Tracey (Sharks), Jack Cogger (Panthers), Thomas Burgess (Rabbitohs), Braden Hamlin-Uele (Sharks), Valynce Te Whare (Dolphins), Starford To'a (Wests Tigers), Jason Saab (Sea Eagles), Dominic Young (Knights), Blake Lawrie (Dragons), Jordan Rapana (Raiders), Sitili Tupouniua (Roosters), Joseph Tapine (Raiders), Felise Kaufusi (Dolphins), Ezra Mam (Broncos), Tom Gilbert (Dolphins), Tesi Niu (Dolphins), Jack de Belin (Dragons), Jackson Ford (Warriors), Connelly Lemuelu (Dolphins), Tolutau Koula (Sea Eagles), Apisai Koroisau (Wests Tigers)

1 point - Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Eels), Tevita Tatola (Rabbitohs), Alex Twal (Wests Tigers), Jaxson Paulo (Roosters), Marcelo Montoya (Warriors), Lindsay Smith (Panthers), Josh King (Storm), Bryce Cartwright (Eels), Jayden Brailey (Knights), Dale Finucane (Sharks), Leo Thompson (Knights), Albert Hopoate (Raiders), Tyrone Munro (Rabbitohs), Josh Reynolds (Bulldogs), Lachlan Fitzgibbon (Knights), Luciano Leilua (Cowboys), Patrick Carrigan (Broncos), Cory Paix (Broncos), Hayze Perham (Bulldogs), Mason Teague (Dolphins), Mikaele Ravalawa (Dragons), Semi Valemei (Raiders), Xavier Coates (Storm), Josh Addo-Carr (Bulldogs), Taniela Paseka (Sea Eagles), Jazz Tevaga (Warriors), Jayden Sullivan (Dragons), Ethan Bullemor (Sea Eagles), Adam Doueihi (Wests Tigers), Charlie Staines (Wests Tigers), Freddy Lussick (Warriors), Jayden Campbell (Titans), Brendan Hands (Eels), Jahrome Hughes (Storm), Josh Curran (Warriors), Junior Pauga (Roosters), Tautau Moga (Dragons), John Bateman (Wests Tigers), Edward Kosi (Warriors), Alex Johnston (Rabbitohs), Moses Leota (Panthers), Kotoni Staggs (Broncos), Wiremu Greig (Eels), Braydon Trindall (Sharks), Liam Martin (Panthers/Blues)

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 18

Round Total: 150,897 / Average per game 18,862

Season Total: 2,517,993 / Average per match: 18,514

Ratings - Round 18

NRL Round 19

NOTE: Due to FIFA Women's World Cup stadium requirements, AAMI Park, Allianz Stadium and Suncorp Stadium, among other venues, are unavailable until late July.

BYES: Brisbane Broncos, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Melbourne Storm, Newcastle Knights, North Queensland Cowboys, Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters

Wests Tigers v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Thu 6 Jul 7:50PM at CommBank Stadium, Parramatta / Burramattagal

St George Illawarra Dragons v Canberra Raiders
Fri 7 Jul 8:00PM at WIN Stadium, Wollongong / Dharawal

Parramatta Eels v Warriors
Sat 8 Jul 5:30PM at CommBank Stadium, Parramatta / Burramattagal
South Sydney Rabbitohs v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Sat 8 Jul 7:35PM at Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park / Wanngal

Gold Coast Titans v Dolphins
Sun 9 Jul 4:05PM at Cbus Super Stadium, Robina / Yugambeh

Full 2023 NRL draw & results