Monday's Expert - 2023 NRL Round 20

A full wrap of NRL Round 20, 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.

Newcastle Knights 34
Wests Tigers 18

Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal
Crowd: 18470
Date: Friday 14 July 2023 at 8:00pm

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (34)
Tries: Greg Marzhew, Kalyn Ponga, Bradman Best, Dominic Young (2), Daniel Saifiti, Tyson Gamble
Conversions: Kalyn Ponga (3/7)

WESTS TIGERS (18)
Tries: Jahream Bula (2), Apisai Koroisau
Conversions: Brandon Wakeham (3/3)

Newcastle: Ponga (C), Young, Tuala, Best, Marzhew; Gamble, Hastings; Saifiti, Crossland, Thompson, Frizell, Fitzgibbon, Elliott. Int: Mann, Saifiti, Hetherington, Croker.
Wests Tigers: Bula, Kepaoa, To'a, Talau, Tupou; Smith, Wakeham; Utoikamanu, Koroisau (C), Klemmer, Papali'i, Bateman, Pole. Int: Simpkin, Blore, Twal, Seyfarth.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24
Brisbane Broncos 44

Venue: Belmore Sports Ground, Belmore / Bidjigal
Crowd: 17103
Date: Saturday 15 July 2023 at 3:00pm

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (24)
Tries: Jacob Preston, Jake Averillo (2), Corey Waddell
Conversions: Matt Burton (4/4)

BRISBANE BRONCOS (44)
Tries: Adam Reynolds, Kurt Capewell, Billy Walters, Deine Mariner, Xavier Willison, Ezra Mam, Brendan Piakura, Herbie Farnworth
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (6/7), Kotoni Staggs (0/1)

Canterbury: Averillo, Wilson, Burns, Kiraz, Skelton; Burton (C), Sexton; King, Mahoney, Faitala-Mariner, Topine, Preston, Waddell. Int: Flanagan, Morrin, Pangai Junior, Okunbor, Brown.
Brisbane: Sailor, Arthars, Staggs, Farnworth, Cobbo; Mam, Reynolds (C); Palasia, Walters, Jensen, Capewell, Piakura, Hetherington. Int: Smoothy, Willison, Taupau, Mariner.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 8
North Queensland Cowboys 19

Venue: 4 Pines Park, Brookvale / Cammeraygal
Crowd: 13240
Date: Saturday 15 July 2023 at 5:30pm

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (8)
Tries: Dean Matterson, Brad Parker
Conversions: Daly Cherry-Evans (0/1), Reuben Garrick (0/1)

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (19)
Tries: Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai, Scott Drinkwater
Field Goals: Chad Townsend (1/1)
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (3/3)

Manly: Garrick, Saab, Parker, Koula, Tuipulotu; Schuster, Cherry-Evans (C); Paseka, Croker, Aloiai, Olakau'atu, Tuilagi, Trbojevic. Int: Sipley, Matterson, Woods, Bullemor.
North QLD: Drinkwater, Valemei, Holmes, Hiku, Taulagi; Dearden, Townsend (C); McLean, Robson, Hess, Leilua, Nanai, Granville. Int: Cotter, Neame, Taumalolo, Finefeuiaki.

Sydney Roosters 16
Melbourne Storm 30

Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground, Moore Park / Gadigal
Crowd: 12021
Date: Saturday 15 July 2023 at 7:35pm

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (16)
Tries: Daniel Tupou (2), Siua Wong
Conversions: Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (0/1)

MELBOURNE STORM (30)
Tries: Xavier Coates (3), Jahrome Hughes, Harry Grant
Conversions: Nick Meaney (5/5)

Sydney: Manu, Tupou, Smith, Sua'ali'i, Pauga; Keary (C), Smith; Waerea-Hargreaves, Turpin, Collins, Radley, Butcher, Brown. Int: Smith, Butcher, Wong, Whyte.
Melbourne: Meaney, Warbrick, Smith, Olam, Coates; Munster, Hughes; Kamikamica, Grant, Welch (C), Loiero, Asofa-Solomona, King. Int: Wishart, Eisenhuth, Sims, MacDonald.

Warriors 44
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 12

Venue: Go Media Stadium, Penrose / Aotearoa
Crowd: 24012
Date: Sunday 16 July 2023 at 2:00pm

WARRIORS (44)
Tries: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (2), Rocco Berry, Addin Fonua-Blake, Luke Metcalf, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Josh Curran, Adam Pompey
Conversions: Shaun Johnson (5/7), Luke Metcalf (1/1)

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (12)
Tries: Nicho Hynes, Briton Nikora
Conversions: Nicho Hynes (2/2)

Warriors: Nicoll-Klokstad, Watene-Zelezniak, Berry, Pompey, Montoya; Metcalf, Johnson; Fonua-Blake, Egan, Ale, Ford, Barnett, Harris (C). Int: Curran, Lussick, Sironen, Walker.
Cronulla: Kennedy, Katoa, Ramien, Talakai, Mulitalo; Moylan, Hynes (C); Kaufusi, Brailey, Rudolf, Nikora, Wilton, McInnes. Int: Graham, Hazelton, Williams, Colquhoun.

Dolphins 14
Penrith Panthers 24

Venue: Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe / Kabi Kabi
Crowd: 10065
Date: Sunday 16 July 2023 at 4:05pm

DOLPHINS (14)
Tries: Kodi Nikorima, Connelly Lemuelu, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Conversions: Jamayne Isaako (1/3)

PENRITH PANTHERS (24)
Tries: Moses Leota, Izack Tago (2), Thomas Jenkins (2)
Conversions: Jack Cogger (0/3), Dylan Edwards (2/2)

Dolphins: Nikorima, Isaako, Aitken, Tabuai-Fidow, Te Whare; Milford, O'Sullivan; Bromwich (C), Graham, Nicholls, Kaufusi, Lemuelu, Stone. Int: Katoa, Bromwich, Ese'ese, Wallace.
Penrith: Edwards (C), Turuva, Tago, Peachey, Jenkins; Luai, Cogger; Leota, Kenny, Fisher-Harris, Sorensen, Hosking, Eisenhuth. Int: Luke, Smith, Leniu, Salmon.

Parramatta Eels 25
Gold Coast Titans 24

Venue: CommBank Stadium, Parramatta / Burramattagal
Crowd: 12599
Date: Sunday 16 July 2023 at 6:15pm

PARRAMATTA EELS (25)
Tries: Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Viliami Penisini, Bryce Cartwright, Clinton Gutherson
Field Goals: Mitchell Moses (1/1)
Conversions: Mitchell Moses (3/4)
Penalty Goals: Mitchell Moses (1/1)

GOLD COAST TITANS (24)
Tries: Alofiana Khan-Pereira (2), Tanah Boyd, Phillip Sami
Field Goals: Tanah Boyd (0/1)
Conversions: Tanah Boyd (2/4)
Penalty Goals: Tanah Boyd (2/2)

Parramatta: Gutherson (C), Sivo, Penisini, Simonsson, Russell; Asi, Moses; Campbell-Gillard, Hands, Paulo, Lane, Cartwright, Hopgood. Int: Moretti, Ofahengaue, Davey, Matterson.
Gold Coast: Campbell, Khan-Pereira, Kelly, Fifita, Sami; Foran, Boyd; Fotuaika, Verrills, Randall, Fifita, Haas, Liu. Int: Schoupp, Fa'asuamaleaui (C), Clark, Alick.

Canberra Raiders, St George Illawarra Dragons and South Sydney Rabbitohs had a bye this round.

Ladder after Round 20

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

Stats leaders

Top tries

Top points

Thanks to Rugby League Project!

Match review

Three players were fined from Saturday night's games after no charges were laid over Origin or Friday night's Knights-Tigers clash.

Sunday was a much more spiteful day, with six charges laid on Monday morning, including four mammoth suspensions. Jarrod Wallace (DOL), Maika Sivo (PAR) and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (GLD) are all facing 3-4 weeks out, while Parramatta's Reagan Campbell-Gillard is looking at 4-5 weeks.

By Tuesday morning, five players had accepted fines, while Fa'asuamaleaui and Campbell-Gillard had accepted suspensions. Sivo will challenge the grading of his charge at the judiciary on Tuesday night, while Wallace will also appear - he's pleading not guilty.

On Tuesday night, Wallace was found not guilty at the judiciary and is free to play when the Dolphins resume after the bye (in Round 22), while Sivo's downgrade failed and he will miss four games.

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.

LeagueUnlimited Player of the Year standings

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

28 points - Shaun Johnson (Warriors)

20 points - Scott Drinkwater (Cowboys), Nicho Hynes (Sharks)

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

17 points - Reece Walsh (Broncos/Maroons), Cody Walker (Rabbitohs/Blues)

16 points - Kalyn Ponga (Knights), Ben Hunt (Dragons), Adam Reynolds (Broncos)

15 points - Cameron Munster (Storm)

14 points - James Tedesco (Roosters)

13 points - Dylan Edwards (Panthers), David Fifita (Titans), Latrell Mitchell (Rabbitohs), Clinton Gutherson (Eels), Corey Horsburgh (Raiders)

12 points - Isaah Yeo (Panthers)

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

10 points - Izack Tago (Panthers), Harry Grant (Storm), Jamal Fogarty (Raiders), Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors)

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

8 points - Jahream Bula (Wests Tigers), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Storm), Campbell Graham (Rabbitohs), William Kennedy (Sharks), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins), Kodi Nikorima (Dolphins), Blayke Brailey (Sharks), J'maine Hopgood (Eels)

7 points - Jamayne Isaako (Dolphins), Briton Nikora (Sharks), Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs), Dylan Brown (Eels), Jeremy Marshall-King (Dolphins)

6 points - Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Roosters), Haumole Olakau'atu (Sea Eagles), Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys), Anthony Milford (Dolphins), Jacob Kiraz (Bulldogs), Chad Townsend (Cowboys), Luke Keary (Roosters), Nick Meaney (Storm), Luke Brooks (Wests Tigers), Bradman Best (Knights/Blues)

5 points - Wayde Egan (Warriors), Phillip Sami (Titans), Joseph Manu (Roosters), Lachlan Croker (Sea Eagles), Josh Schuster (Sea Eagles), Jacob Liddle (Dragons), Brian To'o (Panthers), Kieran Foran (Titans), Greg Marzhew (Knights), Reuben Cotter (Cowboys/Maroons)

4 points - Siosifa Talakai (Sharks), Tanah Boyd (Titans), Tohu Harris (Warriors), Jonah Pezet (Storm), Jack Wighton (Raiders), Reuben Garrick (Sea Eagles), Jacob Preston (Bulldogs), Bryce Cartwright (Eels), Tom Dearden (Cowboys), Josh Papali'i (Raiders), Xavier Coates (Storm), William Warbrick (Storm), Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans), Scott Sorensen (Panthers), Reed Mahoney (Bulldogs), Brandon Wakeham (Wests Tigers), Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Lindsay Collins (Roosters)

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

2 points - Ezra Mam (Broncos), Jack Cogger (Panthers), Joseph Tapine (Raiders), Jaeman Salmon (Panthers), Luciano Leilua (Cowboys), Tom Gilbert (Dolphins), Tolutau Koula (Sea Eagles), Egan Butcher (Roosters), Connor Tracey (Sharks), Starford To'a (Wests Tigers), Braden Hamlin-Uele (Sharks), Isaiah Papali'i (Wests Tigers), Thomas Burgess (Rabbitohs), Jordan Rapana (Raiders), Tesi Niu (Dolphins), John Bateman (Wests Tigers), Keenan Palasia (Broncos), Marcelo Montoya (Warriors), Thomas Flegler (Broncos), Felise Kaufusi (Dolphins), Jack de Belin (Dragons), Mitchell Barnett (Warriors), Zac Lomax (Dragons), Blake Lawrie (Dragons), Blake Taaffe (Rabbitohs), Jayden Campbell (Titans), Junior Paulo (Eels), Tristan Sailor (Broncos), Jason Saab (Sea Eagles), Moses Leota (Panthers), Cameron McInnes (Sharks), Sitili Tupouniua (Roosters), Daniel Tupou (Roosters), Braidon Burns (Bulldogs), Apisai Koroisau (Wests Tigers), Jackson Ford (Warriors), Connelly Lemuelu (Dolphins), Valynce Te Whare (Dolphins)

1 point - Patrick Carrigan (Broncos), Josh King (Storm), Mason Teague (Dolphins), Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Eels), Tyrone Munro (Rabbitohs), Albert Hopoate (Raiders), Dale Finucane (Sharks), Lachlan Fitzgibbon (Knights), Brendan Piakura (Broncos), Alex Twal (Wests Tigers), Jaxson Paulo (Roosters), Tautau Moga (Dragons), Jayden Brailey (Knights), Tevita Tatola (Rabbitohs), Edward Kosi (Warriors), Alex Johnston (Rabbitohs), Josh Reynolds (Bulldogs), Kotoni Staggs (Broncos), Brendan Hands (Eels), Josh Addo-Carr (Bulldogs), Charlie Staines (Wests Tigers), Jazz Tevaga (Warriors), Adam Doueihi (Wests Tigers), Jayden Sullivan (Dragons), Ethan Bullemor (Sea Eagles), Junior Pauga (Roosters), Josh Curran (Warriors), Semi Valemei (Raiders), Leo Thompson (Knights), Hayze Perham (Bulldogs), Wiremu Greig (Eels), Mikaele Ravalawa (Dragons), Braydon Trindall (Sharks), Freddy Lussick (Warriors), Cory Paix (Broncos), Taniela Paseka (Sea Eagles), Jahrome Hughes (Storm), Lindsay Smith (Panthers), 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 20

Round Total: 107,510 / Average per game 15,359

Season Total: 2,700,284 / Average per match: 18,245

Ratings - Round 20

NRL Round 21

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.

St George Illawarra Dragons v Wests Tigers
Thu 20 Jul 7:50PM at WIN Stadium, Wollongong / Dharawal

Warriors v Canberra Raiders
Fri 21 Jul 6:00PM at Go Media Stadium, Penrose / Aotearoa
South Sydney Rabbitohs v Brisbane Broncos
Fri 21 Jul 8:00PM at Sunshine Coast Stadium, Bokarina / Kabi Kabi

Gold Coast Titans v Sydney Roosters
Sat 22 Jul 3:00PM at Cbus Super Stadium, Robina / Yugambeh
Newcastle Knights v Melbourne Storm
Sat 22 Jul 5:30PM at McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal
North Queensland Cowboys v Parramatta Eels
Sat 22 Jul 7:35PM at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville / Wulgurukaba

Penrith Panthers v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Sun 23 Jul 2:00PM at BlueBet Stadium, Penrith / Dharug
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Sun 23 Jul 4:05PM at PointsBet Stadium, Woolooware / Dharawal

Bye: Dolphins

Full 2023 NRL draw & results