MONDAY'S EXPERT: 2024 NRL Round 1

NRL24

A full wrap of the opening round of the 2024 NRL Telstra Premiership - packed with everything you need to know after Round 1.

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


RELATED: See the full list of 2024 NRL Telstra Premiership Draw and Results.


Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 36
South Sydney Rabbitohs 24

Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Paradise / Las Vegas NV
Crowd: 38853
Date: Sunday 3 March 2024 at 1:30pm

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (36)
Tries: Haumole Olakau'atu, Reuben Garrick, Jason Saab, Lachlan Croker, Ben Trbojevic, Luke Brooks
Conversions: Reuben Garrick (6/6)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (24)
Tries: Richard Kennar (2), Latrell Mitchell, Jacob Gagai, Alex Johnston
Conversions: Latrell Mitchell (2/5)

Manly: Trbojevic, Saab, Koula, Garrick, Paulo; Brooks, Cherry-Evans (C); Paseka, Croker, Aloiai, Olakau'atu, Trbojevic, Trbojevic. Int: Lawton, Waddell, Bullemor, Brown.
Souths: Mitchell, Johnston, Tass, Kennar, Gagai; Walker, Ilias; Tatola, Cook, Keppie, Koloamatangi, Arrow, Murray (C). Int: Havili, Host, Moale, Burgess.


Sydney Roosters 20
Brisbane Broncos 10

Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Paradise / Las Vegas NV
Crowd: 40746
Date: Sunday 3 March 2024 at 3:30pm

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (20)
Tries: Joseph Manu, Fetalaiga Pauga, Victor Radley
Conversions: Sam Walker (3/3)
Penalty Goals: Sam Walker (1/1)

BRISBANE BRONCOS (10)
Tries: Deine Mariner, Reece Walsh
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (1/2)

Sydney: Tedesco (C), Tupou, Sua'ali'i, Manu, Pauga; Keary, Walker; Leniu, Smith, Collins, Wong, Tupouniua, Radley. Int: Smith, Whyte, Butcher, May.
Brisbane: Walsh, Arthars, Staggs, Cobbo, Mariner; Mam, Reynolds (C); Taupau, Walters, Haas, Piakura, Riki, Carrigan. Int: Jensen, Smoothy, Baker, Hetherington.


Newcastle Knights 12
Canberra Raiders 28

Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal
Crowd: 22378
Date: Thursday 7 March 2024 at 8:00pm

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (12)
Tries: Tyson Frizell, Jackson Hastings
Conversions: Kalyn Ponga (2/2)

CANBERRA RAIDERS (28)
Tries: Hudson Young, Zac Hosking, Danny Levi, Xavier Savage, Jordan Rapana
Conversions: Jamal Fogarty (3/5)
Penalty Goals: Jamal Fogarty (1/1)

Newcastle: Ponga (C), Tuala, Gagai, Best, Marzhew; Gamble, Hastings; Saifiti, Crossland, Thompson, Frizell, Lucas, Elliott. Int: Cogger, Saifiti, Hetherington, Pearce-Paul.
Canberra: Rapana, Cotric, Timoko, Hopoate, Savage; Strange, Fogarty; Papalii, Levi, Tapine (C), Young, Hosking, Smithies. Int: Starling, Guler, Mariota, Saulo.


Warriors 12
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 16

Venue: Go Media Stadium, Penrose / Aotearoa
Crowd: 24076
Date: Friday 8 March 2024 at 6:00pm

WARRIORS (12)
Tries: Addin Fonua-Blake, Luke Metcalf
Conversions: Shaun Johnson (2/2)

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (16)
Tries: Jesse Ramien, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Siosifa Talakai
Conversions: Braydon Trindall (1/1), Nicho Hynes (1/2)

Warriors: Tuaupiki, Watene-Zelezniak, Berry, Tuivasa-Sheck, Montoya; Metcalf, Johnson; Fonua-Blake, Egan, Barnett, Ford, Capewell, Harris (C). Int: Lussick, Ale, Afoa, Walker.
Cronulla: Kennedy, Katoa, Ramien, Talakai, Mulitalo; Trindall, Hynes; Kaufusi, Brailey, Hunt, Nikora, Wilton, McInnes (C). Int: Finucane, Williams, Rudolf, Hazelton.


Melbourne Storm 8
Penrith Panthers 0

Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne / Wurundjeri
Crowd: 20169
Date: Friday 8 March 2024 at 8:05pm

MELBOURNE STORM (8)
Tries: Reimis Smith
Conversions: Nick Meaney (1/1)
Penalty Goals: Nick Meaney (1/1)

PENRITH PANTHERS (0)

Melbourne: Papenhuyzen, Warbrick, Smith, Meaney, Coates; Pezet, Hughes; Kamikamica, Grant (C), King, Chan, Katoa, Loiero. Int: Wishart, Welch, Lewis, MacDonald.
Penrith: Edwards, Turuva, Tago, May, To'o; Luai, Cleary (C); Leota, Sommerton, Fisher-Harris, Garner, Martin, Yeo. Int: Smith, Henry, Eisenhuth, Luke.


Parramatta Eels 26
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 8

Venue: CommBank Stadium, Parramatta / Burramattagal
Crowd: 29171
Date: Saturday 9 March 2024 at 5:30pm

PARRAMATTA EELS (26)
Tries: Morgan Harper, Bryce Cartwright (2), Bailey Simonsson
Conversions: Mitchell Moses (1/1), Clinton Gutherson (3/3)
Penalty Goals: Clinton Gutherson (1/1)

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (8)
Tries: Blake Wilson, Stephen Crichton
Conversions: Matt Burton (0/2)

Parramatta: Gutherson (C), Simonsson, Penisini, Harper, Russell; Brown, Moses; Campbell-Gillard, Lussick, Ofahengaue, Lane, Cartwright, Hopgood. Int: Paulo, Hands, Matterson, Tuilagi.
Canterbury: Taaffe, Wilson, Kiraz, Crichton (C), Addo-Carr; Burton, Hutchison; King, Mahoney, Fa'amausili, Kikau, Preston, Salmon. Int: Mann, Hughes, Curran, Morrin.


Gold Coast Titans 4
St George Illawarra Dragons 28

Venue: Cbus Super Stadium, Robina / Yugambeh
Crowd: 14537
Date: Saturday 9 March 2024 at 7:35pm

GOLD COAST TITANS (4)
Tries: Alofiana Khan-Pereira
Conversions: Tanah Boyd (0/1)

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (28)
Tries: Tyrell Sloan (3), Zac Lomax, Kyle Flanagan
Conversions: Zac Lomax (4/5)

Gold Coast: Kini, Khan-Pereira, Kelly, Brimson, Sami; Weaver, Boyd; Fotuaika, Randall, Fa'asuamaleaui (C), Haas, Fermor, Liu. Int: Palasia, Verrills, Clark, Jolliffe.
St Geo Illa: Sloan, Lomax, Suli, Bird, Ravalawa; Flanagan, Hunt (C); Molo, Liddle, De Belin, Faitala-Mariner, Su'A, Eisenhuth. Int: Muhleisen, Molo, Fifita, Murdoch-Masila.


Dolphins 18
North Queensland Cowboys 43

Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Milton / Yuggera-Turrbal
Crowd: 32477
Date: Sunday 10 March 2024 at 4:05pm

DOLPHINS (18)
Tries: Thomas Flegler, Josh Kerr, Jack Bostock
Conversions: Jamayne Isaako (3/3)

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (43)
Tries: Zac Laybutt 2, Tom Dearden, Jeremiah Nanai, Kyle Feldt, Murray Taulagi, Heilum Luki
Field Goals: Chad Townsend (1/1)
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (7/7)

Dolphins: Tabuai-Fidow, Isaako, Niu, Farnworth, Bostock; Nikorima, O'Sullivan; Bromwich (C), Marshall-King, Flegler, Kaufusi, Lemuelu, Stone. Int: Kerr, Plath, Bromwich, Nicholls, Wallace, Katoa.
North Qld: Drinkwater, Feldt, Holmes, Laybutt, Taulagi; Dearden (C), Townsend; McLean, Robson, Taumalolo, Luki, Nanai, Cotter. Int: Granville, Neame, McIntyre, Finefeuiaki, Mikaele.


Wests Tigers had a bye this round.


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

2024 NRL Ladder after Round 1

#TeamPWDLB+/-Pts
1North Qld11000252
2St Geo Illa11000242
3Parramatta11000182
4Canberra11000162
5Manly11000122
6Sydney11000102
7Melbourne1100082
8Cronulla1100042
9Wests Tigers0000102
10Warriors10010-40
11Penrith10010-80
12Brisbane10010-100
13South Sydney10010-120
14Newcastle10010-160
15Canterbury10010-180
16Gold Coast10010-240
17Dolphins10010-250

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


RLP stats leaders

Most points

16 points: Reuben Garrick (Manly) 1T 6G

12 points: Zac Lomax (St George Illawarra) 1T 4G, Tyrell Sloan (St George Illawarra) 3T

Most tries

3 tries: Tyrell Sloan (St George Illawarra)

2 tries: Bryce Cartwright (Parramatta), Richie Kennar (South Sydney)

Thanks to Rugby League Project!


Match review

Ten players have been charged across the first seven games of the opening round, with only one - Spencer Leniu (Roosters) - facing time on the sidelines. He'll face the judiciary on a contrary conduct referral on Monday evening. The other nine charges are expected to finish in fines subject to early pleas. No players were charged from Sunday's match.

UPDATE: On Monday night, Leniu was handed an eight match suspension for racially abusing Brisbane five-eighth Ezra Mam.

All other players accepted their charges with early pleas and were fined.

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


LeagueUnlimited Player of the Year standings

Our writers issue points every game for who they judge as the best player on the field. Includes points accumulated during State of Origin series.

3 points - Xavier Coates (Storm), Bryce Cartwright (Eels), Tyrell Sloan (Dragons), Zac Laybutt (Cowboys), Jamal Fogarty (Raiders), William Kennedy (Sharks), James Tedesco (Roosters), Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)

2 points - Ben Hunt (Dragons), Clinton Gutherson (Eels), Reece Robson (Cowboys), Ben Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Isaah Yeo (Panthers), Joseph Manu (Roosters), Siosifa Talakai (Sharks), Zac Hosking (Raiders)

1 point - Thomas Flegler (Dolphins), Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors), Latrell Mitchell (Rabbitohs), Jacob Liddle (Dragons), Blake Wilson (Bulldogs), Taylan May (Panthers), Sam Walker (Roosters), Morgan Smithies (Raiders)


Metrics Metrics Metrics

Each week we'll also do our best to keep you across the crowd figures which are often the most talked-about parts of the game.

Crowds - Round 1

Sat 6:30pmMAN v SOUAllegiant38,853
Sat 8:30pmSYD v BRIAllegiant40,746
Thu 8:00pmNEW v CANMcD. Jones22,378
Fri 8:00pmWAR v CROGo Media24,076
Fri 8:05pmMEL v PENAAMI20,169
Sat 5:30pmPAR v CBYCommBank29,171
Sat 6:35pmGLD v SGICbus Super14,537
Sun 3:05pmDOL v NQLSuncorp32,477

Round Total: 222,407 / Average per game 27,801


Fixtures - Round 2

Brisbane Broncos v South Sydney Rabbitohs
Thu 14 Mar 8:00PM at Suncorp Stadium, Milton / Yuggera-Turrbal

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Fri 15 Mar 6:00PM at PointsBet Stadium, Woolooware / Dharawal
Penrith Panthers v Parramatta Eels
Fri 15 Mar 8:05PM at BlueBet Stadium, Penrith / Dharug

Canberra Raiders v Wests Tigers
Sat 16 Mar 3:00PM at GIO Stadium Canberra, Bruce / Ngunnawal
North Queensland Cowboys v Newcastle Knights
Sat 16 Mar 5:30PM at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville / Wulgurukaba
Melbourne Storm v Warriors
Sat 16 Mar 7:35PM at AAMI Park, Melbourne / Wurundjeri

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v Sydney Roosters
Sun 17 Mar 4:05PM at 4 Pines Park, Brookvale / Cammeraygal
Dolphins v St George Illawarra Dragons
Sun 17 Mar 6:15PM at Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe / Kabi Kabi

BYE: Gold Coast Titans

Full 2024 NRL Draw & Results.