MONDAY'S EXPERT: 2024 NRL Round 2

A full wrap of the second round of the 2024 NRL Telstra Premiership - packed with everything you need to know after Round 2.

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

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

Brisbane Broncos 28
South Sydney Rabbitohs 18

Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Milton / Yuggera-Turrbal
Crowd: 35507
Date: Thursday 14 March 2024 at 8:00pm

BRISBANE BRONCOS (28)
Tries: Deine Mariner (2), Reece Walsh (2), Jesse Arthars
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (1/3), Reece Walsh (2/2)
Penalty Goals: Adam Reynolds (1/1)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (18)
Tries: Siliva Havili, Latrell Mitchell, Davvy Moale
Conversions: Latrell Mitchell (3/3)

Brisbane: Walsh, Arthars, Staggs, Cobbo, Mariner; Mam, Reynolds (C); Jensen, Walters, Haas, Piakura, Riki, Carrigan. Int: Smoothy, Baker, Hetherington, Taupau.
Souths: Mitchell, Johnston, Tass, Kennar, Milne; Walker, Ilias; Tatola, Cook, Keppie, Koloamatangi, Mitchell, Murray (C). Int: Duncan, Havili, Moale, Burgess.

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 25
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 6

Venue: PointsBet Stadium, Woolooware / Dharawal
Crowd: 12928
Date: Friday 15 March 2024 at 6:00pm

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (25)
Tries: Braydon Trindall, Sione Katoa, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Teig Wilton
Field Goals: Nicho Hynes (1/1)
Conversions: Nicho Hynes (4/4)

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (6)
Tries: Blake Wilson
Conversions: Matt Burton (1/1)

Cronulla: Kennedy, Katoa, Ramien, Talakai, Mulitalo; Trindall, Hynes; Rudolf, Brailey, Kaufusi, Nikora, Wilton, McInnes (C). Int: Finucane, Williams, Hazelton, Hau Tapuha.
Canterbury: Taaffe, Wilson, Kiraz, Crichton, Tracey; Burton, Hutchison; King, Mahoney, Fa'amausili, Kikau, Preston, Salmon. Int: Mann, Hughes, Curran, Morrin.

Penrith Panthers 26
Parramatta Eels 18

Venue: BlueBet Stadium, Penrith / Dharug
Crowd: 21522
Date: Friday 15 March 2024 at 8:05pm

PENRITH PANTHERS (26)
Tries: Dylan Edwards, Moses Leota, Sunia Turuva (2), Izack Tago
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (3/5)

PARRAMATTA EELS (18)
Tries: Joey Lussick, Shaun Lane, J'maine Hopgood
Conversions: Mitchell Moses (1/1), Clinton Gutherson (2/2)

Penrith: Edwards, Turuva, Tago, May, To'o; Luai, Cleary (C); Leota, Kenny, Fisher-Harris, Sorensen, Martin, Yeo. Int: Smith, Henry, Garner, Laurie.
Parramatta: Gutherson (C), Simonsson, Penisini, Harper, Russell; Brown, Moses; Campbell-Gillard, Lussick, Ofahengaue, Lane, Cartwright, Hopgood. Int: Paulo, Hands, Matterson, Tuilagi.

Canberra Raiders 32
Wests Tigers 12

Venue: GIO Stadium Canberra, Bruce / Ngunnawal
Crowd: 16968
Date: Saturday 16 March 2024 at 3:00pm

CANBERRA RAIDERS (32)
Tries: Danny Levi, Ethan Strange, Jordan Rapana, Xavier Savage, Zac Hosking
Conversions: Jamal Fogarty (4/5)
Penalty Goals: Jamal Fogarty (2/2)

WESTS TIGERS (12)
Tries: Samuela Fainu, Apisai Koroisau
Conversions: Apisai Koroisau (2/2)

Canberra: Rapana, Hopoate, Timoko, Kris, Savage; Strange, Fogarty; Papalii, Levi, Tapine (C), Young, Hosking, Smithies. Int: Starling, Guler, Mariota, Saulo.
Wests Tigers: Bula, Staines, To'a, Faataape, Tupou; Galvin, Sullivan; Utoikamanu, Koroisau (C), Klemmer, Papali'i, Bateman, Seyfarth. Int: Sezer, Pole, Twal, Fainu.

North Queensland Cowboys 21
Newcastle Knights 20

Venue: Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville / Wulgurukaba
Crowd: 18986
Date: Saturday 16 March 2024 at 5:30pm

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (21)
Tries: Kyle Feldt, Chad Townsend, Tom Dearden, Jeremiah Nanai
Field Goals: Chad Townsend (1/1)
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (2/4)
Penalty Goals: Valentine Holmes (0/1)

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (20)
Tries: Adam Elliott (2), Greg Marzhew
Conversions: Kalyn Ponga (3/3)
Penalty Goals: Kalyn Ponga (1/1)

North QLD: Drinkwater, Feldt, Holmes, Laybutt, Taulagi; Dearden (C), Townsend; McLean, Robson, Taumalolo, Luki, Nanai, Cotter. Int: Granville, Neame, McIntyre, Finefeuiaki.
Newcastle: Ponga (C), Jenkins, Gagai, Best, Marzhew; Gamble, Hastings; Saifiti, Crossland, Thompson, Frizell, Pearce-Paul, Elliott. Int: Cogger, Saifiti, Hetherington, Cartwright.

Melbourne Storm 30
Warriors 26

Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne / Wurundjeri
Crowd: 21927
Date: Saturday 16 March 2024 at 7:35pm

MELBOURNE STORM (30)
Tries: William Warbrick, Nick Meaney, Ryan Papenhuyzen (2), Xavier Coates
Conversions: Nick Meaney (4/5)
Penalty Goals: Nick Meaney (1/1)

WARRIORS (26)
Tries: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (2), Jackson Ford, Marcelo Montoya
Conversions: Luke Metcalf (2/4)
Penalty Goals: Luke Metcalf (3/3)

Melbourne: Papenhuyzen, Warbrick, Smith, Meaney, Coates; Pezet, Hughes; Kamikamica, Grant (C), King, Chan, Katoa, Loiero. Int: Wishart, Welch, Lewis, MacDonald.
Warriors: Tuaupiki, Watene-Zelezniak, Berry, Tuivasa-Sheck, Montoya; Metcalf, Johnson; Fonua-Blake, Lussick, Barnett, Ford, Capewell, Harris (C). Int: Ale, Afoa, Walker, Harris-Tavita.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 21
Sydney Roosters 14

Venue: 4 Pines Park, Brookvale / Cammeraygal
Crowd: 17284
Date: Sunday 17 March 2024 at 4:05pm

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (21)
Tries: Lachlan Croker, Tolutau Koula, Tommy Talau
Field Goals: Daly Cherry-Evans (1/1)
Conversions: Reuben Garrick (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Reuben Garrick (2/2)

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (14)
Tries: Daniel Tupou, James Tedesco, Dominic Young
Conversions: Sam Walker (1/2), Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (0/1)

Manly: Trbojevic, Talau, Koula, Garrick, Paulo; Brooks, Cherry-Evans (C); Paseka, Croker, Aloiai, Olakau'atu, Trbojevic, Trbojevic. Int: Lawton, Waddell, Bullemor, Brown, Arthur, Woods.
Sydney: Tedesco (C), Tupou, Sua'ali'i, Manu, Young; Keary, Walker; May, Smith, Collins, Wong, Tupouniua, Radley. Int: Waerea-Hargreaves, Smith, Whyte, Butcher, Pauga.

Dolphins 38
St George Illawarra Dragons 0

Venue: Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe / Kabi Kabi
Crowd: 10011
Date: Sunday 17 March 2024 at 6:15pm

DOLPHINS (38)
Tries: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (3), Jamayne Isaako, Mark Nicholls, Jake Averillo, Jeremy Marshall-King
Conversions: Jamayne Isaako (5/7)

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (0)

Dolphins: Tabuai-Fidow, Isaako, Averillo, Farnworth, Bostock; Nikorima, Katoa; Bromwich (C), Marshall-King, Flegler, Kaufusi, Aitken, Plath. Int: Kerr, Nicholls, Wallace, Donoghoe.
St Geo Illa: Sloan, Lomax, Suli, Bird, Ravalawa; Flanagan, Hunt (C); Molo, Liddle, Faitala-Mariner, Eisenhuth, Su'A, De Belin. Int: Lawrie, Muhleisen, Molo, Leilua.

Gold Coast Titans had a bye this round.

Ladder after Round 2

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

Stats leaders

Most tries

Most goals

Most points

Thanks to Rugby League Project for these stats!

Match review

Two players are facing suspension from the first six games of the round after charges made up to Sunday. Melbourne halfback Jahrome Hughes will miss 1-2 weeks depending on his plea after referee contact in his side's dramatic win over the Warriors, while Cronulla's Briton Nikora is facing the same suspension options after a Careless High Tackle on Billy Kikau early on Friday night. Seven others were fined, including Jarome Luai who copped two charges.

Only one player - Dragons forward Francis Molo - was charged from Sunday's matches. All players entered early guilty pleas, with Hughes, Nikora and Molo all to miss Round 3. The Storm released a strongly-worded statement expressing their disappointment with the system that ensured Hughes would be suspended.

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.

6 points - Jamal Fogarty (Raiders), Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)

4 points - James Tedesco (Roosters), Zac Hosking (Raiders)

3 points - Zac Laybutt (Cowboys), Bryce Cartwright (Eels), Xavier Coates (Storm), Tyrell Sloan (Dragons), Adam Elliott (Knights), Dylan Edwards (Panthers), Teig Wilton (Sharks), Reece Walsh (Broncos), Isaah Yeo (Panthers), Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm), William Kennedy (Sharks), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins)

2 points - Joseph Manu (Roosters), Deine Mariner (Broncos), Kalyn Ponga (Knights), Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks), Ben Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Isaiya Katoa (Dolphins), Dylan Brown (Eels), Reece Robson (Cowboys), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Warriors), Clinton Gutherson (Eels), Ben Hunt (Dragons), Siosifa Talakai (Sharks), Haumole Olakau'atu (Sea Eagles)

1 point - Tom Dearden (Cowboys), Jahrome Hughes (Storm), Max Plath (Dolphins), Thomas Flegler (Dolphins), Taylan May (Panthers), Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors), Morgan Smithies (Raiders), Sam Walker (Roosters), Blake Wilson (Bulldogs), Jacob Liddle (Dragons), Thomas Hazelton (Sharks), Jesse Arthars (Broncos), Latrell Mitchell (Rabbitohs), Ethan Strange (Raiders)

Crowd Watch

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.

Round 2

Round Total: 155,133 / Average per game 19,392

Season Total: 377,540 / Average per game 23,596

Fixtures - Round 3

Multicultural Round; Mar 21-24

Penrith Panthers v Brisbane Broncos
Thu 21 Mar 8:00PM at BlueBet Stadium, Penrith / Dharug

Warriors v Canberra Raiders
Fri 22 Mar 6:00PM at Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch / Aotearoa
Sydney Roosters v South Sydney Rabbitohs
Fri 22 Mar 8:05PM at Allianz Stadium, Moore Park / Gadigal

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Gold Coast Titans
Sat 23 Mar 3:00PM at Belmore Sports Ground, Belmore / Bidjigal
St George Illawarra Dragons v North Queensland Cowboys
Sat 23 Mar 5:30PM at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Carlton / Bidjigal
Wests Tigers v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Sat 23 Mar 7:35PM at Leichhardt Oval, Lilyfield / Wanngal

Parramatta Eels v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Sun 24 Mar 4:05PM at CommBank Stadium, Parramatta / Burramattagal
Newcastle Knights v Melbourne Storm
Sun 24 Mar 6:15PM at McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal

BYE: Dolphins

Full 2024 NRL Draw & Results.