Tuesday's Expert Wrap - NRL Finals Week 1

And that was the first week of the 2014 National Rugby League Telstra Premiership Finals Series! Check out all the results, reports and player of the year points right here.

We had four big clashes and not all the results went to plan - three of the four games saw the lower-placed team come out victorious! It started with the third-placed Rabbitohs running up a big first half score on the second-placed Sea Eagles on Friday night - Manly came back late but were never a chance. On Saturday the fourth-placed Panthers downed minor premiers the Roosters in an absolute thriller to advance to week three with the Bunnies.

Saturday night's first elimination final saw the Cowboys (fifth) down the Broncos (eighth) after a rampaging start in Townsville, while on Sunday the previously lacklustre Bulldogs, who finished seventh, thumped the sixth-placed Melbourne Storm to eliminate them.

Check out how the finals will play out with our Finals Roadmap for next week - click here.

Here's a look at the full results, scorers, player points and links to each match report for the weekend's Qualifying and Elimination Finals:

2nd Qualifying Final (2nd v 3rd)
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 24 South Sydney Rabbitohs 40
Venue: Allianz Stadium
Date: Friday 12 September 2014 at 7:55pm
Crowd: 25733
Halftime Score: Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 0 South Sydney Rabbitohs 22

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 points - Dylan Walker
2 points - Adam Reynolds
1 point - Lote Tuqiri

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (24)
Tries: Brett Stewart, Jamie Lyon, Tom Symonds, Cheyse Blair
Conversions: Jamie Lyon (4/4)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (40)
Tries: Adam Reynolds (2), Luke Keary, Lote Tuqiri, Alex Johnston (2), Dylan Walker
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (6/7)

Match Report: Rabbitohs on fire over poor Manly outfit - Josh Robertson

1st Qualifying Final - 1st v 4th
Sydney Roosters 18 Penrith Panthers 19
Venue: Allianz Stadium
Date: Saturday 13 September 2014 at 5:50pm
Crowd: 23449
Halftime Score: Sydney Roosters 6 Penrith Panthers 4

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 points - Jamie Soward
2 points - Matt Moylan
1 point - Mitchell Pearce

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (18)
Tries: Michael Jennings, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Mitchell Pearce
Field Goals: James Maloney (0/1)
Conversions: James Maloney (3/3)

PENRITH PANTHERS (19)
Tries: Josh Mansour, Dean Whare (2)
Field Goals: Jamie Soward (1/1)
Conversions: Jamie Soward (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Jamie Soward (1/1)

Match Report: Soward sends Panthers into Preliminary Final - Aaron Thomas

1st Elimination Final - 5h v 8th
North Queensland Cowboys 32 Brisbane Broncos 20
Venue: 1300SMILES Stadium
Date: Saturday 13 September 2014 at 7:55pm
Crowd: 25120
Halftime Score: North Queensland Cowboys 24 Brisbane Broncos 0

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 points - Johnathan Thurston
2 points - Kyle Feldt
1 point - Justin Hodges

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (32)
Tries: Gavin Cooper (2), Kane Linnett, Robert Lui, Michael Morgan
Conversions: Johnathan Thurston (5/5)
Penalty Goals: Johnathan Thurston (1/1)

BRISBANE BRONCOS (20)
Tries: Ben Barba, Jordan Kahu (2), Daniel Vidot
Conversions: Corey Parker (2/4)

Match Report: Cowboys through as Broncos bounce out - Tim Costello

2nd Elimination Final - 6th v 7th
Melbourne Storm 4 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 28
Venue: AAMI Park
Date: Sunday 14 September 2014 at 4:10pm
Crowd: 19230
Halftime Score: Melbourne Storm 0 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 points - Greg Eastwood
2 points - Timoteo Lafai
1 point - James Graham

MELBOURNE STORM (4)
Tries: Sisa Waqa
Conversions: Will Chambers (0/1)

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (28)
Tries: Greg Eastwood, Trent Hodkinson, Timoteo Lafai (3)
Conversions: Trent Hodkinson (4/5)

Match Report: Brilliant Bulldogs upset Storm in thrashing - Ian Ritchie

NRL 2014 - looking back:

TUESDAYS EXPERT - detailed results & reports:
Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 5 | Round 6 |
Round 7 | Round 8 | Rep Rnd | Round 9 | Round 10 | Round 11 |
Round 12 | Round 13 | Round 14 | Round 15 | Round 16 |
Round 17 | Round 18 | Round 19 | Round 20 | Round 21 |
Round 22 | Round 23 | Round 24 | Round 25 | Round 26 | 

DRAW & RESULTS: Click here

FINAL NRL LADDER: Click here

LeagueUnlimited.com Player of the Year Leaderboard
updated after Finals Week 1 (includes all rep fixtures)

41 points - Johnathan Thurston

35 points - Jarryd Hayne

31 points - Ben Hunt

28 points - Gareth Widdop, Sam Burgess

25 points - Jamie Soward

22 points - Cooper Cronk

20 points - Josh Reynolds, Peter Wallace, Matt Moylan

19 points - Brett Stewart, James Maloney

17 points - Michael Morgan, Billy Slater

16 points - Chris Sandow, Anthony Milford

15 points - Shaun Johnson, Mitchell Pearce, Dylan Walker

14 points - Jesse Bromwich, Jarrod Croker, James Graham

13 points - Daly Cherry-Evans, Josh Dugan, Adam Reynolds

12 points - Cameron Smith, Aaron Woods, Timoteo Lafai

11 points - Kieran Foran, Sam Tomkins

10 points - Steve Matai, Greg Inglis

9 points - Robbie Farah, Albert Kelly, Jarrod Mullen, Brett Morris, Sam Moa, Corey Parker, Jason Taumalolo, Benji Marshall, Aidan Sezer

8 points - Pat Richards, Luke Brooks, Beau Scott, Josh Jackson, Anthony Minichiello, George Burgess, Justin Hodges

7 points - Josh Mansour, Paul Gallen, James Segeyaro, Dave Taylor, Kurt Gidley, Chris Sandow, Sione Mata'utia, Jamie Lyon

6 points - Jake Friend, Paul Carter, Greg Bird, Semi Radradra, James Tedesco, Jake Mamo, Todd Carney, Terry Campese, Tyrone Roberts, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei, Jeff Robson, Aiden Tolman,Ben Barba, Boyd Cordner, Blake Austin, Mitchell Moses, Matthew Scott

5 points - Tyrone Peachey, Sonny Bill Williams, Daniel Tupou, Jamie Buhrer, Jason Nightingale,Simon Mannering, Aidan Guerra, Darius Boyd, Andrew Fifita, Jacob Gagan, Dean Whare, Andrew McCullough, Sisa Waqa, Kade Snowden, Ryan Hoffman, Michael Gordon, Robert Lui, Daniel Mortimer

4 points - John Sutton, Trent Merrin, Jorge Taufua, Sam Thaiday, David Simmons, Antonio Winterstein, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, David Mead, Trent Hodkinson, Michael Jennings, Sam Rapira, Issac Luke, Nathan Friend, Mitch Cornish, Kane Linnett

3 points - Ben Hannant, Brenton Lawrence, Lachlan Maranta, Josh Hoffman, Ben Matulino, Cory Paterson, Ben Hampton, Glen Fisiiahi, Anthony Watmough, Joseph Leilua, Penani Manumalealii,Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Matt Ballin, David Nofoaluma, William Zillman, Ricky Leutele, Will Chambers,Peta Hiku, Alex Johnston, Ngani Laumape, Sam Perrett, Chanel Mata'utia, Jack Wighton, Timana Tahu, Willie Mason, Greg Eastwood

2 points - Manu Ma'u, Nathan Peats, William Hopoate, Jamal Idris, James Tamou, Cheyse Blair,James McManus, Sam Kasiano, Adam Quinlan, Josh McCrone, James Gavet, Josh McGuire, Daniel Vidot, Josh Morris, Pauli Pauli, Ben Henry, Michael Ennis, Clinton Gutherson, Mitch Brown, Dale Copley, Ryan Hinchcliffe, Nate Myles, Tony Williams, Tautau Moga, Chad Townsend, James Roberts, Kenny Edwards, Isaac Liu, Ben Roberts, Dane Gagai, Chris Heighington, Mahe Fonua, Adam Cuthbertson, Lote Tuqiri, Kyle Feldt

1 point - Ken Sio, Tyson Frizell, Tariq Sims, Ethan Lowe, Joel Reddy, Tinirau Arona, David Klemmer,Sebastine Ikahihifo, Martin Kennedy, Young Tonumaipea, Ben Te'o, Luke Douglas, Paul Vaughan,Chris McQueen, Gavin Cooper, Adam Blair, Jacob Lillyman, Chase Stanley, Wade Graham, Jayson Bukuya, Shaun Fensom, Nathan Stapleton, Kaysa Pritchard, Carlos Tuimavave, Corey Thompson,Mark Minichiello, David Hala, Ashton Sims, Keith Lulia, Adam Docker, Valentine Holmes, Tuimoala Lolohea, Marika Koroibete, Jordan Ropana, David Fusitua, Jack de Belin, Matt Gillett,Sosaia Feki, Dallin Watene Zelezniak