One New Zealand head coach Andrew Webster and five players are nominated in seven categories for the 2023 Dally M Awards to be announced in Sydney tonight.
In his rookie season, Webster joins Penrith’s Ivan Cleary and Brisbane’s Kevin Walters as the candidates for the Dally M coach of the year.
Tohu Harris is a nominee for both the captain of the year and lock of the year categories.
Four of his teammates are shortlisted for positional awards – Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (winger), Shaun Johnson (halfback), Addin Fonua-Blake (prop) and Wayde Egan (hooker).
Webster has strong backing for the coach award after taking the One New Zealand Warriors to fourth spot on the ladder after the club finished 15th last season. Daniel Anderson (2002) is the only Warriors coach to win the award.
Johnson is vying to become just the second Warriors player to win the Dally M Medal as player of the year (Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was the first in 2018).
Significant changes to the Dally M voting process for both the NRL and NRLW competitions were introduced for the 2023 season.
This season, two independent judges each gave out votes on a 3,2,1 basis for every game, meaning players were able to earn a maximum of six votes per game compared to three in previous years.
The decision to add in a second judge to assess each game in 2023 will increase the final total of points to players, but also the level of fairness in further removing potential variances that arise from a single judge voting on a game.
Any player suspended for a total of two NRL regular season games becomes ineligible to claim any Dally M award, while a one-game suspension brings with it a deduction of six points this year (compared to a deduction of three points in past seasons). Players who become ineligible for awards due to suspension are still able to pick up points in subsequent games so as not to distort the voting process throughout the regular season.
However, players who are suspended for two games will be ineligible to collect any awards, deeming players such as Reece Walsh, Corey Horsburgh, Jacob Preston, Dale Finucane, Felise Kaufusi, Jeremy Marshall-King, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Jahrome Hughes, Scott Drinkwater, Valentine Holmes, Jeremiah Nanai, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Jack de Belin, Joseph Suaali’i, Victor Radley, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Marata Niukore not available.
The NRL Dally M Team of the Year recognises the best player in each position across all rounds of the regular season. Judges vote on the best player in each position at regular intervals throughout the year with a further vote conducted at the end of the regular season.
The player who polls the highest number of votes in each position is included in the Team of the Year, while players who finish in the top three of the overall Dally M Medal leaderboard receive their respective position in the Team of the Year if available.
DALLY M AWARDS
CATEGORY |
NOMINEES |
|---|---|
| Fullback of the Year | James Tedesco (Roosters) Dylan Edwards (Panthers) Kalyn Ponga (Knights) |
| Winger of the Year (two winners) |
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (One New Zealand Warriors) Jamayne Isaako (Dolphins) Brian To’o (Panthers) Dominic Young (Knights) Selwyn Cobbo (Broncos) Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks) |
| Centre of the Year (two winners) |
Stephen Crichton (Panthers) Bradman Best (Knights) Kotoni Staggs (Broncos) Campbell Graham (Rabbitohs) Herbie Farnworth (Broncos) Izack Tago (Panthers) |
| Five Eighth of the Year | Ezra Mam (Broncos) Cameron Munster (Storm) Cody Walker (Rabbitohs) |
| Halfback of the Year | Nathan Cleary (Panthers) Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles) Shaun Johnson (One New Zealand Warriors) |
| Hooker of the Year | Wayde Egan (One New Zealand Warriors) Apisai Koroisau (Wests Tigers) Harry Grant (Storm) |
| Prop of the Year (two winners) |
Lindsay Collins (Roosters) Payne Haas (Broncos) James Fisher-Harris (Panthers) Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Storm) Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles) Addin Fonua-Blake (One New Zealand Warriors) |
| Second Row of the Year (two winners) |
Liam Martin (Panthers) Briton Nikora (Sharks) Tyson Frizell (Knights) Haumole Olakau'atu (Sea Eagles) David Fifita (Titans) Hudson Young (Raiders) |
| Lock of the Year | Tohu Harris (One New Zealand Warriors) Isaah Yeo (Panthers) Patrick Carrigan (Broncos) |
| Coach of the Year | Kevin Walters (Broncos) Andrew Webster (One New Zealand Warriors) Ivan Cleary (Panthers) |
| Captain of the Year | Adam Reynolds (Broncos) Tohu Harris (One New Zealand Warriors) Isaah Yeo (Panthers) |
| Rookie of the Year | Jahream Bula (Wests Tigers) William Warbrick (Storm) Sunia Turuva (Panthers) |
| Try of the Year | Dominic Young (Knights) Mathew Feagai (Dragons) Sunia Turuva (Panthers) |
| Tackle of the Year | Joseph Tapine (Raiders) Haumole Olakau'atu (Sea Eagles) Ezra Mam (Broncos) |
