The NRL’s evening of nights is nearly upon us for one more yr with the Dally M set to be awarded to a first-time winner in 2023.
Warriors gun Shaun Johnson is among the frontrunners after a stellar season, marking a outstanding comeback after query marks surrounding his future final season.
However, Broncos enforcer Payne Haas led the depend with 30 votes when the leaderboard went behind closed doorways after Round 12.
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Meanwhile, a number of big-name stars, together with Nathan Cleary, Harry Grant, Ben Hunt and Dylan Edwards are additionally within the operating.
Unfortunately for younger gun Reece Walsh, who sat on 24 votes after Round 12, he might be ineligible to win the award after he was handed a three-game suspension.
The winner for the 2023 season might additionally tally a never-before-seen quantity of votes, with the utmost quantity which will be earned per recreation rising to 6 from three final yr.
The NRL additionally introduced candidates for the Team of the Year, with every place being voted on by a panel at varied factors all through the season.
Here, foxsports.com.au breaks down the leaders after Round 12 and the contenders to take out every place!
DALLY M TEAM OF THE YEAR STATE OF PLAY
FULLBACK: James Tedesco (Roosters), Dylan Edwards (Panthers), Kalyn Ponga (Knights)
Broncos recruit Reece Walsh lit the competitors on hearth in 2023 and was virtually a shoe-in for the fullback of the yr spot.
That was earlier than a three-game suspension for abusing a referee put an finish to his Dally M aspirations.
Cowboys gun Scott Drinkwater can be ineligible after he was handed a three-game suspension for an unsightly hit on Corey Oates.
That leaves the fullback spot to come back right down to a three-way shootout.
James Tedesco had a disappointing season by his personal requirements however did come to life on the back-end of the yr. Ultimately although it will likely be exhausting to see him overcome the remaining duo of dependable Panthers star Dylan Edwards and Knights talisman Kalyn Ponga.
Edwards had yet one more constant season at fullback for the reigning premiers, seeing him rewarded with a monster new deal to stay on the foot of the mountains.
He has recorded essentially the most operating metres of any participant this season, beating out his teammate Brian To’o.
But how will you go previous Ponga. Quite merely the perfect participant within the competitors for the second half of the yr.
His gorgeous kind propelled the Knights into the finals off the again of a 10-game unbeaten streak. That wouldn’t have been potential with out the electrical No.1 firing on all cylinders.
Verdict: Kalyn Ponga
WINGERS: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Warriors), Jamayne Isaako (Dolphins), Brian To’o (Panthers), Dominic Young (Knights), Selwyn Cobbo (Broncos), Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks)
These blokes know discover the attempt line with a staggering 10 wingers scoring 20 tries or extra in 2023.
Newcastle’s English flyer Dominic Young is the frontrunner to win one spot on the wing after a stellar season within the Hunter (cue Roosters rubbing their palms in glee).
Young completed his season with 25 tries as a key a part of the Knights’ finals surge, overcoming common season chief Jamayne Isaako in the course of the postseason.
Selwyn Cobbo and Ronaldo Mulitalo have been each stable this season, however the remaining spot appears like a red-hot race between Warrior Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Brian To’o and Isaako.
The Dolphins flyer led the try-scoring leaderboard and factors totals on the finish of the common season, rejuvenating his profession below Wayne Bennett.
However, the previous Broncos and Titans gun might get pipped on the put up by gamers who have been integral to their respective staff’s finals cost.
Brian To’o began his season sluggish however was firing come the back-end of the yr, scoring 13 tries in his remaining 10 video games.
Watene-Zelezniak in the meantime scored 24 tries, was seventh within the competitors for line breaks and twenty fifth for sort out breaks throughout a mighty marketing campaign.
Verdict: Dominic Young and Brian To’o
CENTRES: Stephen Crichton (Panthers), Bradman Best (Knights), Kotoni Staggs (Broncos), Campbell Graham (Rabbitohs), Herbie Farnworth (Broncos), Izack Tago (Panthers)
The centre positions are two of essentially the most hotly contested this yr with all six gamers delivering enormous campaigns for his or her respective groups.
Izack Tago spent an prolonged interval sidelined for the Panthers and as such is unlikely to be named.
Kotoni Staggs, in the meantime, was additionally wonderful throughout 2023 however his Broncos teammate (see under) within the centres had arguably the higher season.
South Sydney’s Campbell Graham was one of many kind gamers of the competitors to begin the season and as such got here desperately near incomes choice within the first Origin recreation.
However, he and the Rabbitohs light badly on the again finish of the season as Jason Demetriou’s facet missed the highest eight in sensational style.
Knights younger gun Bradman Best additionally had a superb marketing campaign, however his season was kickstarted after his Origin choice in Game III.
The 22-year-old will undoubtedly earn choice within the Dally M Team of the Year in years to come back, however he could have left his run too late.
That leaves Stephen Crichton and Herbie Farnworth to battle it out for the remaining spot, with the pair going face to face on this yr’s grand remaining.
Farnworth scored yet one more attempt than Crichton, recording 15, whereas his operating metres tally additionally minnowed that of his opponent.
The Broncos gun additionally broke the tenth most tackles within the competitors, however Crichton delivered when his staff wanted it most on a number of events.
He additionally confirmed he’s the competitors’s finest defensive outdoors again and as such earns choice on this staff.
Verdict: Stephen Crichton and Herbie Farnworth
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FIVE-EIGHTH: Ezra Mam (Broncos), Cameron Munster (Storm), Cody Walker (Rabbitohs)
It’s a three-horse race for the five-eighth spot this season between Cameron Munster, Ezra Mam and Cody Walker.
Walker had a quiet yr by his personal requirements however did play an important position within the Blues’ solely win within the 2023 Origin collection.
With the Rabbitohs fading severely on the back-end of the season, it stays unlikely he might be named on this staff.
Mam has been one of many Broncos’ success tales this season and is in line to earn himself a bumper contract improve. After years of trying to find their excellent halves mixture Brisbane have discovered theirs in Mam and Adam Reynolds.
But taking part in alongside the conductor in Reynolds means usually taking a again seat and being out of the highlight, one thing which will depend towards Mam right here.
He nonetheless boasts a formidable stat line with 9 attempt assists to go together with 13 line breaks and 15 tries.
Which means all roads result in Cameron Munster. The Storm talisman remained the competitors’s premier five-eighth this season, scoring eight tries to go together with 15 attempt assists and 12 line breaks.
He led the Storm to the preliminary remaining towards the Panthers proving as soon as once more he’s one in every of finest within the competitors.
Verdict: Cameron Munster
HALFBACK: Nathan Cleary (Panthers), Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles), Shaun Johnson (Warriors)
The winner of this place might effectively determine who’s awarded the Dally M Medal this season.
Daly Cherry-Evans had a formidable marketing campaign and stepped up within the absence of Tom Trbojevic who was dominated out for season after tearing his pectoral in Origin.
It’s unattainable, nevertheless, to go previous Nathan Cleary and Shaun Johnson.
Cleary missed a bit of the season with a hamstring damage, however was wonderful to shut out the season.
However, this yr the halfback spot belongs to Johnson after he surged again into kind and the higher echelons of NRL playmaking stars below rookie coach Andrew Webster.
There have been requires the veteran to retire final season, however Johnson has regarded like a brand new man for the Warriors.
Alongside Tohu Harris and Addin Fonua-Blake, he led all of them the way in which to an unlikely preliminary finals look.
He recorded a competition-high 32 attempt assists to go together with essentially the most attempt contributions of any participant, while additionally scoring eight tries.
Johnson’s resurgence has been a sight to behold for rugby league followers throughout Australia and New Zealand and as such, he wins his spot on this staff.
Verdict: Shaun Johnson
PROPS: Lindsay Collins (Roosters), Payne Haas (Broncos), James Fisher-Harris (Panthers), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Storm), Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors)
Can we title 4?
The 2023 season was dominated by dominant large males which means culling the shortlist down to 2 is not any simple process.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Jake Trbojevic have been each spectacular however the remaining 4 candidates have been on one other degree.
Payne Haas is among the main candidates to take out the Dally M Medal and is nearly a shoe-in to be named within the Team of the Year.
That leaves Addin Fonua-Blake, Lindsay Collins and James Fisher-Harris to combat it out for the final spot.
Collins was immense for the Roosters this yr and in addition had an enormous collection for the Maroons, together with his attempt to outjump Tedesco a profession spotlight.
Fisher-Harris spearheaded Penrith’s ahead pack and is an ever-present determine below Ivan Cleary, nevertheless might be an unfortunate omission from this staff.
Fonua-Blake had a career-best yr and led the NRL’s forwards for operating metres throughout the 2023 marketing campaign because the Warriors surged into the prelims as one of many tales of the season.
He was labelled “the best prop in the competition” by league legend Corey Parker, and he additionally scored the third-most tries of any Warrior this yr.
Verdict: Payne Haas and Addin Fonua-Blake
HOOKER: Wayde Egan (Warriors), Apisai Koroisau (Wests Tigers), Harry Grant (Storm)
Apisai Koroisau knew he was strolling into a really totally different scenario to what he was used to at Penrith when he joined the Tigers within the offseason.
But he couldn’t have been ready for simply how tumultuous it was.
The Tigers could have sacked Tim Sheens and claimed one other picket spoon however the No.9 was a shining gentle.
As a lot as he battled, time on the sidelines with a damaged jaw will depend towards him, as will the type of the subsequent two candidates.
Harry Grant burst out of the gates this season and was wonderful to begin the yr, sitting third within the whole factors leaderboard after 12 rounds.
Grant is a persistently elite performer, however one man performed as essential a job as any in his staff’s success — Wayde Egan.
The 26-year-old former Panther was merely wonderful this season and earned lofty reward and a comparability to a future Immortal.
“I want to ask Cameron Smith if (Egan) reminds him of himself, I’ve never seen a player play as close to Cameron (with) the way he engages the markers,” League nice Bryan Fletcher stated.
Egan missed two video games this season resulting from head knocks, however he was an important determine within the Warriors cost and could be a deserving winner if named within the Team of the Year.
He additionally made 734 tackles, the twenty fourth most of any participant within the NRL this season.
Verdict: Wayde Egan
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BACK ROWERS: Liam Martin (Panthers), Briton Nikora (Sharks), Tyson Frizell (Knights), Haumole Olakau’atu (Sea Eagles), David Fifita (Titans), Hudson Young (Raiders)
A tricky one to name
Tyson Frizell and Briton Nikora have been stable in 2023, however possible didn’t match the remaining 4 candidates’ output.
Titans wrecking ball David Fifita returned to the damaging attacking risk Gold Coast followers know and love, incomes him an Origin recall below Maroons coach Billy Slater.
Meanwhile, Hudson Young was rewarded together with his first look for the Blues and was a pivotal a part of Ricky Stuart’s facet that gatecrashed the NRL finals.
Ultimately, nevertheless, Haumole Olakau’atu and Liam Martin are simply too exhausting to disregard.
Olakau’atu was extremely unfortunate to not earn an Origin debut in 2023 and closed out the yr with a bang, towards the Bulldogs and Tigers.
Martin, in the meantime, was a constant determine all through the season for the Panthers and in addition ended the yr strongly.
Verdict: Haumole Olakau’atu and Liam Martin
LOCK: Tohu Harris (Warriors), Isaah Yeo (Panthers), Patrick Carrigan (Broncos)
All three of those gamers could be deserving choices within the 2023 Team of the Year.
However solely one in every of these superstars might be named, and it might be Pat Carrigan’s yr.
The Broncos gun has been a superb performer below Kevin Walters this season, combining with Payne Haas to create some of the formidable partnerships within the NRL.
Both Isaah Yeo and Tohu Harris have been wonderful however, with the emergence of the Brisbane facet, Carrigan ought to have his nostril in entrance.
Verdict: Pat Carrigan
OVERALL
Leader after Round 12: Payne Haas (30)
Contenders: Nathan Cleary (27), Harry Grant (25), Nicho Hynes (25), Ben Hunt (22), Shaun Johnson (22), Dylan Edwards (22), Adam Reynolds (19), Cameron Munster (19)
Payne Haas had an unimaginable marketing campaign for the Broncos this season and would have come near taking out the highest gong.
However, he might be hampered by a six-point deduction after he earned himself a one-game suspension, bringing him again to the pack.
Nathan Cleary, in the meantime, spent an prolonged interval sidelined with a hamstring damage whereas Ben Hunt will possible fall sufferer to the Dragons’ poor season.
Nicho Hynes additionally misplaced his confidence after being dropped from the NSW facet after just one recreation and solely rediscovered his kind within the remaining few rounds of the season.
While the Sharks kind dipped, he would have discovered it very tough to file factors.
Broncos gun Adam Reynolds has been excellent as his facet charged into the grand remaining, however he’s unlikely to have tallied extra votes than this yr’s potential winner.
Meanwhile, Cameron Munster additionally had a superb season and will discover himself within the combine on the enterprise finish
However, this yr belongs to Warriors gun Shaun Johnson.
The veteran halfback’s resurgence has been the story of the season, stealing the hearts of a nation within the course of.
‘Up the Wahs’ chants have rung out worldwide and New Zealand’s success is available in a big half right down to Johnson’s revitalised kind.
He has recorded essentially the most attempt assists of any participant this season to go together with essentially the most kicking metres.
Johnson additionally leads the competitors for whole attempt involvements and could be a deserving winner of this yr’s high going.
2023 Dally M Medallist: Shaun Johnson
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
