Spat looms over NRL player-of-year awards amid 'ridiculous' and 'laughable' voting detail
Questions have emerged about whether the Dally M medal or RLPA Players' Champion award is more relevant.
Are you Team Dally M or Team RLPA when it comes to choosing the best player in the NRL? It’s time to decide as the two camps go at it again as we enter rugby league's awards season.
The Dally Ms have history on their side, stretching back more than four decades to the late 1970s. Some of the game's greatest names – including Andrew Johns, Cameron Smith, Allan Langer, Peter Sterling and Steve Rogers - have worn the winners' medal.
The Rugby League Players Association's Players' Champion award this year celebrates its 20th anniversary and is fast becoming the most coveted individual prize in the game. Its honour roll includes James Tedesco (three times), Johnathan Thurston (four times), Kalyn Ponga and Nathan Cleary.
Dally M votes are cast by an anonymous panel of judges after each round of matches. The RLPA award is peer-based, with delegates at each club nominating three teammates before a working group consisting current and former players adds a fourth player.
The 68-man list is then open for all contracted NRL players to vote on, using a 3-2-1 system. Players are not allowed to vote for players from their own club, with the winner to be announced on Channel 9 on grand final day.
RLPA award system labelled 'ridiculous and laughable'
News Corp publications – the NRL's official Dally M media partner – have described the RLPA's voting process as "laughable" and "ridiculous" due to the volume of players in the running to win it. They argue the award loses some of its gloss by not confining it to a short-list of contenders.
But RLPA CEO, Clint Newton, is comfortable with the system, pointing to the prestige associated with the award. He said: "The Players’ Champion is the biggest and most significant player-voted award in rugby league and becoming a Players’ Champion comes with incredible respect that is sealed in the history of the game.
"The 2024 season has been another tremendous year where the players have, like always, gone above and beyond what is expected, performing at such an elite level in the world’s hardest and most physical team sport. To be selected by your club’s leaders as one of the four contenders to be eligible for the individual Players’ Champion is a huge acknowledgement to a player's commitment and contributions during a long and entertaining season. It is now up to the rest of the NRL playing group to select their Players’ Champion, in what will be a significant recognition for that player from the people he plays against every week."
Contenders for RLPA award from each NRL club:
Brisbane Broncos: Kotoni Staggs, Corey Jensen, Patrick Carrigan, Ezra Mam
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs: Stephen Crichton, Connor Tracey, Jacob Kiraz, Matt Burton
North Queensland Cowboys: Tom Dearden, Reece Robson, Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai
The Dolphins: Max Plath, Herbie Farnworth, Isaiya Katoa, Jamayne Isaako
St George Illawarra Dragons: Ben Hunt, Zac Lomax, Jaydn Su’A, Jacob Liddle
Parramatta Eels: Clint Gutherson, Dylan Brown, Mitch Moses, Blaize Talagi
Newcastle Knights: Dane Gagai, Tyson Frizell, Adam Elliott, Kai Pearce-Paul
Penrith Panthers: Dylan Edwards, Jarome Luai, Isaah Yeo, Mitch Kenny
South Sydney Rabbitohs: Jack Wighton, Jye Gray, Keaon Koloamatangi, Cody Walker
Canberra Raiders: Josh Papali’I, Joseph Tapine, Hudson Young, Jordan Rapana
Sydney Roosters: Angus Crichton, James Tedesco, Joseph Manu, Sam Walker
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles: Tom Trbojevic, Haumole Olakau’atu, Taniela Paseka, Daly Cherry-Evans
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks: Cameron McInnes, Jesse Ramien, Siosifa Talakai, Kayal Iro
Melbourne Storm: Jahrome Hughes, Eliesa Katoa, Trent Loiero, Harry Grant
Gold Coast Titans: Keano Kini, Kieran Foran, Erin Clark, Beau Fermor
New Zealand Warriors: Mitchell Barnett, Addin Fonua-Blake, Te Maire Martin
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Wests Tigers: Fonua Pole, Samuela Fainu, Lachlan Galvin, Apisai Koroisau
