Dally M Confidential: Biggest pest award winner, story behind Cooper Johns-Craig Bellamy jacket gag
Some bloke moonlighting as a Bears insider took out the coveted ‘Pest Award’ thanks to some, ahh, questionable antics. Plus a red-hot Red Bull rumour and much more in DALLY M CONFIDENTIAL.
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It was the speech that silenced a room full of footballers and officials. South Sydney’s Tyrone Munro had the Winx Room at Randwick Racecourse on the verge of tears on Wednesday night as he accepted the Provan-Summons medal and spoke about the tragic loss of his mother and uncle within a matter of days earlier this year.
The Rabbitohs and rugby league wrapped their arms around Munro as he endured a devastating loss and on rugby league’s night of nights, he returned serve as he spoke about how much the support of the rugby league fraternity meant to him.
Munro lost his mother on a Wednesday and then his uncle on a Friday. He was given the chance to sit out Souths’ game against Penrith later that night but decided to play, scoring two tries and celebrating the performance afterwards with a battalion of family members who had made the trip to watch him play.
“What an incredible honour it is to stand before you tonight as the recipient of the Provan-Summons Medal,” Munro said.
“This award means so much to me — not just for the recognition, but for what it represents: the true spirit of our game
“This year has been the hardest of my 19 years. The recent loss of my mother and uncle. Their strength and love have shaped who I am, and their memory fuels my determination every time I step onto that field.
“I carry them with me in every game, while also drawing courage from the unity and support of my teammates, we are together unbreakable.
“Most importantly, I want to dedicate this award to my mum Kirawhan who made me the man I am today and taught me that nothing is given to you, you gotta earn it in this life.
“Mum, Uncle Dunka, my family, my teammates at Souths, and all the supporters you inspire me every day.
“A special thank you to the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Blake Solly our CEO, coach Benny Hornby and the entire team for your unwavering support and always having my back on and off the field.
“You have created an environment where we can thrive and push each other to be our best selves. I hope to inspire the next generation and my Indigenous community as a proud Gamilaraay Man.
“I always promise to play with heart, respect and love for my family. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”
The Provan-Summons medal is given to the player deemed by the Dally M judges to have displayed the true ‘spirit of the game’ through their actions and conduct on the field.
The award is measured against four values – respect, honesty, bravery and sportsmanship.
Munroe has shown every bit of that in recent months.
CEREMONY LACKING COACHING CLOUT
The players were all dressed up and full of glitz and glamour but the absence of a number of high profile coaches was hard to miss with just one Sydney-based coach taking time to make the event.
It is quicker to list those coaches who did rock up which is becoming quite a theme in recent years of the mentors opting to skip the event.
Craig Bellamy was there to take up his coach of the year award while fellow nominee Cameron Ciraldo also attended. Todd Payten and Andrew Webster travelled from North Queensland and New Zealand respectively to make sure they were in the crowd as former coach of the year award winners while South Sydney interim coach Ben Hornby also attended.
Cronulla’s Craig Fitzgibbon also made the event with Hornby and Fitzgibbon travelling from their Wollongong-base to ensure their clubs were represented.
Ivan Cleary who was nominated on Wednesday night was a no-show alongside the likes of Wayne Bennett, Trent Robinson, Anthony Seibold, Shane Flanagan, Ricky Stuart, Benji Marshall, Des Hasler and Adam O’Brien.
Kevin Walters obviously had reason not to be there while new Parramatta coach Jason Ryles wasn’t expected to show up this year.
Numbers were well down on last year when nine coaches were at the ceremony. We get a lot are overseas as they take a well-deserved break ahead of another busy pre-season but the event does lose some of his lustre without the big guns in the room.
JACKET HEIST
Cooper Johns was in Melbourne a week or so ago for good mate Harry Grant’s 100th first grade game.
While pressing the flesh and catching up with old friends, Johns discovered that Craig Bellamy’s black and white Dally M jacket from a few years back happened to be lying in his office.
Johns couldn’t help himself.
“He has thrown it in his office and never picked it up again,” Johns said.
“So I asked if I could steal it for the Dally Ms.”
Johns worked the green carpet in Bellamy’s jacket as the Melbourne Storm mentor walked away from the game’s night of nights with another Dally M medal as coach of the year.
Asked who wore the jacket better, Johns fired back: “I think that is pretty obvious. I think I hit him out of the park.”
GALLOP BACK IN THE FOLD
Former NRL boss David Gallop was an attendee for the first time in years. In fact Gallop hadn’t been at the Dally Ms since he used to read out the winner – and that was back in 2011.
Gallop remains highly influential in his new gig as chairman of Venues NSW. He has been a regular at NRL events this year.
He isn’t the only ex-NRL chief executive back to mixing it with NRL types. While he wasn’t there on Wednesday night, David Moffett is patiently awaiting word from the NRL about his hopes of leading an expansion side after spearheading South Island Kea’s bid.
Shoosh I: Which player was accidentally given the wrong trophy on stage? She made little fuss over it and quickly swapped it to her correct gong.
Shoosh II: Which club heavyweight quickly made a beeline for Raiders skipper Elliott Whitehead? The pair share a thing on common. Their dislike of the Roosters. Whitehead returns to the Super League next year.
Shoosh III: Which journalist spilt a drink all over a television presenter’s dress? She took it in good spirit.
Shoosh IIII: Which former coach and star player made up over lunch before the awards?
Shoosh IV: The Dally Ms are notorious for journalists trading blows back in the day. It is a relative tame affair these days but that didn’t stop two from taking cheeky digs at each other which left some NRL officials a little awkward as they watched on.
GET ON THE BUS
Spotted: The Bulldogs bus. It wasn’t quite the party bus but the Bulldogs had a bus to transport all their staff to the venue at Randwick. Coach Cameron Ciraldo enjoyed top billing with the players Jacob Kiraz, Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau and Stephen Crichton all jumping on board along with their partners and Bulldogs management.
PVL REMAINS MUM
Peter V’landys has kept true to his two-year self-imposed sin-binning at the Dally Ms. V’landys hasn’t spoken at the awards since his highly publicised and very amusing gaffe in 2021 when he pronounced Manly prop Josh Aloiai’s name as “Oshay Olay”.
The ARLC chairman didn’t speak last year either and at the time his ban was for two seasons which means he is set to front up again next year.
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo spoke while Fox League duo Cooper Cronk and Yvonne Sampson hosted the night.
But While V’landys preferred to take a back seat on Wednesday night, he was happy to walk the red carpet beforehand with his teenage daughter Katerina.
We’re reliably told Katerina is a Broncos fan. Sadly, none of the Broncos big stars made the trip to Sydney to attend the Dally Ms.
Pat Carrigan and Kotoni Staggs were invited but opted not to make the trip. Chair Karl Morris was also an absentee but he had a legitimate excuse – he was already committed to a charity event.
DALLY M PEST AWARD GOES TO…
The pest of the night goes to some bloke who was trying to talk up the Bears’ return. We have no idea who he was but he certainly pushed some friendships as he hammered players to gauge their interest in joining the Bears when they are awarded the 18th licence at some point in coming weeks.
At the top of his hit-list was Dolphins pair Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and rookie of the year Jack Bostock, who were told that the Bears would have plenty of cash to spend and would be happy to splash it in their direction.
The bloke was quickly put back in his place by a Dolphins official, who light-heartedly made it clear that the Hammer and Bostock were tied to long term deals and well paid.
We still can’t work out what the guy was actually doing at the night.
FAMOUS FACES
Rita Ora just chilling at the after-party? That was the thought of at least two players who were starstruck by the British singer’s apparent low-key arrival at the awards night.
The players were so convinced that it was Ora that they were going to go up to her … until they were told in no uncertain terms that at best it was a doppelganger.
GRASS IS GREENER
This is the image of the surface at Accor Stadium looking in great condition just days out from Sunday’s grand final. The grounds staff have ensured that the pitch is picture perfect.
RED BULL AND NRL ON VERGE OF DEAL
One of the hottest rumours doing the rounds at the Dally M medal was that the NRL was on the verge of landing a landmark deal with Red Bull that could see the likes of Kalyn Ponga and Reece Walsh become faces of the global company.
Red Bull already has some of the country’s most powerful and respected athletes on their roster including the likes of cricketer Cameron Green, surfer Jack Robinson and Olympic Jess Fox.
Their global suite of stars include the likes of pole-vault champion Armand Duplantis, American swimming sensation Summer McIntosh and Formula One driver Max Verstappen.
It looks like some of the biggest names in rugby league could join their ranks as the energy drink looks to capitalise on one of the most successful seasons in rugby league history.
Ponga and Walsh are obvious choices to be faces of the partnership given they strike a chord with young audiences.
NRL officials were tight-lipped on Wednesday night but it is believed the deal moved a step closer to fruition at a meeting of the ARL Commission this week.
It would mark the first time Red Bull has dipped its toe in the rugby league waters.
STORM STARS ON SHOW
At least one member of the Melbourne Storm’s maiden premiership-winning side from 1999 is set to be involved on Sunday night as Matt Rua prepares to help with the banner on grand final day.
Rua was the Storm’s rookie of the year in 1999 and came off the interchange bench as Melbourne won their inaugural title. He will be joined in holding the banner along with fellow former players Semi Tadulala and Paul Sheedy.
MAROONS CONGREGATE
The Dally M medal night turned into a Queensland reunion as a handful of Maroons stars were seen congregating in a corner after the ceremony finished, no doubt plotting a way to wrestle back the shield.
Only a matter of days after NSW coach Michael Maguire walked from the Blues to take charge at the Brisbane Broncos, Daly Cherry-Evans, Kalyn Ponga, Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter were seen at the Dally Ms in deep conversation.
No doubt, Maguire’s departure was part of the discussion as the key quartet took the chance for a snap debrief after this year’s disaster.
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