Dally M Awards 2024: Nominees for the rookie, captain, coach and Team of the Year announced

Melbourne halfback Jahrome Hughes is the frontrunner to take out the game’s highest individual honour at the Dally M Awards, but who is in the running for Team of the Year? We reveal every nominee.

Melbourne halfback Jahrome Hughes is the frontrunner to be crowned the Dally M Award winner as the NRL’s best player in 2024 but there are a number of superstars that could spring a surprise.

It happened 12 months ago when Shaun Johnson was pipped at the finish line by a single point after Newcastle superstar Kalyn Ponga stormed home to poll six points in the final round of the season.

While pundits aren’t giving Hughes’ rivals much hope, Sydney Roosters stalwart James Tedesco is expected to keep the count tight after surging back to form in the back-end of the year.

There will be just as much competition in the battle for positional awards and none will be more hotly contested than winger of the year.

Two wingers will be crowned but already Penrith powerhouse Brian To’o is an early favourite to snare one award.

The decision by Dragons coach Shane Flanagan to shift Zac Lomax from centre and onto the wing transformed the 25-year old into one of the top performers early in the season before a dip in form post the State of Origin series.

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It opens the door for Canterbury’s Jacob Kiraz and Melbourne’s Will Wabrick to make a late charge.

Canberra five-eighth Ethan Strange, Dolphins winger Jack Bostock and Cronulla centre Kayal Iro are in the running for the coveted Rookie of Year award. A dark horse for the award, Iro finished the regular season with nine try assists, 10 line-breaks, 10 linebreak assists and six tries.

A hot talking point has been the ineligibility of boom Wests Tigers rookie Lachlan Galvin. The talented five-eighth, who finished with 16 try assists, was rubbed out of the running after copping a two-game ban for a hip drop tackle back in round four.

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Stephen Crichton is up for multiple awards. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Galvin isn’t alone. Haumole Olakau’atu was at his destructive best in Manly’s run into the finals but two separate suspensions - which included two weeks on the sideline for his involvement in a melee during Origin game three, joining the push and shove as the Blues’ 19th man.

Canterbury’s Cameron Ciraldo is a hot favourite as the 2024 coach of the year after transforming the Bulldogs from the worst defensive side in the NRL last season to a finals contender in 2025. But calls are growing increasingly louder for Penrith coach Ivan Cleary to be handed the honour.

Cleary has now entered the conversation about where he sits among the all-time great coaches after guiding the Panthers to five-straight grand finals, a feat deemed almost impossible in the salary cap era.

Stephen Crichton’s inspirational leadership, in his first ever year as a skipper, has the Bulldogs recruit on course to be named captain of the year but will face worthy opposition from South Sydney’s Cameron Murray and Penrith’s Isaah Yeo.