NRL 2021: Justin Olam secures invite to Dally M awards after ‘oversight’

One of the Melbourne Storm’s most impressive players has secured an invite to the Dally Ms after initially being overlooked for one of the major awards.

Souths Alex Johnston scores a try against Penrith this season. Picture: Brett Costello

The NRL has backflipped and invited Melbourne Storm sensation Justin Olam to next week’s Dally M Awards after initially snubbing the star centre.

News Corp revealed on Tuesday morning that Olam had not been invited to next Monday night’s second awards ceremony after apparently failing to make the shortlist for Dally M centre of the year.

Storm teammates such as fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen and five-eighth Cameron Munster made the shortlist for their positions but not Olam, who has been a far more consistent player in 2021.

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Olam’s omission from the contenders was stunning considering the Papua New Guinea hitman has produced a sensational season for the preliminary finalists.

Olam, 27, has developed into one of the NRL’s top centres this season, scoring 12 tries in 23 games and delivering bone-crunching defence on the edge.

Justin Olam has had an outstanding season for the Storm. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

His fellow Storm centre Reimis Smith has also had a strong season with 14 tries in 23 games — but also didn’t make the shortlist for the award.

Olam’s rise has been so swift that the Queensland Maroons explored whether they could select him for this year’s State of Origin series.

After News Corp’s revelation, Munster took to social media to blast the NRL’s snubbing of Olam, with the league later issuing an invite to the Storm centre.

The NRL claimed an “administrative oversight” was behind Olam’s initial absence in the invitations.

In his fourth season with Melbourne, Olam has been a revelation out wide and the pride of PNG said he had improved after winning a maiden NRL premiership last year.

“I feel like I’ve improved,” he said. “I didn’t start well at the beginning of the year but I’ve improved heaps. That’s all that matters.

“Whenever I don’t play well, the other boys will. That’s the thing about the boys here, we play for each other. We always help each other.

“That’s the good thing about being here.”

Olam will be gunning for a berth in his second grand final when the Storm face Penrith on Saturday afternoon at Suncorp Stadium.

The centre position has gone from being one of the most revered in the game — with the likes of Mal Meninga and Greg Inglis once starring — to now having few dominant players.

Cameron Munster was stunned by Justin Olam’s omission as a contender for centre of the year. Picture: Instagram

Sydney Roosters centres Josh Morris and Joey Manu had strong seasons along with the Rabbitohs’ Dane Gagai and Campbell Graham.

The Gold Coast’s Brian Kelly and Patrick Herbert were consistent along with Manly’s Morgan Harper and Brad Parker. Penrith’s Matt Burton and Stephen Crichton also attract plenty of interest.

But for Olam and Smith to miss the cut of finalists is astounding after playing nearly every game in Melbourne’s dominant minor premiership campaign.

When asked how it felt to be regarded as one of the NRL’s top centres, Olam deflected to his Storm teammates.

“I don’t know,” he said. “It’s because of the players around me.

“I’ve got the best winger in the game (Josh Addo-Carr), we’ve got Kenny (Bromwich) who has good ball skills and Munster who is dangerous when he wants the ball.

“They make me look good when I play with them. If I don’t play with them, I don’t know if I’ll be regarded as that (one of the best centres). It’s a reflection of the players I play with.”

Olam’s on-field success over the past two seasons has been tempered by the sadness of not being able to return to his native PNG.

He is hoping to visit friends and family for the first time in two years once Melbourne’s campaign is over — hopefully after Sunday week’s grand final at Suncorp Stadium.

Justin Olam didn’t make the shortlist for centre of the year. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Olam is already a national hero after his premiership success last year and another NRL title would further elevate his status in the rugby league-mad country.

“I want to see if I can go home,” Olam said.

“I’ll wait and see. Hopefully it’s after the grand final.

“I’ll have to do quarantine if I go back and come back, which is four weeks total. Hopefully if I get a vaccine I won’t have to do much quarantine over there.

“I saw my family two years ago and that was it. I haven’t been back to my village where I grew up for seven years now.

“I’m really keen to go back. My cousins and friends are married and having kids. I want the chance to meet their kids and partners. It’s been hard but it’s the sacrifice I’ve got to make to follow my dreams and chase my career.”

How the Sea Eagles landed Dally M gem

— Chris Honnery

Nathan Cleary, Cody Walker, Tom Trbojevic, James Tedesco and Daly Cherry-Evans are the five players battling it out for this year’s Dally M Player of the Year award.

The first instalment of this year’s two-part Dally M ceremony kicked off with a bang on Monday night with Tom Trbojevic’s four-pointer in Round 25 receiving the gong for Try of the Year.

It was a special hour-long ceremony in which Try of the Year, top point scorer, top try scorer and hardworking player of the year were announced.

Alex Johnston has won the Ken Irvine Medal for top tryscorer.

South Sydney‘s Alex Johnston was awarded the 2021 Ken Irvine Medal for top tryscorer after his 27 four-pointers — including four hat-tricks — scored during the regular season.

Manly’s Reuben Garrick took out the top pointscorer award for his record 304 points.

Outgoing Broncos winger Xavier Coates made the tackle of the year while Parramatta’s Isaiah Papali’i was named this year’s hardworking player of the year.

Xavier Coates has taken out the tackle of the year category. Picture: Getty Images

The highlight of the evening was the crowning of the try of the year which came in the very last minute of Manly‘s 2021 regular season clash against the Cowboys.

Despite leading by 22 points, Garrick gathered a kick just centimetres from his dead ball line and ran it out to halfway, evading a number of North Queensland players along the way.

From there, he passed the ball to halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, who‘s deft grubber kick only required Trbojevic to fall on top to score the try.

Fox League commentator Andrew Voss described it during the call as “something that has come from out of this world”.

Manly’s Reuben Garrick played a significant part on the try of the year.

“That‘s not just a great moment, but one of the greatest you’ve seen there,” Voss said.

The five Coach of the Year nominees were revealed on NRL 360 leading up to the ceremony, with Souths Wayne Bennett, Penrith‘s Ivan Cleary, Roosters Trent Robinson, Manly’s Des Hasler and Melbourne’s Craig Bellamy are all up for the coveted award.

The second half of the Dally M Awards will be broadcast from Brisbane‘s Howard Smith Wharves next Monday night, culminating in the crowning of the best player this year.