Fullback: James Tedesco
Winger: Ken Maumalo
Centre: Latrell Mitchell
Five-Eighth: Cameron Munster
Halfback: Mitchell Moses
Prop: Payne Haas
Hooker: Cameron Smith
Second-row: John Bateman
Lock: Cameron Murray
Interchange: Brandon Smith
Dally M Award 2019: James Tedesco wins medal for best NRL player
Sydney Roosters fullback James Tedesco has won the Dally M Medal in a dramatic finish to the count, and is now on the cusp of one of the most remarkable seasons in 111 years of rugby league.
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The individual award has been secured — now for the team triumph.
Sydney Roosters fullback James Tedesco claimed the prestigious Dally M Medal at a glittering event at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday night.
Dally M success adds to the Wally Lewis Medal and Brad Fittler Medal that Tedesco won for inspiring NSW to victory in this year’s State of Origin series. Tedesco also holds the Jack Gibson Medal for the Roosters’ best and fairest from last season.
And there could more personal glory with Tedesco a clear $4.50 favourite, according to the TAB, to take the Clive Churchill Medal for best player in the grand final. He has become one of the finest and most dominant fullbacks of his era..
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With the Dally M having now been won, Tedesco can focus solely on lifting his Roosters to back-to-back premierships in Sunday’s grand final against Canberra.
The voting went down to a dramatic final round, but Tedesco held off a strong challenge from Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith to become the first Rooster since Todd Carney in 2010 to win the player of the year award. Tedesco polled 34 points to finish three clear of Smith, who did not attend the function due to illness.
Entering the final round, Tedesco was on 33 points with Smith on 30. Had Smith polled three points in Melbourne’s match against North Queensland and Tedesco failed to register a point in the Roosters loss to Souths, they would have been joint winners.
Yet in a tense and captivating finish, both players secured one point each in round 25 with Tedesco holding his three-point advantage. He is just the third Roosters player to take the award after Carney and Gary Freeman (1992) since its inception in 1979.
"It's a huge honour to receive this award," Tedesco said in his acceptance speech.
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"I want to think the Sydney Roosters, Nick (Politis, chairman) 'Robbo' (coach Trent Robinson) all the the players and staff.
"I wouldn't have had the year I've had without you guys. The way the whole team played definitely made me look good."
Parramatta halfback Mitchell Moses (29) finished third ahead of Brisbane’s rookie prop Payne Haas (27) with Storm five-eighth Cameron Munster and last year’s Dally M Medal winner, New Zealand Warriors’ Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, next on 22 points.
Tedesco also won the Peter ‘Chippy’ Frilingos Headline Moment of the Year for his series-winning try inside the final 10 seconds during Origin III at ANZ Stadium in July.
Melbourne’s Smith did enjoy some personal glory, being named hooker of the year and captain of the year.
DALLY M MEDAL FINAL LEADERBOARD
James Tedesco 34
Cameron Smith 31
Mitchell Moses 29
Payne Haas 27
Cameron Munster 22
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 22
Damien Cook 21
Cameron Murray 19
Jason Taumalolo 19
Mitchell Pearce 18
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 18
DALLY M 2019 WINNERS LIST
Female player of the year: Jessica Sergis
Coach of the year: Craig Bellamy
Rookie of the year: Payne Haas
Captain of the year: Cameron Smith
Provan-Summons: Josh Jackson
Updates
DALLY M TEAM OF THE YEAR
Ten Sovereigns arrives at Randwick
The Roosters superstar has done it! He holds off Storm skipper Cameron Smith in a thrilling finish!
DALLY M MEDAL FINAL LEADERBOARD
James Tedesco 34
Cameron Smith 31
Mitchell Moses 29
Payne Haas 27
Cameron Munster 22
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 22
Damien Cook 21
Cameron Murray 19
Jason Taumalolo 19
Mitchell Pearce 18
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 18
DALLY M MEDAL WINNER: JAMES TEDESCO
The Roosters superstar has done it! He holds off Storm skipper Cameron Smith in a thrilling finish!
DALLY M MEDAL FINAL LEADERBOARD
James Tedesco 34
Cameron Smith 31
Mitchell Moses 29
Payne Haas 27
Cameron Munster 22
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 22
Damien Cook 21
Cameron Murray 19
Jason Taumalolo 19
Mitchell Pearce 18
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 18
One round to go – can Cameron Smith catch James Tedesco?
LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 24
One round to go – can Cameron Smith catch James Tedesco?
DALLY M LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 22
Here comes James Tedesco!
The Storm star wins another gong for his surely overflowing cabinet. He's not there to accept the award due to illness, so his coach Craig Bellamy is back up on stage.
ANOTHER RECORD FOR IRON MAN CAM
By Michael Caraynnis
He fell agonisingly close of leading his side to another grand final but Melbourne Storm skipper Cameron Smith was named Dally M captain of the year for a record third consecutive time.
Smith won the award in 2017 and has now backed it up the past two years after captaining the Storm to the minor premiership this year.
The 36-year-old has now won the award five times after claiming it for the first time in 2011 and again two years later.
He beat out Roosters, NSW and Australia skipper Boyd Cordner, Daly Cherry-Evans, Josh Jackson and Canberra co-captains Jarrod Croker and Josh Hodgson to win.
Croker won the award in 2016.
Despite losing 14-6 to the Tricolours in Saturday night’s preliminary final at the SCG it has still been a successful year for the Storm.
They finished six points clear of the Chooks in the regular season with Smith showing no signs of age catching up with him.
The dummy half is still among the most influential players in the game.
He led a young Storm side that had to deal with the retirement of Billy Slater last year and as a host of big-name players depart around Smith, the ex-Maroons and Kangaroos skipper shoulders the brunt of the leadership responsibilities at the Storm.
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Sergis surges to Dally M medal
A standout for her club and state, star St George Illawarra winger Jessica Sergis topped off a fantastic 2019 by claiming the women’s Dally M Player of the Year award.
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A standout for her club and state, star St George Illawarra winger Jessica Sergis topped off a fantastic 2019 by claiming the women’s Dally M Player of the Year award.
Oct 02STORM STAR SMITH'S FUTURE UP IN AIR
Have we seen the last of Cameron Smith on an NRL field?
Craig Bellamy was just asked that very question and couldn't rule it out.
Bellamy said "two or three weeks ago he was pretty confident" that his captain would go around in 2020 – but that might have changed.
"I still think it's a bit up in the air to be quite honest which is a little disappointing," Bellamy said.
"I thought he would go on for another 12 months, he's certainly playing well enough."