NRL 2020: Dally M Medal to be held as a ‘virtual’ event in grand final week due to COVID-19
COVID-19 means years of tradition will have to be cast aside for this year’s Dally M ceremony as the television coverage takes the ‘virtual’ route with an alternate way of presenting each award under discussion.
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Nathan Cleary is on the verge of entering the record books in more ways than one.
The Penrith halfback is the favourite to be crowned the game‘s best player at an unprecedented ’virtual Dally M Medal awards’.
News Corp can reveal the ‘virtual’ 2020 Dally M Medal awards will be broadcast in NRL grand final week by Fox Sports on October 19 with no standalone ceremony because of COVID-19 restrictions.
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Instead of the game‘s best players and coaches gathering for a formal function, this year’s Dally M’s will be a made-for-TV event.
In what will be a unique celebration of the game‘s biggest stars in one of the most challenging seasons to date, Fox Sports and the NRL are in high-level discussions about using the latest technology to deliver the national coverage.
Traditionally, the Dally M Medal function has included a round-by-round countdown, but executives at both Fox and the NRL are considering using the unprecedented scenario to introduce an alternate way of presenting each award.
One team guaranteed to be part of the virtual awards night are the Warriors, who have sacrificed more than any other team to keep the 16-team competition going throughout 2020.
Both Fox Sports and the NRL are committed to paying tribute to the entire Warriors club.
Yvonne Sampson is poised to host the coverage while a panel of rugby league experts including Greg Alexander, Michael Ennis and Cooper Cronk will breakdown the performance of the award nominees and winners.
The NRL‘s Project Apollo team are in the process of determining how many of the game’s best players will be in attendance to receive their awards during the broadcast - and how many will need to receive their awards by video.
One player hoping to be there is Cleary, who is attempting to become the first Panther in 35 years to claim the prestigious Dally M Medal.
Originally on 11-points when votes went behind closed-doors after round-12, Cleary was docked six points after lying to the NRL over his role in the infamous COVID TikTok video scandal in April.
However, his role in the Panthers phenomonal surge to the top of the NRL ladder and potential premiership has the good judges believing he will steal the Dally M Medal.
Other contenders include, Wests Tigers hooker Harry Grant, who was leading on 13 points before votes went silent, one point clear of Melbourne’s Cam Smith and Parramatta’s Clint Gutherson.
The AFL also announced last week that The Brownlow Medal count would also be broadcast as a “made-for-TV event” on October 18.
Originally published as NRL 2020: Dally M Medal to be held as a ‘virtual’ event in grand final week due to COVID-19