NRL Dally M 2021 results: Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the year named
Grand finalists South Sydney only had one player in the Dally M Team of the Year, while their opponents, Penrith, had six. Have your say on the 2021 side here.
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The Penrith Panthers have kicked off grand final week in grand style, with six players named in the Dally M team of the year.
In comparison Wayne Bennett’s South Sydney Rabbitohs only had one player, Cody Walker, who finished as the top positional player.
In a season that gifted so many wonderful moments and memories, Tom Trbojevic beat James Tedesco for fullback, while Nathan Cleary was always the standout for halfback, as was Brandon Smith at hooker.
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But there were also some extremely tough calls in a crack field of nominees for every position, with Roosters star Joey Manu one of the shock omissions.
Of the grand final teams Cleary was named along with Brian To’o, Matt Burton, James Fisher-Harris, Viliame Kikau and Isaah Yeo. Cleary, Kikau, Yeo and Fisher-Harris were also named in last year’s team.
FULLBACK
Winner: Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
Nominees: James Tedesco, Kalyn Ponga, William Kennedy, Tom Trbojevic, Ryan Papenhuyzen
Verdict: Go all the way back to 1908 and you’d struggle to find a better individual season than that of the flying fullback we call Turbo.
Just to think Trbojevic only played 15 games of the regular season and still took home the night’s top prize.
WINGER
Winners: Brian To’o (Panthers) & Reuben Garrick (Sea Eagles)
Nominees: Reuben Garrick, Josh Addo-Carr, Brian To’o, Jason Saab, Alex Johnston
Leading into Sunday’s decider the Panthers’ little big man has had 124 tackle busts and averaged a competition high 232m in a phenomenal season, while Garrick finished with 23 tries in a year when the Gerringong junior scored more points than any player in history.
CENTRE
Winners: Matt Burton (Panthers) & Justin Olam (Storm)
Nominees: Matt Burton, Joseph Manu, Bradman Best, Justin Olam, Dane Gagai
Bulldogs-bound Burton had an incredible year finishing with 16 tries and really proving a strike weapon on the Panthers’ left edge. Justin Olam was a deserved winner after a devastating season for the Storm.
FIVE-EIGHTH
Winner: Cody Walker (Rabbitohs)
Nominees: Adam Doueihi, Cameron Munster, Cody Walker, Jarome Luai
Walker has had an outstanding season and it isn’t finished yet as he prepares for what will be the 31-year-old’s first grand final. In 24 games he has collected 15 tries, 37 try assists and 55 linebreak assists (both competition highs).
HALFBACK
Winner: Nathan Cleary (Panthers)
Nominees: Jahrome Hughes, Daly Cherry-Evans, Adam Reynolds, Nathan Cleary
We already knew Cleary had a wonderful kicking game and tremendous game management. But this season it’s been his courage and toughness to play through the pain of a significant shoulder injury and still carry his team into another grand final that has highlighted his true champion qualities.
PROP
Winners: Payne Haas (Broncos) & James Fisher-Harris (Panthers)
Nominees: Daniel Saifiti, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, James Fisher-Harris, Payne Haas, Christian Welch
It’s just incredible Haas is doing what he does as a front rower at the highest level at the age of 21. It wouldn’t have mattered who got in the team out of this group of nominees but in the end it was Haas and Fisher-Harris, who has been enormous for the Panthers. Worthy winners.
HOOKER
Winner: Brandon Smith (Storm)
Nominees: Api Koroisau, Harry Grant, Brandon Smith, Damien Cook
The Storm lose Cameron Smith to retirement and still have two more hookers who finish top four nominees.
Yet there is just no argument that Brandon Smith gets the prize. With and without the ball an absolute weapon.
SECOND-ROW
Winners: Viliame Kikau (Panthers) & Isaiah Papali’i (Eels)
Nominees: Haumole Olakau’atu, Viliame Kikau, Sitili Tupouniua, Isaiah Papali’i
It shows what a powerhouse Kikau is to get his spot for the second year while Papali’I cemented himself as one of the game’s most damaging back-rowers after joining the Eels. But you look at the nominees with the likes of Felise Kaufusi and Angus Crichton not on the list and it just highlights what a season of change this has been.
LOCK
Winner: Isaah Yeo (Panthers)
Nominees: Cameron Murray, Isaah Yeo, Dale Finucane, Jake Trbojevic
Look at the nominees and any one of them would have been a worthy result. But with Yeo getting the nod there won’t be too many complaints. The inspirational Panther has proven himself as arguably the game’s most important forward and will be crucial come Sunday when he goes head-to-head with Cam Murray who also had a tremendous season.
Bellamy beats murderers’ row of coaches
- Nick Walshaw
Sometimes to understand the true greatness of an award winner, you need only look at the field.
Certainly this is the case with Dally M Coach of the Year, Craig Bellamy.
Aka, Bellyache.
A coach who, for starters, isn’t even in the decider this Sunday.
No, instead, the first to that honour was an old bloke named Wayne Bennett.
The South Sydney coach who has taken the Rabbitohs to rugby league’s biggest game without Latrell Mitchell, and with Benji Marshall.
The first fella there 10 times, too.
And opposite him, wonderfully, is arch rival Ivan Cleary.
Now back for his second GF in as many years, and with a Penrith side where, among so many incredible stories of success, is his own son Nathan.
Of course, also in the field of nominees this year was Roosters coach Trent Robinson, who was surely just one more injury from pulling on the boots himself.
At 44, he’s only slightly older than, say, a Morris twin.
Boasts four NRL games, too.
Which is four more than a couple of the kids he catapulted into a side seemingly held together by sticky tape, tree sap and whatever it is Robbo whispers to players before games.
In a year where they lost Boyd Cordner, Jake Friend, Luke Keary, Brett Morris, Billy Smith, Joseph Suaalii, Lindsay Collins — everyone basically bar Rocky the Roosters mascot – they still finished fifth.
Or one behind the Manly Sea Eagles.
A side, you might recall, who lost their opening four games.
Which is about the time all those headlines started piling up around coach Dessie Hasler.
Yet Hasler, aka The Mad Scientist, he impossibly got his team to within one game of a GF, too.
With a little help from Tommy Turbo, of course.
Still, it is Hasler who seems to get the best out of his No.1. Same deal so many other players.
All of which brings us to Bellamy.
Or the fella who knows more about winning in the modern game than anyone else.
At Storm this year, he won 19 straight.
Along the way, not only trouncing several teams by 40 and 50 points, but equalling that record for most consecutive wins set by the 1975 Roosters.
Sam Walker wins Rookie of the Year
The incredible season of Roosters young gun Sam Walker has earned him the title of being named the 2021 Rookie of the Year.
The Ipswich product began the season with no assurance he would be playing in the NRL, stuck behind champion playmaker Luke Keary and the versatile Lachlan Lam in the halves positions.
However, when Keary went down with a season-ending knee injury in Round 3, Walker was named to replace him in the No.7 jersey the following week to make his NRL debut against the Warriors – and the whizkid didn’t disappoint.
At just 18-years-old at the time, Walker set up two tries, had four linebreak assists and kicked a conversion to help the Roosters to a 32-12 win at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
From then on, the teenage sensation continued to impress in his first year in the NRL, finishing the season with 21 try assists in 21 games, eight tries and 23 conversions to send the injury-ravaged Tricolours into the semi finals.
His ability to handle the pressure of first grade was epitomised none more so than in the Roosters elimination final clash with the Titans earlier this month, when the youngster slotted a match-winning field goal in just a nine-minute cameo off the bench at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
“It was really special to win this award,” Walker said.
“A lot of my mates made their debut as well but I’m really honoured to be able to receive this award.
“I came into the year with not having a great idea of how many games I would play and my attitude coming into it was to take every opportunity I could get.
“After the first couple of games, the belief from the boys and the coach really helped.
“For myself, I don’t think I’m perfect at anything so coming into this next preseason I’m really excited to improve on all aspects of the game and get better in all areas.”
Walker joins the likes of Payne Haas (2019), Adam Reynolds (2012) and Braith Anasta (2001) as being named the NRL’s Rookie of the Year.
Unfortunately rising Warriors star Reece Walsh was ineligible the rookie of the year award – but it has nothing to do with his arrest on Sunday.
Walsh produced a superb debut season for the Warriors, after switching mid-season from the Brisbane Broncos, and cemented himself as one of the competition’s most exciting young prospects.
Best of luck to our beautiful Panthers crew at the #DallyM Awards tonight! ðŸ˜ðŸ‘ðŸ½#pantherpridepic.twitter.com/Hod4lmRPzr
— Penrith Panthers (@PenrithPanthers) September 27, 2021
He was on Sunday arrested on the Gold Coast and later admitted to cocaine possession in a remorseful press conference.
But that arrest was not a factor in Walsh being deemed ineligible to join the likes of Payne Haas, Adam Reynolds, Israel Folau and Daly Cherry-Evans in winning the game’s rookie of the year honour.
WATCH: SHOCK VIDEO ROCKS NRL AHEAD OF 2021 DALLY M AWARDS
Our man @DaveRic1 reports to @VossySEN that he's had confirmation from @NRL that Reece Walsh would be ineligible for Dally M rookie of the year tonight due to his two in-season suspensions
— Breakfast with Vossy (@VossySEN) September 26, 2021
The 19-year-old copped two suspensions this year – firstly a one-game ban for striking North Queensland’s Mitchell Dunn, and a further one-game hit stemming from the final-round scrap with the Gold Coast Titans – which rub him out of any award nominations.
Walsh claimed the RLPA rookie of the year honour, narrowly edging out Sydney Roosters halfback Sam Walker, who is favourite to claim the NRL gong on Monday.
Monday night will also see the crowning of this year’s Dally M Player of the Year, the Coach of the Year and the Team of the Year.
We take a look at the leading contenders.
TOM TRBOJEVIC
Regardless of who wins the medal, 2021 will be remembered as Tom Trbojevic’s season the same way 2009 belongs to Jarryd Hayne and 2012 to Ben Barba. The Manly fullback has been the most devastating player in the league all season and even though shock upsets are not unheard of on Dally M night and rugby league has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans, surely this one is as close to a fait accompli. If the votes fall as they should, it’s Turbo’s medal to lose.
JAMES TEDESCO
What could give the 2019 Dally M winner a chance at landing a second medal is the same thing that ended the Roosters season in the second week of the finals – their horrendous injury toll. As the Tricolours fell around him, Tedesco took on a greater role in the team by the week, putting the battered club on his back and dragging them to several against-the-odds wins. With fewer stars to potentially take points off him, and the Blues skipper playing terrific football right to the end, don’t write off the Camden junior pulling off a Dally M heist.
CODY WALKER
If Walker hadn’t lost three votes due to suspension, he’d be in with every chance of catching Trbojevic – and would be a worthy winner of the medal. But that mishap has taken him from the brink of the medal, and possibly set up a finish for the ages with Trbojevic, into an outside chance. Walker’s chances are boosted by his exemplary form down the stretch – it wouldn’t surprise if he polled in five of the last six matches of the year.
DALY CHERRY-EVANS
Sometimes the best ability for a Dally M is availability – and Daly Cherry-Evans has always been there for Manly. He played each of the final six games of the season and the Sea Eagles won five of them, with Cherry-Evans usually up there with Trbojevic as the Sea Eagles’ best player. He’s the longest odds of the five players on the shortlist, but after a strong season at the heart of the Silvertails’ attacking machine, he deserves some recognition.
NATHAN CLEARY
After he was beaten at the post last year by Jack Wighton, Nathan Cleary could again narrowly miss out on the Dally M. Before State of Origin, even with Trbojevic returning from injury and in white-hot form, the medal seemed to be Cleary’s to lose. But a shoulder injury suffered in Origin II sidelined him for a few weeks and the Panthers struggled to recapture their form from earlier in the season. He’d be a deserving winner, and given he was one point behind Trbojevic with six weeks to go, it’s not impossible. But it would be a surprise.
TEAM OF THE YEAR: EELS RECRUIT TO CASH IN
When he left the Warriors at the end of 2020, Isaiah Papali’i was flat out landing another shot at the NRL. Now the Parramatta hardman is set to be crowned one of the best players in the league.
After an incredible breakout season with the Eels, Papali’i is odds-on to be named in the Dally M team of the year in the second row as he competes with high-priced stars such as Gold Coast’s David Fifita and the Roosters’ Angus Crichton.
But Papali’i’s fantastic workrate and aggression has him in the box seat to be Parramatta’s sole representative in the Team of the Year, which will once again be a full starting 13.
A powerful workrate will likely deliver Penrith’s Brian To’o one of the wing spots with Melbourne’s Josh Addo-Carr, South Sydney’s Alex Johnston and Manly duo Jason Saab and Reuben Garrick also in with a chance.
Three more Penrith products, lock Isaah Yeo, halfback Nathan Cleary and prop James Fisher-Harris are all expected to retain their places from last year, but Fisher-Harris could have a new partner in the front row.
Despite Brisbane’s struggles, the efforts of Payne Haas never wavered and the young behemoth is locked in a duel with Newcastle’s Daniel Saifiti and Parramatta’s Junior Paulo to land the other spot.
Centre promises to be one of the most hotly contested spots after another Panther, Matt Burton, shifted one spot wider from five-eighth with spectacular results. The Bulldogs-bound back will face competition from the likes of Melbourne’s Justin Olam and Roosters star Joseph Manu.
Storm cult hero Brandon Smith is hot favourite to take out the hooking spot after coming of age as Cameron Smith’s successor but Parramatta’s Reed Mahoney will keep the tough Kiwi honest.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Nominees: Craig Bellamy, Ivan Cleary, Des Hasler, Wayne Bennett, Trent Robinson.
Plenty of coaches have taken teams from the competition cellar to premiership contention – but few can match Des Hasler’s feat of doing it in a single season.
Manly looked dead and buried after the opening month of the season following four heavy losses but rebounded to make the top four in one of the best coaching displays of Hasler’s long and decorated career.
So what’s the secret? Even Cliff Lyons, who partnered Hasler in the halves with Manly for years during their playing days, isn’t certain.
“I’m not too sure about Des — he can be a bit obnoxious, but he always gives them room to grow,” Lyons said. “So long as you adhere to Des and bring what you have yourself, it’ll work out.
“Players like Tom Turbo bring their own magic, but Des always adds to it. Everyone has a pattern to play to.”
All five nominees have taken home the prize before, but Hasler has only won coach of the year trophy in his cabinet, which he earned in 2012 when he steered the Bulldogs to the minor premiership.
Despite winning three premierships with the Roosters since 2013, Trent Robinson has also only won the prize once – but he’s in with another shot after steering the injury-ravaged Tricolours to fifth spot.
Panthers mentor Ivan Cleary is looking to take home his third award after previously winning in 2014 and 2020, while Wayne Bennett and Craig Bellamy round out the nominees.
If Bellamy is honoured for Melbourne’s record-breaking season it would be the sixth time he’s won the award, while Bennett is after his fourth prize.
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Originally published as NRL Dally M 2021 results: Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the year named
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