2024 Dally M Medal guide: Phil Gould fires up at award snub

The NRL’s night of nights, the Dally M Awards, is upon us. Phil Gould isn’t happy one player has been overlooked for a gong.

The NRL’s most prestigious night of the year kicks off on Wednesday with the 2024 Dally M Awards.

Melbourne Storm playmaker Jahrome Hughes is favoured to win the Dally M, although the Kiwi was down the leaderboard when votes went behind closed doors after round 12.

Kalyn Ponga stormed home to win last year’s Dally M and Hughes could salute in similar fashion.

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Remarkably, Nathan Cleary is yet to win a Dally M Medal — with injuries, State of Origin duties and a balanced Penrith side preventing him from picking up enough points to win.

His Panthers teammates Dylan Edwards and Isaah Yeo are expected to finish high on the leaderboard once again.

For the first time, winners of key categories will be revealed on the red carpet, including the Ken Irvine Medal, Best Tackle, and Try of the Year.

Jahrome Hughes of the Storm is tipped to take home the Dally M. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

However as the nominations list was sent out on Monday, Phil Gould couldn’t believe 19-year-old Wests Tigers five-eighth Lachie Galvin wasn’t nominated for the rookie of the year award.

Dolphins winger Jack Bostock, Sharks centre Kayal Iro and Raiders half Ethan Strange are the three nominees in the category.

A fired up Gould said on Nine’s 100% Footy on Monday: “He’s the rookie of the year from here to Mars”, adding that “the rules are wrong”.

Galvin was suspended for two games for a hip drop tackle early in the season, ruling him out of eligibility for the award.

“He’s 18, he wouldn’t know what a hip drop was,” Gould said.

“He’d think it’s a rock and roll song, he’d think it’s hip hop. He’s the best rookie in the competition.”

Paul Gallen argued the Tigers finishing on the bottom of the ladder didn’t help Galvin’s chances, but Gould disagreed.

“It’s not the wooden spoon award, it’s the rookie of the year award,” he said.

“It’s going to be a tragedy for our game that when he ends up one of the greatest players of all time that they didn’t have him down as the rookie of the year in his rookie year.”

Parramatta’s Blaize Talagi and Melbourne’s Sualauvi Fa’alogo were also overlooked.

While Galvin’s omission from the nominees list was expected given his suspension, there were some other eyebrow-raising calls, including the omission of Warriors prop Mitch Barnett.

The veteran forward was one of the form players of the year and was selected for his NSW Blues debut, however failed to be nominated amongst the best five props of the year.

Lachlan Galvin isn’t nominated for rookie of the year. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

HOW TO WATCH

Tune in for red carpet coverage hosted by Fox League’s Lara Pitt and Jake Duke from 7:30 PM, streaming live on Kayo Sports and available on Fox League channel 502.

The main event begins at 8:00 PM with the highly anticipated NRL Men’s count, led by

Fox League’s Yvonne Sampson and two-time Dally M Medal winner Cooper Cronk.

Meanwhile, the NRLW count will be presented by Fox NRLW hosts Lara Pitt and Roosters

premiership winner Corban Baxter.

MEN’S DALLY M LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 12

Dally M Leaderboard after Round 12

31 points — Dylan Edwards (Panthers)

30 points — Nicho Hynes (Sharks)

27 points — Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)

24 points — Isaah Yeo (Panthers)

23 points — James Tedesco (Roosters)

23 points — Viliame Kikau (Bulldogs)

21 points — Zac Lomax (Dragons)

21 points — Patrick Carrigan (Broncos)

21 points — Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)

21 points — Isaiya Katoa (Dolphins)

18 points — Scott Drinkwater (Cowboys)

17 points — Ben Hunt (Dragons)

17 points — Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins)

17 points — Kalyn Ponga (Knights)

COACH: Craig Bellamy (Storm), Cameron Ciraldo (Bulldogs), Ivan Cleary (Panthers)

CAPTAIN: Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs), Harry Grant (Storm), Isaah Yeo (Panthers)

ROOKIE: Jack Bostock (Dolphins), Kayal Iro (Sharks), Ethan Strange (Raiders)

Provan-Summons Medal

Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs)

Tyrone Munro (Rabbitohs)

Joe Ofahengaue (Eels)

Top Tryscorer

AlofianaKhan-Pereira (Titans)

Top Pointscorer

Val Holmes (Cowboys)

2024 Dally M Awards nominees

FULLBACK: Dylan Edwards (Panthers), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins), James Tedesco (Roosters)

WINGERS: Alofiana Khan-Pereira (Titans), Jacob Kiraz (Bulldogs), Zac Lomax (Dragons), Brian To’o (Panthers), Will Warbrick (Storm)

CENTRES: Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Val Holmes (Cowboys), Jesse Ramien (Sharks), Kotoni Staggs (Broncos)

FIVE-EIGHTH: Matt Burton (Bulldogs), Tom Dearden (Cowboys), Jarome Luai (Panthers)

HALFBACK: Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles), Jahrome Hughes (Storm), Ben Hunt (Dragons)

HOOKER: Blayke Brailey (Sharks), Harry Grant (Storm), Reece Robson (Cowboys)

PROPS: Lindsay Collins (Roosters), James Fisher-Harris (Panthers), Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors), Moses Leota (Panthers), Joseph Tapine (Raiders)

SECOND-ROWERS: Angus Crichton (Roosters), Eliesa Katoa (Storm), Viliame Kikau (Bulldogs), Jaydn Su’A (Dragons), Hudson Young (Raiders)

LOCK: Pat Carrigan (Broncos), Reuben Cotter (Cowboys), Isaah Yeo (Panthers)

2023 winners Kalyn Ponga and Tamika Upton. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

MEN’S DALLY M WINNERS

2023 Kalyn Ponga

2022 Nicho Hynes

2021 Tom Trbojevic

2020 Jack Wighton

2019 James Tedesco

2018 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

2017 Cameron Smith

2016 Cooper Cronk and Jason Taumalolo

2015 Johnathan Thurston

2014 Jarryd Hayne and Johnathan Thurston

2013 Cooper Cronk

2012 Ben Barba

2011 Billy Slater

2010 Todd Carney

2009 Jarryd Hayne

2008 Matt Orford

2007 Johnathan Thurston

2006 Cameron Smith

2005 Johnathan Thurston

2004 Danny Buderus

2003 Not Awarded

2002 Andrew Johns

2001 Preston Campbell

2000 Trent Barrett

1999 Andrew Johns

1998 Andrew Johns

1997 Not Awarded

1996 Allan Langer

1995 Laurie Daley

1994 Cliff Lyons

1993 Ricky Stuart

1992 Gary Freeman

1991 Michael Potter

1990 Cliff Lyons

1989 Gavin Miller

1988 Gavin Miller

1987 Peter Sterling

1986 Peter Sterling

1985 Greg Alexander

1984 Michael Potter

1983 Terry Lamb

1982 Ray Price

1981 Steve Rogers

1980 Robert Laurie

1979 Steve Morris

WOMEN’S DALLY M WINNERS

2023 Tamika Upton

2022 Raecene McGregor

2021 Emma Tonegato and Millie Boyle

2020 Ali Brigginshaw

2019 Jessica Sergis

2018 Brittany Breayley-Nati

2017 Simaima Taufua

2016 Kezie Apps

2015 Jenii Sue Hopper

Fox League’s NRL Grand Final week continues with a bonus episode of NRL 360 on Thursday night before a special edition of The Matty Johns Show airing on Friday at 6.30pm.

The NRLW Grand Final taking place on Sunday 3:55 PM, live on Kayo and Foxtel as the Sharks take on the Roosters.

Originally published as 2024 Dally M Medal guide: Phil Gould fires up at award snub