The 2014 Dally M Medal will be awarded on the NRL’s night of nights, with Johnathan Thurston, Sam Burgess and Jarryd Hayne all right up the top of the list of contenders. Join The Roar from 8pm AEST for the the full vote count and results of the team of the year.
There will be glitz, there will be glamour, and there will be a team of the year and a Dally M Medal winner for good measure!
When voting went behind closed doors with 10 rounds to go, Broncos halfback Ben Hunt and North Queensland ace Johnathan Thurston led the race for the NRL’s top prize on 19 votes, with Jarryd Hayne and Sam Burgess lurking in second place on 18.
MORE DALLY M:
Dally M Medal: Preview and predictions
Dally M 2014: Contender breakdown and analysis
Thurston, Hayne and Burgess will be the three big names to watch in tonight’s count, with Hunt and Gareth Widdop, also on 18 votes when it went dark, not having as strong finishes to the season.
Sam Burgess missed plenty of football in the last 10 weeks, not playing in Round 18, 23 and 24. His form in the games he did play was tremendous, so he could still be a big danger.
Hayne enjoyed a tremendous 2014 season, but whether he can top Thurston is an entirely different matter, with the Cowboys half on a level of his own after the State of Origin period.
He led North Queensland to eight wins from their final nine regular season matches, helping them reach fifth place on the NRL ladder and a qualifying final, where they were bundled out in a close match against the Roosters.
If he wins, it would be his third Dally M, after his triumphs in 2005 an 2007, and it would bring him level with rugby league great Andrew Johns for the most Dally Ms.
He is widely tipped to claim this rare honour, and it would be a fitting testament to the season he and the Cowboys enjoyed.
Hayne should be his closest rival, with Sam Burgess third in the count.
Whatever the case, you’ll find out right here from 8pm AEST, as we take you through the full count of the Dally M.
Elise
Guest
Thanks Liam!
Paulipaul
Guest
Not true. It's because both players carry there teams destiny in there hands. I'm sure if you gave them the choice of other people in there respective teams standing up and them having to win the game by themselves they would choose the other players to step up. However at the end of the day your talking about the 2 best players at the moment and they stand out in any team they play. They were joint players player in the world cup final last year and hayne carried nsw in game 1 origin at suncorp where he got mom. So any team they play in the teams fortune rests on there shoulders, there that good.
john badseed
Guest
Don't quite understand the Dally M's. Nothing wrong with the winners but those two are always likely to get the three points playing for their particular clubs. For example, do the Bunnies players have the same chance of snaring top points consistently? If not do you win the award because you're the only go to player in an average club?
Louis McIntyre
Roar Guru
As a Manly fan I agree that DCE and Lyon probably didn't deserve their positional awards. Ben Hunt has been great this year and Lyon wasn't even the best centre at Manly as Steve Matai had a cracker of a year. Despite this Lyon definitely deserved captain of the year, he led the team to equal top spot with all the in fighting and drama. Compare that to minicheilo who had no adversity to deal with at the Roosters all year.
Benny
Guest
Soward didnt poll more votes than dce
Bob
Guest
I think hayne deserved player if the year he has had a stand out year topping the true scoring ladder. He definetly deserved it
Andrew
Guest
Hayne deserved the Dally M with Thurston. People who say he doesn't, well - they're mugs anyway!
Clark
Guest
Cowboys lead by Thurston apat pulled off the greatest comeback of all time last week, you have no clue
robby
Guest
hard done by whom - wake up JT is average would not get a first grade start 20 or so years ago and is very average as i said before in an era of very average players- remember the game plan 5 hitups and kick or in defence 5 grapples and hold them down and wait for the attack or defence mistake on a kick- boring playe no wonder the crowds at games are down and viewing audience on TV too- the game is boring
robby
Guest
they get three people coming out of a pub late or early morning and then ask them for their 3,2 and 1's - oh these people are allegedly called sport journalists supposedly working for the major papers
robby
Guest
JT is an average player in an era of average players wake up these plodders nowdays would be playing reserve grade or bush footy 20 or so years ago - it's like watching the robot from lost in space in relation to how little skills todays RL have all players play the same with little skill and coaches have the same game plane mostly- 5 hit ups and bomb or short kick and or wait for the mistake from the opposition. NRL will last another 10 year if that
robby
Guest
its the NRL mate they have different rules the media darling always win and the NRL decides whom
robby
Guest
another aveage player lucky to be playing NRL a hack if i ever seen one - wow he has pace who cares
Paulipaul
Guest
Last time I checked it's a individual award not a team award. Haynes year was remarkable. ..leading try scorer and leading in line breaks. .Instead of going on about the eels not making the eight you should be saying how amazing hayne played to single handedly take his team to the brink of the finals. I always say hayne haters are the most vicious of all haters. .but there is no denying thst at 26 he had already carved out a great career.
robby
Guest
JT is only good when the cows are in front mostly like Hayne at parra mostly so overated these two which clearly shows how poor the standard of the NRL is when these two plodders win player of the year- both play for average teams so easy to stand out but mostly where are they when their teams need to win they both go missing
robby
Guest
gees i could go with some of these but winger would be Mansour- hooker Jake Friend - second rower - Centre-Walker- Second rower- Guerra - half- Soward - why dont they select a 17 player team though and coach of the year in the same category- team of the year and coach ?????????????????????- this is why the NRL are losing fans eopds selecting the award winners- Soward polled more points than DCE for starters and how is he them half of the year??? amazing goodye NRL hello AFL
Glen Topireta
Guest
@McCow.....Thats very true. You know if Hayne was in a blistering form, why was his eels out of top eight? What a shame......JT deserves the award alone.
Glen Topireta
Guest
I find it very hard to comprehend Jared Hayne sharing the top award with JT. If he was in a blistering form all through out the season, why was his team out of top eight....Its a shame, total bullshit.
McCow
Guest
JT deserved that metal alone!!! He owned 5/8 and 1/2 back positions in the NRL this year - him alone!! He lead the cows to finish fifth - hayne? Shot his nose into the swamps and eels were nowhere in sight for the finals
Mick1985
Guest
How did thurston lead the Cowboys against manly? Even his super coach score was nearly in the dud category. Hayne got the highest super coach score in a losing side against canberra. Wake up man