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Everything you didn't know about the Dally Ms

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Expert
1st October, 2019
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It’s that famous time on the NRL calendar when the players converge on Star City Casino for their coveted night of nights.

But while the Broncos enjoy another regulation Wednesday on premium-limit pokies, everyone else will be at the Hordern Pavilion for the Dally Ms.

The Dally M Awards ceremony is the night rugby league comes together to celebrate sustained displays of ability, composure and aptitude under pressure, and all the other skills footballers need to get a necktie straight.

Established in 1979 by The Daily Mirror, the concept found itself immediately entrenched in the rugby league landscape, especially when the tabloid instantly bagged its own award for being “too rewarding” and “Todd Greenberg’s fault”.

The early years of the Dally Ms were nothing like those of today, with initial iterations conducted in a modest tone. This saw the first ceremony double as a judiciary hearing, resulting in the inaugural winner being crowned as Geoff Robinson was cross-examined for a squirrel grip while consuming 13 beers.

Modern times have seen the evening mature to a ritzy occasion, with the focus now centred on the dresses – those adorned by the stunning wives and partners, and others by players arriving straight from Mad Monday.

Named in honour of the sport’s most celebrated player, Dally M Cherry-Evans, the winner of the award is usually determined from a wide pool of 12 ball-players, Jason Taumalolo, and anyone lucky enough to benefit from lazy judges and alphabetical order.

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Jason Taumalolo North Queensland Cowboys NRL Rugby League Grand Final 2017

Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The final winner is decided by voting from a specialist panel established by the NRL. Handpicked to studiously assess 25 rounds of performances, those chosen are usually the cream of the game’s keenest eyes, with some even known to occasionally watch the games.

Votes are awarded on a straightforward 3-2-1 basis, not only to provide an adequate scope for reward, but to ensure the mathematics involved remain at a Grade 3 standard to facilitate the panel’s tabloid columnists.

While scheduling of the event has varied over the years, recent times have seen the NRL opt to stage the awards in grand final week, in a bid to avoid any obvious logistical clashes with the playoffs and – more importantly – the finale of The Bachelor.

This year’s broadcast will feature on Fox Sports, with the network somehow unearthing an available three-hour slot for telecast in among its reams of televised podcasts and Matty Johns.

In addition to culminating with the announcement of the game’s best individual, the night also includes the naming of the Team of the Year. This rewards the standout players in each respective position and has been expanded in recent times to include the interchange role, a nod to the importance of bench players in an era of high-level fatigue and extremely dangerous firework displays.

The Dally Ms also include the crowning of the season’s best rookie, with Brisbane’s Payne Haas set to earn this year’s award after thriving under the extreme adversity of board ructions and Anthony Seibold’s gameplan.

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Payne Haas of the Broncos.

Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

But who is likely to take home this year’s gong as the season’s best individual?

The final count has remained shrouded in mystery since mid-season, with the leaderboard going behind closed doors after Round 14, after which James Tedesco’s landslide of votes were recorded privately.

The Roosters fullback is the hot favourite to take out the main award, however he is being pursued by a star-studded field including Cam Smith, Cameron Munster, Taumalolo, Mitchell Pearce, and a range of other potential runners-up.

Kiwi Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is also in the mix to defend his title as the game’s official best, despite last year’s ignominy of being stopped at customs under suspicion as a Warriors player carrying something of success.

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Bookmakers have also spoken of late interest in Mitchell Moses, with the Eels halfback storming home at the backend of the season with a staggering 25 line breaks. However, 23 of these were recorded against the Broncos.

Should Moses somehow secure the title in a boilover, organisers are said to be preparing for the 2019 award to remain in a cycle of unresolved countbacks until the end of time.

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