Dally Messenger is remembered as one of the greatest rugby league players of all time, held in such high esteem that the Dally M Medal was named after him.
This medal is awarded annually to the best player in the NRL as judged by a panel of commentators and former players.
Unfortunately, despite the status of Messenger as a player, that hasn’t prevented a series of controversies and mishaps surrounding the voting and awarding of the medal.
This has included judges posting votes for games that they may not have watched live (or at all), and last year, the Daily Telegraph leaked that Jack Wighton was the winner prior to it being announced at the ceremony. Oops.
There have only been two rounds of footy in season 2021, yet questions about the Dally M voting process have arisen in both.
In Round 1, Darren Lockyer was a judge for the game between the Parramatta Eels and the Brisbane Broncos. Lockyer has been involved in judging for the Dally Ms for several years, but questions were raised because he was casting votes in a game involving a club that he is employed by.
I am not for a moment questioning Lockyer’s integrity, but given the number of games and the number of judges, wouldn’t it make sense for Lockyer not to cast votes on Broncos games?
Transparency is important in voting for an award and in the case of Brisbane and Lockyer, there is a conflict of interest. This conflict should be managed.
Darren Lockyer in his playing days (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
This week, questions were asked about the votes put forward by Sam Thaiday for the game between the Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers, in which he awarded three points to Brett Morris, two to James Tedesco and one to Daine Laurie.
It has long been a habit of judges to award one point to the best player on the losing team. But why? Aren’t votes meant to go to the best players on the field, regardless of whether they are on the winning side or the losing side?
After Luke Keary’s performance in that game, including four try assists, it’s unusual he was awarded zero points.
Morris himself is questioning the system and has suggested it is “unfair” that he is leading the votes after two rounds.
“When Teddy and Keary do it consistently I don’t feel they’re being rewarded. They’re still playing at an extremely high level week in week out and they don’t get recognised, but they should,” he said.
Morris suggested a player like Tedesco is a victim of his own success, as fans and commentators expect excellence from him. The fullback regularly delivers but instead of being recognised as excellent each week, it’s simply recognised as what he does, week in, week out.
There are other flaws.
Because votes need to be awarded each game, the system works in favour of standout players in teams that do not have many of them.
Take the North Queensland Cowboys. I know Jason Taumalolo is injured right now, but given the lack of excellence in the Cowboys and the way Taumalolo plays, you wouldn’t be surprised if he received votes every week. There is certainly less competition in that squad for quality players to be awarded points.
Jason Taumalolo (Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
Compare that to a team like the Chooks, who have the likes of Boyd Cordner, James Tedesco, Luke Keary and Brett and Josh Morris (among others) all in contention each week.
Throughout the year, no doubt we will see points awarded to players based on their performances during the season rather than solely on their performance in a particular game.
If the Dally M Medal wants to be an accurate reflection of the best player in the NRL, then the voting system needs to be more intensive.
Could each player in a game be given a ranking out of ten and then those points be tallied up at the end of the season? Because it seems bleedingly obvious that the current system is not working.
Dally Messenger was one of the greatest players our game has ever seen. His award should reflect that excellence. To do this, the voting needs to change.
Spartacus
Roar Rookie
NB, except for Greg "Hollywood" Hartley the referees back then KNEW the game and didn't smother it on technicalities. They knew how to let the game flow, and they understood the rules and also the spirit of WHY the rule was in place. Referees these days are too black and white and more like accountants with spreadsheets. They can't agree on a set interpretation of the rules and therefore their interpretations change like the weather. At least with one ref there is less confusion.
Brendon Waldron
Roar Pro
I don't think the problem is 3, 2, 1 but the fact that one judge does one game. I think if all judges watched all games and all did a 3, 2, 1 for each game, add up all the votes and give the official 3, 2, 1, to the 3 highest polling players or something like that, it would be a fairer system. I don't think rating them out of 10 fixes anything if it's still just Sam Thaiday doing the ratings for one game, Luke Lewis doing them for some other game and Lockyer doing them for a different game. They're meaningless if it's not a unified ratings system...
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Spartacus except that the Rothmans medal which became the Dally M was judged by the referee what’s more back in those days we also had one referee
Brendon Waldron
Roar Pro
"That not one Eels player received any points despite winning is a bad blight on the system" Uh, Eels players received the top 2 spots, mate...
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Nah the problem is we’re using a linear scale! It’s has to be logarithmic. I say this every year or four.
Dandragon
Roar Rookie
What an odd comment directed towards this reputable author & highly accomplished woman with 515 articles published on this forum alone. I’m imagining she’s thrilled to have “finally” earned your approval (given your history of highly negative posts under your various usernames) & is further encouraged to “keep this up” to earn your continued approval. Now, back to her article...
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Not that I’m all fired up either but it shouldn’t be too much to ask for a level of professionalism in these awards commensurate with how they’re sold. 2020 comparison of teams shows almost half the sides are different. Dally M winner doesn’t even make the top 4 finalists, beaten out by team mate Papalii nor the dream team, considered inferior to Keary (despite form slumping over the last few qualifying rounds). I’d rather have Cam Smith or Munster, Cordener or Papalii recognize me as the best player in the comp. rather than Sam Thaiday or Paul Whatarua.. They’re the votes that really count.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
The Dally M scoring is a complete joke. This was no more evident a couple of years back when one of the judges submitted points and it turned out she didn’t even watch the game! Why not let the fans at the game vote? An interactive app for club members to vote players performance from the team the follow/are a paid member? Why are we using journos and ex players?
Spartacus
Roar Rookie
Referees ND? They can’t even agree on a uniform interpretation of the rules! How then can they be relied upon for a consistent and informed opinion on a player’s performance especially when they are distracted by other concerns like tackle counts, infringements, six again calls, illegal play off the ball etc. No, that will never work. Perhaps it works in AFL where there are 3 central umpires, 4 boundary umpires and 2 goal umpires which is practically a starting side in the NRL, but it will never work in Rugby League. Besides, how would players like Paul Gallen and Sam Burgess ever have been given an objective critique by referees? It would never have happened.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Mary, I believe the Brownlow in the AFL is voted on by the referees, now if we had the ref, and two others who have to be at the game and I do not mind if one and only one is from the media then we may have a far more objective view of who is the better players on the day. I will put it this way say the centre or the winger prevents a couple of tries being scored and Brett Morris scores three tries who has actually been the better player? However the spectacular tries stick in peoples minds not the try saving tackles.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Whilst the Brownlow Medal is a big deal in the AFL world, a test to see how interested NRL fans are in the Dally M would be as follows: Without cheating how many of the past 10 NRL premiers can you name? Now. How many of the past 10 Dally M winners can you name?
Bunney
Roar Rookie
You only have to read the player ratings after SOO to realise how fraught the ranking every player out of 10 system can be
Spartacus
Roar Rookie
I have the solution Mary on how to "Make the 'Dally M' Great Again!" Use Supercoach scores! No bias, no subjectivity. Just stats that accurately reflect a player's true involvement in the game! And you're welcome! Now for my next trick I will pull a Rabbit out of the hat and predict the Bunnies to beat the chooks again this weekend on their way to their 21st premiership.
Spartacus
Roar Rookie
"Paul, can’t I just stir the hornets nest and walk away?" :silly: Finally Mary you are speaking my language! I've been stirring the pot for years and it never gets old. Keep this up, and you will be engaging in banter in no time. :thumbup:
Spartacus
Roar Rookie
"You want rules about winning margins determining if a player was one of the best on the paddock?" For example last year's elimination semi-final when Souths beat the Eels 38-24 but Clint Gutherson was the best on-field. Top marks btw for the profile name. I wonder how many here appreciate the wit and irony given the number of armchair experts on this forum. And yes, guilty as charged. :thumbup:
Nat
Roar Guru
Yes but what is it? You received many :thumbup: for your take on the flawed system it started as and yet to evolve from while highlighting the RLPA process. A quick glance of the 2019 season and the two have pretty came to the same conclusion for the winner, rookie and all but winger, Half and Lock picked the same team. I'm not advocating for or against any system, this is the longest I've thought about Daly M voting TBH. I'm saying while it's opinion based, someone is as strong on theirs as you are on yours. The only one that counts is the one that actually counts.
The Sporacle
Roar Rookie
Come on over you know you want to, that’s the first sign of conversion. Pricey (Ray not Steve) gets in your head then next thing you’re on the bus with him to the pub in Gerringong, then bang welcome to untold suffering :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
souvalis
Roar Rookie
There’s no perfect system but that doesn’t mean there’s not a better one waiting to be developed. A selection process that tramples over the top of the insult to our intelligence selections which ultimately dudded Gutho late last year of overall honors and lost further credibility over the last two weeks. You can’t deliver mediocrity too often and not expect the public to walk away.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
There were 3 outstanding players Luke Moz and then Teddy..you watched it you know that, don’t think people are concerned about the order so much just that one who was at least equal to anything out there was shouldered by a player whose contribution generally impacted the games scoreboard and his teams impetus far less significantly.
Paul
Roar Guru
Yep, found out about hornet's nests a few months ago when I very cleverly DIDN'T run away! Even copious amber fluid didn't take the pain away. :crying: