With the regular season wrapped up and us being deep into the finals race now, let’s pull out that crystal ball and try some predictions for the Dally M award races on grand final week.
I will look to cover the majority of the awards given out on the night, mostly the player-based ones.
For all awards, I have given deep thought about who is really deserving of them. Here are my Dally M award medal recipients.
Winger of the year: Reuben Garrick
Due to injuries to Brian To’o and Alex Johnston, I am going with the Manly left winger for this award. He will also receive another prestigious award on the night, which goes to show his form in 2021, as the league’s leading point-scorer.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Centre of the year: Justin Olam
By the smallest of margins, I have Olam ahead of Joseph Manu and Matt Burton. What a year the PNG player has had. He has developed his game from more than just brute strength, but now with a strong offload game. His draw-and-pass skills are second to none and he is the overall best hype man in the NRL.
Five-eighth of the year: Cody Walker
He is the man who led the league in try assists and line break assists. It is a given for him in this award. He has played scintillating football this year. It seems the less he touches the ball, the more havoc he creates.
Halfback of the year: Nathan Cleary
This award can genuinely go to Jahrome Hughes as well, given Cleary’s injury this year. But due to the fact the positions are based on overall Dally M points, Cleary gets the rub of the green here. Cleary realistically has it all in a halfback – he just needs to own a finals series. Scary signs for Parramatta this weekend.
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Prop of the year: James Fisher-Harris
He may not be the best prop, or the biggest name in the prop category, but the ‘Fish’ just goes about his work and is very damn good at it too. The key to the Panthers’ engine, Fisher-Harris was sorely missed when he had a few weeks off, due to the birth of his child. He seems to get better and better every year.
Hooker of the year: Brandon Smith
The man nicknamed ‘the Cheese’ has had a huge year. This time last year, he was potentially the third-string hooker at his own club. With Cameron Smith retiring, and Harry Grant starting the year injured, Smith took the chance with both hands and has not looked back. It is well deserved, and his transition to a short-stint lock forward to a game-breaking hooker has been nothing short of superb.
Second-rower of the year: Isaiah Papali’i
The Warriors recruit who came over from Parramatta, potentially to develop, in the blink of an eye became the buy of the year and the best second-rower of this year. There are close candidates like David Fifita and Angus Crichton, but little ‘Papa’ gets the nod here.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Lock of the year: Isaah Yeo/Cam Murray
I really cannot split this one. Both are deserving, for different reasons. Murray is undoubtedly the engine in the Souths’ pack with his effort plays. Yeo allows his halves a ball-playing middle third, which opens up space outside for Jarome Luai and Cleary. Please, let’s have co-lock of the year awards.
Interchange player of the year: Harry Grant
Having a guy on the bench good enough to start for his state, it is a no-brainer that Grant will be the interchange player of the year this year. The duo he has with Brandon Smith is quickly becoming one of the most dynamic and effective duos in the game.
Coach of the year: Trent Robinson/Craig Bellamy
Both deserve this award for completely different reasons. Robinson coaches a team who has lost 50 per cent of its salary cap, and still has them in the final six teams remaining, a feat not many coaches could even imagine achieving. Bellamy lost his last member of the big three, and just keeps the Storm machine rolling. For a young side who was meant to fade, they blitzed the regular season competition and are firming for another title race. They are the two best coaches in the game, bar none.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Rookie of the year: Sam Walker
The young Roosters halfback has won a fair few games off his back this season, which has kept the injury-depleted Roosters above water this season. I don’t think anyone will ever forget what he did to the Sharks in Round 5, orchestrating 22 unanswered points in the final 19 minutes to upset the Sharks. It was a comeback for the ages.
Fullback and Dally M player of the year: Tom Trbojevic
It was one of those years you just sat back and marvelled just how good an individual year a player had. What ‘Tommy Turbo’ did this year was absolutely incredible and deserves to be mentioned up there with the ’09 Jarryd Hayne and ’12 Ben Barba performances.
He essentially turned a bottom-four side into a top-four side, and made those around him so much better players. The funniest part of this all is that in a maximum of 24 games eligible to be played in a regular season, he only played 15 this year. Fifteen games and a Dally M medal? Insane. Well deserved.
These are my award predictions for the Dally M awards for 2021. What changes would you make? Give me your thoughts and predictions, Roarers.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
So what award do the Bulldogs get ? Last on the ladder Worst attack Worst defence Worst off field behaviour
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Is Trbojevic as much of a certainty as everyone's predicting? Obviously, he would have polled a whole bunch of 3s, but he missed nine games. Maybe someone like Cody Walker, whose team would've earned the lion's share of points each week because they won 20 games, could've polled in more rounds and done enough to hold off the Sea Eagle with the wet sail.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Good read Willie. This is a debate to be had at a pub over a sports drink. I’d put up Reece Walsh for rookie of the year over Walker. To’o for winger of the year, even with time off.
max power
Guest
the Dally M positional awards never accurately reflect the best player in that position. the 3-2-1 scoring means that the consistent forward rarely gets a point while someone who plays great once in a blue moon can get points
matth
Roar Guru
Put it this way, if Robinson somehow get's his team to a prelim, then he's the man.
Fraser
Roar Rookie
Good call on To'o. He'll definitely be in with a shot. Maybe a 3 horse race with AJ and JAC.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
I don't think Robinson should get coach on what he's done thus far. Out this week and he's 6th on the ladder which is a fair indication of how insipidly weak teams behind him are. A team with Teddy, Manu (missed just 1 week) Tupou, Walker (yeah rookie but a wonder) and a forward set equal to any pack shows the incredible depth the club had...the smackings they copped, the ref whining.. Belly again, in a results driven business owns the scoreboard.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Coach of the year Robbo? Must be joking, the constant whine abut the rorters being rorted is hardly “coach of the year behaviour” . The roosters have been smashed by the Rabbitohs twice including 54-12 thumping, Storm twice including 46-0, Panthers twice, a loss against the Eels and against the Broncos. They are fortunate to have played Manly only once in round 1 otherwise you could chalk up another 50 points against. They have one of the worst disciplinary records than any team over 2021 and add. Robbo’s mismanagement of Radley. All teams have injuries yet despite all their injuries they still have a depth – players like Tedesco, Tupou, J.Morris, Tupouniua. JWH, Radley, Crichton, Sam Walker, Taukeiaho (Manu for 24 games). There's 10-11 players that would pretty much walk into any top NRL side and definately make the first team for 12 other teams. Give any coach that roster and beating the 10 teams below you in 2021 wouldn’t be too hard. Coach of the Year - Des Hasler .
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Alex Johnston - winger of the year (top NRL try scorer two consecutive years, clean skin and good role model). Des Hasler - Coach of the Year - this Manly team was never rated to make the 4, and have. Pundits critcised all the salary cap was used up for 2-3 players. DCE was written off. Cody Walker - Five - Eighth by a mile, and but for Turbo would be the best for Player of the Year. Cameron Murray - lock of the year. Nathan Cleary, Turbo, Burton, Papali'i, B.Smith, Haas all looking likely to fill thier positions.
TJ
Guest
If they are picking a full team then surely To'o and Manu have to be in there.
Fraser
Roar Rookie
Per brookvalesouth’s comment, they choose a Dally M Team of the Year now. Personally, I think Alex Johnston was the best winger, and it’ll be very close between JAC and Garrick for the other spot. I think Burton edges out Manu for the other centre position. Finally I have to give the interchange award to Nicho Hynes – he was just brilliant all year and deserves something. Fullback: Turbo Wingers: AJ, JAC/Garrick Centres: Olam, Burton Five-eighth: Walker Halfback: Cleary Props: Haas, JFH Hooker: B. Smith 2nd row: Fifita, Papali’i Lock: Yeo Interchange: Hynes
brookvalesouth
Roar Rookie
Correct me if I am wrong - but I think there are 14 positional awards now? I think you've nailed it but can also award an extra winger, centre, prop and backrower.
The Barry
Roar Guru
You’re pretty spot on Fullback, five-eighth, hooker, lock, player of the year, rookie are locks. I think Robinson should get coach. Bellamy definitely deserves the gong but I’ve never seen a coach get so much out of a team with so many long term top end of the squad injuries. They would have been excused for rolling over months ago but somehow they’re still swinging. Bellamy does what he does and does it brilliantly , but what Robinson’s done is mind boggling and almost once in a lifetime sort of stuff Winger will be close. JAC will be in the mix as well. I don’t think he missed too many games outside Origin, but I guess plenty of Melbourne players lining up for points in front of him Manu’s back end of the season has been spectacular. Another close one I think you’re right with halfback but Hughes will go VERY close. He played brilliantly all through Origin when the Storm were missing plenty of personnel. Too far to say he carried the team but he and Smith were certainly the glue that held them together I wouldn’t be surprised if JWH got prop. This has been his best season for a long time and he’s really stood up for the Roosters. JFH is probably my favourite player so I wouldn’t begrudge him a win for a second If I was picking a team, first second rower picked would be Angus Crichton but I think he may have missed too much footy. Papali’i has faded a little in the back end but that’s only compared to how good he was at the start