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Kalyn Ponga, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Valentine Holmes will enter the 2018 Dally M Medal ceremony as favourites to take out the top individual honour in the game. Join The Roar for live coverage of the count and all the other awards from 8:30pm (AEST).
When voting went behind closed doors after 12 rounds of competition (four rounds earlier than usual), Ponga was equal second on 16 votes, with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck a further four votes back on 12.
The leader at that point was James Maloney, who will be also in calculations to take out the games top honour.
While logic would dictate the trio are the ones who are most likely to fight out the crown, Holmes is throwing a spanner in the works.
Even though he was well off the pace at the halfway point of the season, he has set the world on fire during the second half of the year and would have picked up a mountain of points.
Did he get enough? Only time will tell, but without a single player being a dominant force all season long, it’s hard to say one way or another.
Ponga has the advantage of not having points stolen from him, but the disadvantage of injury late in the season and not winning many games.
In the other award categories, coach of the year is likely to go to South Sydney leader Anthony Seibold, while the captain’s gong could also end up at the same club with Greg Inglis putting in a strong season. Of course, Trent Robinson and Craig Bellamy could also throw their name up for coach of the year, but given pre-season expectations, Seibold has done a sensational job.
Rookie of the year is turning into quite the fight. Jamayne Isaako has led the league in scoring this season and played all 25 games for the Broncos, while Rhyse Martin at Canterbury and AJ Brimson at the Titans have also been outstanding.
In women’s player of the year, the candidates are everywhere, with the likes of Chelsea Baker, Isabelle Kelly, Zahara Temara, Ali Brigginshaw, Sam Bremner, Brittany Breayley, Ruan Sims, Jess Sergis and Hila Mariu set to battle it out.
Prediction
I’m going to go with Ponga to take out the Dally M. He has had an outstanding season and has the advantage of playing in a Newcastle side who were without the only player stealing points from him, Mitchell Pearce, for a considerable length of time.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the 2018 Dally M Medal Ceremony from 8:30pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Start time: 8:30pm (AEST)
Venue: Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney
TV: Live, Fox League 502
Online: Live, Foxtel app, Foxtel now
Leaderboard after Round 12
1. James Maloney (Panthers) – 17 votes
=2. Kalyn Ponga (Knights) – 16 votes
=2. Luke Brooks (Tigers) – 16 votes
=2. Andrew Fifita (Sharks) – 16 votes
5. Gareth Widdop (Dragons) – 14 votes
=6. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors) – 12 votes
=6. Jai Arrow (Titans) – 12 votes
=6. Damien Cook (Rabbitohs) – 12 votes
=9. Mitchell Pearce (Knights) – 11 votes
=9. Benji Marshall (Tigers) – 11 points
=9. Ashley Taylor (Titans) – 11 points
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