Nathan Cleary could never have imagined collecting his first Dally M Medal while seated in a wheelchair at home.
Cleary has been at the centre of some brilliant moments on the field this season, but the image of him being crowned the game’s best player last night while recovering at home from a badly broken leg will not be forgotten any time soon.
The 28-year-old capped a whirlwind 72 hours by collecting the award that had so far eluded him during his brilliant career.
Brisbane’s Tamika Upton took out her third Dally M as the game’s best female player, and can cap an outstanding season with another premiership on Sunday.
Upton finished on 31 points, polled a full six points in the penultimate round, then one in the last round to beat Wests Tigers’ Raecene McGregor (29 points).
Cleary was the red-hot favourite to take out the Dally M in 2020, only to be pipped by Canberra’s Jack Wighton. But nothing was going to stop him as he polled 67 votes, 14 clear of Cronulla’s Braydon Trindall, with Dylan Edwards a further vote back in third.
The game’s best player suffered a double compound fracture of his leg in Sunday’s preliminary final loss to Newcastle as a result of a tackle that led to Newcastle’s Phoenix Crossland being handed a four-match ban. If Cleary wearing the Dally M Medal around his neck in his lounge room was a lovely touch, so was Crossland’s heartfelt teary apology a night earlier when he received his ban, and told those at the judiciary hearing he felt guilty for taking the gloss off the grand final.
The Penrith halfback was earlier this week handed the Rugby League Players Association’s Players’ Champion, which complemented the Brad Fittler Medal he won for being NSW’s best player and the Wally Lewis Medal, which is awarded to the standout player in the Origin series.
Cleary was also one of three Panthers included in the Dally M team of the year with Edwards and winger Tom Jenkins.
Andrew Webster was crowned coach of the year, fellow New Zealand Warrior James Fisher-Harris the captain of the year and Canberra halfback Ethan Sanders the best rookie.
Sunday’s grand finalists, the Sydney Roosters, had centre Rob Toia and prop Naufahu Whyte named in the team of the year. Newcastle, however, failed to have a player included in that side.
South Sydney’s Jai Arrow was forced to medically retire after being diagnosed with motor neurone diseases this season, and the heart-warming scenes he was involved in on several occasions, including being allowed to bring up his 100th game for the club in the final round before being brought from the field, earned him two awards, the Provan-Summons Medal, and the Peter Frilingos Headline Moment.
NRL Team of the Year
Fullback: Dylan Edwards (Panthers)
Wingers: Tom Jenkins (Panthers), Selwyn Cobbo (Dolphins)
Centres: Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Robert Toia (Roosters)
Five-eighth: Braydon Trindall (Sharks)
Halfback: Nathan Cleary (Panthers)
Props: James Fisher-Harris (Warriors), Naufahu Whyte (Roosters)
Hooker: Wayde Egan (Warriors)
Second-rowers: Haumole Olakau’atu (Sea Eagles), Hamish Stewart (Dragons)
Lock: Erin Clark (Warriors)
NRLW Team of the Year
Fullback: Tamika Upton (Broncos)
Wingers: Julia Robinson (Broncos), Brydie Parker (Roosters)
Centres: Isabelle Kelly (Roosters), Jessica Sergis (Roosters)
Five-eighth: Teagan Levi (Titans)
Halfback: Raecene McGregor (Wests Tigers)
Props: Millie Elliott (Roosters), Sarah Togatuki (Wests Tigers)
Hooker: Keeley Nizza (Roosters)
Second-rowers: Evania Isa’ako (Titans), Shaylee Bent (Wests Tigers)
Lock: Olivia Kernick (Roosters)
