Nathan Cleary has completed rugby league’s boxset of awards after the Penrith star was voted the runaway winner of his first Dally M Medal at the NRL’s gala night.
Unable to attend Wednesday’s awards in Sydney after his horror ankle injury in Penrith’s preliminary-finals loss, Cleary finished 14 points clear of Cronulla half Braydon Trindall.
Tamika Upton also claimed her third Dally M Medal as NRLW player of the year, defending her crown from last year when the Brisbane fullback became the award’s first multiple winner.
Warriors mentor Andrew Webster pipped Justin Holbrook to be the NRL’s coach of the year, while Canberra playmaker Ethan Sanders was rookie of the year.
But the story of the night was Cleary, who left hospital on Wednesday after undergoing emergency surgery on his ankle.
Despite being the best player of this decade, the Dally M had somehow evaded Cleary due to a run of injuries or suspensions.
But he played 23 games this year, setting up 29 tries and acting as the chief architect of Penrith’s run to the preliminary final.
Cleary, 28, led the race for the majority of the year, polling 67 votes ahead of Trindall’s 53 and fellow Panther Dylan Edwards on 52.
Haumole Olakau’atu finished fourth, while Herbie Farnworth and Scott Drinkwater tied for fifth at the gala night at Sydney’s Barangaroo.
Cleary had earlier this year claimed his maiden Wally Lewis Medal, silencing his critics by leading NSW to a 2-1 State of Origin series victory.
He has also won two Clive Churchill Medals for his grand final performances to go with his four premierships at Penrith.
Meanwhile, Newcastle’s magical run to the grand final was not reflected in the Dally M team of the year, with the Knights having no players in the side.
Kalyn Ponga also missed out on captain of the year and Holbrook as coach, with all voting complete at the end of the regular season, when the Knights finished seventh.
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Robert Toia and Naufahu Whyte were the two Sydney Roosters representatives named in the side.
In the NRLW, Upton’s win came after she polled six points in the penultimate round and then one point in Round 11 to beat Wests Tigers’ half, Raecene McGregor
Newcastle winger, Mercedez Taulelei-Siala, was named rookie of the year, after a season when she scored 13 tries in 12 games. Gold Coast mentor, Karyn Murphy, won the coach’s medal.
The heart-touching moment of the night came when South Sydney’s Jai Arrow was presented the Peter Frilingos headline moment and the Provan-Summons spirit of the game award for the way he has approached his battle with motor neurone disease.
NRL team of the year:
Dylan Edwards, Thomas Jenkins, Herbie Farnworth, Robert Toia, Selwyn Cobbo, Braydon Trindall, Nathan Cleary, James Fisher-Harris, Wayde Egan, Naufahu Whyte, Haumole Olakau’atu, Hamish Stewart, Eric Clark. Coach: Andrew Webster.
NRLW team of the year:
Tamika Upton, Julia Robinson, Isabelle Kelly, Jess Sergis, Brydie Parker, Teagan Levi, Raecene McGregor, Millie Elliott, Keeley Nizza, Sarah Togatuki, Evania Isa’ako, Shaylee Bent, Olivia Kernick. Coach: Karyn Murphy.
