The Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the National Rugby League, which is given to the player voted by commentators as the best and fairest in the competition for that year. It is awarded to those that have performed remarkably well throughout the season and those that have limited their suspension during the year, as players lose three points for every week they are suspended.
The award was named after Henry Herbert 'Dally' Messenger, who was instrumental in the establishment of rugby league football in Australia. The award was originally established in 1980 by the The Daily Mirror newspaper and was for many years the second major individual award behind the Rothmans Medal. The Rothmans Medal was withdrawn, from 1997 onwards, because it was sponsored by Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc., a tobacco production company. This was because all tobacco advertising and sponsorship was prohibited in Australia in 1992, under the Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act 1992. In 1997 the best and fairest medal was the Provan-Summons Medal.
In 1998, with the merger of the Australian Rugby League and the Australian Super League, the Dally M became the only player-of-the-year award. The medal is awarded at the annual Dally M Awards night where as well as honoring the player of the year, the awards night also recognizes the premier player in each position, the best coach and the most outstanding rookie of the season.
[edit] Venues & Broadcasters
[edit] Official Player of the Year
1968-1996 Rothmans Medal
1997 Provan-Summons Medal
1998-current Dally M Medal
Andrew Johns was the first player to win the official Player of the Year award three times while Michael Cronin, Dennis Pittard, Peter Sterling and Johnathon Thurston have won the award twice each.
The Dally M awards were not held in 2003 because of to a breakdown in negotiations between the Rugby League Professionals Association and the National Rugby League over a collective bargaining agreement. Craig Gower, who would have won the 2003 Dally M Medal, was presented with a special award at the 2004 RLPA Awards.[1]
[edit] Dally M Award winners (1980-1996)
In 1998 the Dally M became the only and official player-of-the-year award. Before this, the winners were -
[edit] Queensland Rothmans Medal
Awarded to the Brisbane Rugby League Premiership's best and fairest player.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Walter, Brad; "Buderus hailed the best"; The Sun-Herald; 12 December 2004
[edit] External links
