Dally M Medal
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The Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the National Rugby League, which is given to the player voted by referees as the best and fairest in the competition for that year. To be eligible, a player must not have been suspended from the competition at any stage during the season and obviously have performed remarkably well through-out the season, the player usually had received representative honors as well.
The award was named after Henry Herbert 'Dally' Messenger, who was instrumental in the establishment of Rugby League in Australia. The award was originally established in 1980 by the Daily Mirror newspaper and was for many years the second major individual award behind the Rothmans Medal. The Rothmans Medal was forced to withdraw itself from presentations to players due to the fact 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 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] Official Player of the Year
1968-1996 Rothmans Medal
1997 Provan-Summons Medal
1998-current Dally M Medal
Players who have received the medal more than once:
- Andrew Johns (Newcastle Knights) = 3
- Peter Sterling (Parramatta Eels) = 2
- Michael Cronin (Parramatta Eels) = 2
- Dennis Pittard (South Sydney Rabbitohs) = 2
- Johnathon Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys) = 2
[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 -
- 1980 Robert Laurie (South Sydney)
- 1981 Steve Rogers (Cronulla)
- 1982 Ray Price (Parramatta)
- 1983 Terry Lamb (Western Suburbs)
- 1984 Michael Potter (Canterbury)
- 1985 Greg Alexander (Penrith)
- 1986 Peter Sterling (Parramatta)
- 1987 Peter Sterling (Parramatta)
- 1988 Gavin Miller (Cronulla)
- 1989 Gavin Miller (Cronulla)
- 1990 Cliff Lyons (Manly)
- 1991 Michael Potter (St George)
- 1992 Gary Freeman (Eastern Suburbs)
- 1993 Ricky Stuart (Canberra)
- 1994 Cliff Lyons (Manly)
- 1995 Laurie Daley (Canberra)
- 1996 Allan Langer (Brisbane)
- 1997 No Award - Super League War
