As it happened: 2024 Dally M Awards

The best players and the biggest moments of the 2024 season are set to be honoured at Wednesday night's Dally M Awards ceremony. 

The player of the year across the NRL and NRLW competitions headline the list of awards to be handed out at the event. 

The Team of the Year will also be named, while Try of the Year and Tackle of the Year will be presented. 

Follow below for all the action from rugby league's night of nights, the 2024 Dally M Awards at Sydney's Royal Randwick racecourse on Wednesday night.

Live Blog - Dally M Awards 2024

10:00pm: Jahrome Hughes' New Zealand teammates have honoured the Dally M winner with a powerful haka after he was unveiled as the best player of the 2024 NRL season. 

9:37pm: Jahrome Hughes is the 2024 NRL Dally M Player of the Year. 

The Storm halfback claimed the award by a single point, with both Hughes and James Tedesco receiving the maximum six points in the final round of the season. 

Hughes finished on 62 points, with Tedesco second on 61. 

The playmaker was shocked to be named the Dally M Medallist and paid tribute to his Storm teammates and coach Craig Bellamy for helping him transition from fullback to halfback. 

"It's quite surreal to be honest," Hughes said. "I didn't think I'd ever get the opportunity to win this award. I've got butterflies at the moment. 

"I'm so honoured to be able to win it, I'm speechless."

9:34pm: The 2024 NRLW Dally M Player of the Year is Olivia Kernick. 

The back rower has claimed the award by two points, with Abbi Church in second and Lauren Brown in third.

Kernick was shocked to be named the Dally M winner and paid tribute to everyone at the Roosters for helping her develop into the best player in the competition. 

“Really grateful and honoured to get this award and really grateful to the club Sydney Roosters, providing me the opportunity," she said. 

“I really want to thank John Strange, my coach, he's really helped me over the last few years and helped me develop as a player on and off the field."

 

9:30pm: It's time for the NRL Team of the Year

• Fullback - James Tedesco (Roosters)
• Winger - Zac Lomax (Dragons)
• Winger - Brian To'o (Panthers) 
• Centre - Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs)
• Centre - Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins)
• Five-Eighth - Tom Dearden (Cowboys)
• Halfback - Jahrome Hughes (Storm)
• Hooker - Harry Grant (Storm)
• Prop - Joseph Tapine (Raiders)
• Prop - Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors)
• Second Row - Angus Crichton (Roosters)
• Second Row - Eli Katoa (Roosters)
• Lock - Isaah Yeo (Panthers)

9:25pm: The NRLW Team of the Year has now been unveiled, with Tiana Penitani headlining a star-studded line up. 

• Fullback - Abbi Church (Eels)
• Winger - Julia Robinson (Broncos)
• Winger - Stacey Waaka (Broncos)
• Centre - Isabelle Kelly (Roosters)
• Centre - Tiana Penitani (Sharks)
• Five-Eighth - Zehara Temara (Raiders)
• Halfback - Lauren Brown (Titans)
• Prop - Millie Elliott (Roosters) 
• Prop - Shannon Mato (Titans)
• Hooker - Keeley Davis (Roosters)
• Second row - Olivia Kernick (Roosters)
• Second row - Yasmin Clydsdale (Knights)
• Lock - Simaima Taufa (Raiders) 

9:22pm: The NRLW votes through to Round 8 have been revealed, with Olivia Kernick soaring into first place on 22 points. 

Lauren Brown sits second on 20 points, with Abbi Church on 19 points. 

9:20pm: Votes for Round 25 have been revealed, with Hughes moving three points clear of Tedesco with a five-point game. Tedesco claimed two to remain in second, while Trbojevic's four saw him draw level with Cherry-Evans. 

9:19pm: We've now had an NRL Dally M update for Round 24, with all the big names collecting points. 

Hughes claimed four points and Tedesco six to close the gap and draw level with the Storm halfback at the top of the standings. Cherry-Evans collected another five to sit third on 46 points with three rounds remaining. 

9:15pm: It's now time to update the NRL Dally M leaderboard through to Round 23. Injuries to Dylan Edwards and Nicho Hynes have seen the pair drop to the lower half of the top 10. 

Tom Trbojevic has been the biggest mover, climbing to fourth place on 39 points, with Daly Cherry-Evans third on 41. 

Roosters James Tedesco sits second on 45 points and Jahrome Hughes has climbed into first place on 47 points. 

9:10pm: The NRL Man of the Year is awarded the Westpac Ken Stephen Medal, with inaugural winner Wayne Pearce presenting the award on Wednesday night. 

This year's recipient is Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes who has been recognised for his mental health advocacy and work as an Indigenous leader. He serves on the NRL advisory board for Indigenous issues and founded Cronulla's inaugural Mental Fitness Round. 

9:05pm: The NRL is now honouring players who have gone above and beyond to give back to the community. The Westpac Veronica White Medal is awarded to the Woman of the Year and St George Illawarra winger Kimberley Hunt has been named the winner. 

Hunt has supported the local Indigenous community since joining the Dragons and participates in the Healthy Deadly Kids program and other initiatives with the local Aboriginal Medical Service. 

8:56pm: Another Illawarra product has claimed the NRL Rookie of the Year, with Dolphins winger Jack Bostock awarded the trophy after an impressive breakout season. 

Bostock scored 14 tries in 23 matches to emerge as one of the most promising outside backs in the competition. 

8:50pm: It's time to honour the sport's best young guns with the Rookie of the Year awards up next. 

The NRLW accolade is first, with St George Illawarra teenager Kasey Reh taking home the trophy. 

The playmaker made her debut in Round 1, working her way into the Dragons' starting side and producing a number of crucial plays along the way. Reh also led NSW to a dominant win over Queensland in the Under 19 State of Origin clash.

The niece of Manly legends Glenn and Brett Stewart, Reh has been tipped to enjoy a bright future. 

 

8:46pm: The NRL Coach of the Year is up next and experienced mentor Craig Bellamy has won his seventh Coach of the Year award. 

The veteran steered Melbourne to their 10th grand final under his tenure and their sixth minor premiership this season to continue a two-decade run of success.

8:43pm: Brisbane coach Scott Prince has received the NRLW Coach of the Year award for leading the Broncos to the minor premiership. 

After losing their first two matches, Prince engineered an impressive turnaround and Brisbane reeled off seven-straight wins to finish the regular season.

The coach acknowledged the transition from star halfback to mentor has not been easy, but he's relished the opportunity to help develop players on and off the field. 

“The one thing for me, I guess over the course of the last few years is getting to know the players on a real personal level as well, understanding where they come from, what makes them tick and I think that's something that I've learnt over the years," he said. 

8:36pm: Bulldogs centre Stephen Crichton has been awarded the NRL Captain of the Year trophy. The youngster took charge of Canterbury in his first year at the club, inspiring his side to their first finals appearance since 2016.

Crichton paid tribute to the support coach Cameron Ciraldo provided him throughout the season to help him develop as a player and a leader.

"I definitely wouldn't be in this position without Cam and the boys in our team," Crichton said. "He trusted me to not just lead the boys out, but set an example for the boys, so it's very special."

8:34pm: Sharks skipper Tiana Penitani has been named the NRLW Captain of the Year after leading Cronulla to their first finals series in just their second season. 

Roosters centre Isabelle Kelly and Brisbane veteran Ali Brigginshaw were the two other nominees for the award. 

8:30pm: The men's Dally M votes have been updated for the first time, with the tally now revealed through to Round 18. 

Dylan Edwards has dropped from first to fourth spot after missing NRL games due to State of Origin duties. 

Jahrome Hughes sat outside the top 10 after 12 rounds but has rocketed into the frame after picking up an incredible 27 points in six games. A suspension in Round 2, however, saw him docked six points and he now sits in third on 37 points. 

Manly's Daly Cherry-Evans is the current leader on 39 points, with James Tedesco not too far behind on 38. Dylan Edwards and Scott Drinkwater round out the top five on 34 points. 

8:23pm: The NRLW Dally M votes have been revealed for rounds 5-7, with Lauren Brown receiving eight points to extend her lead at the top to four points. 

Roosters back-rower Olivia Kernick is now outright second on 16 points, with Abbi Church, Simaima Taifa and Tarryn Aiken in equal third on 14 points. 

8:10pm: Parramatta's Zali Fay has reflected on the leap that earned her the Drinkwise Try of the Year.

 

7:57pm: Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo has been named the VB Hardest Working Player of 2024.

7:55pm: Xavier Coates has claimed his second award of the night, the aforementioned four-pointer named the Drinkwise Try of the Year. 

It was an acrobatic effort that quickly went viral, with fans from around the world stunned by Coates' aerial display.

“I got a few DMs on Instagram and a few people messaging me just congratulating me on such a great try," the winger said.

"It was pretty cool because I used to watch highlights of the best tries in the NRL when I was younger, so now that one of my tries is there and all the younger generations watch that, that is pretty good."

7:53pm: Tom Dearden has received the Youi NRL Tackle of the Year for racing 100 metres to chase down a sprinting Selwyn Cobbo and preventing the Brisbane centre from scoring an intercept try with a desperate legs tackle.

“Most players have that instinct that if someone takes an intercept or makes a break, you just head back towards the corner post," Dearden said as he recalled the tackle.

"I was probably lucky that Cobbo wasn't running as fast [as usual] that night and I could get him just in time."

7:49pm: The leading point scorer and try scorers for the NRLW have now also been honoured, with Broncos forward Romy Teitzel finishing the regular season with 64 points.

Teammate Julia Robinson and Newcastle's Sheridan Gallagher topped the try-scoring tally with an impressive nine tries from nine games.

7:45pm: Gold Coast Titans flyer Alofiana Khan-Pereira has been presented the Ken Irvine Medal as the NRL's top try-scorer for the year. 

The winger finished the regular season with 24 tries, two ahead of Kyle Feldt.

7:43pm: Parramatta's Zali Fay has been awarded the Drinkwise NRLW Try of the Year after soaring through the air to score a spectacular four-pointer in the final week of the season.

7:40pm: Newcastle's Abigail Roache has received the Youi Tackle of the Year award for a try-saving tackle in her side's Round 5 victory over the Eels.

7:15pm: Roosters forward Olivia Kernick was fifth in the Dally M leaderboard when voting went private and she's a chance of finishing the week with two pieces of silverware. 

The back rower is out to claim her second NRLW premiership and she's confident the side's preparation is on track for Sunday's decider against the Sharks. 

7:00pm: The first award has been unveiled, with Xavier Coates' spectacular match-winning try in Melbourne's Round 2 victory over the Warriors named the Peter Frilingos Headline Moment of the Year.

The winger produced an acrobatic finish to dive for the corner and score a stunning 79th-minute try. 

6:45pm: The players have started arriving on the Green Carpet before the official ceremony begins, with stars from across the competition descending on Royal Randwick in Sydney for the event. 

Reigning NRL Dally M Medallist Kalyn Ponga was all smiles and he spoke to pan66.com when he arrived at the venue. 

6:30pm: Gold Coast halfback Lauren Brown led the way on the NRLW Dally M leaderboard when voting went behind closed doors after Round 4. 

There was a three-way tie for second between Abbi Church, Brooke Anderson and Simaima Taufa, with Olivia Kernick one point further back. 

6:25pm: Voting for the NRL Dally M Medallist went behind closed doors after Round 12, with Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards sitting on top with 31 points, one point clear of 2022 winner Nicho Hynes.

Both men, however, missed multiple games throughout the second half of the season due to injury. 

Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans was third, ahead of Isaah Yeo and James Tedesco. 

6:15pm: The finalists for the NRL and NRLW Team of the Year were unveiled earlier in the week, with some of the game's biggest names in the mix for selection. 

The players in contention for the men's side include James Tedesco, Will Warbrick, Stephen Crichton and Angus Crichton. 

As for the women's team, Tamika Upton, Gayle Broughton and Elsie Albert headline the finalists. 

See below for the full rundown of nominees: 

• NRL Dally M Team of the Year nominees
• NRLW Dally M Team of the Year nominees

6:00pm: Welcome to rugby league's night of nights, with the 2024 Dally M Medal winners set to be announced for the NRL and NRLW player of the year.

A host of other awards will also be handed out, including the Team of the Year and the Ken Stephen and Veronica White Medals for Man and Woman of the Year. 

Follow along for live updates of all the award winners from the ceremony.