See all the action from rugby league's night of nights, the 2023 Dally M Awards at Sydney's Royal Randwick racecourse on Wednesday night.
Live blog - Dally M Awards 2023
10.00pm: The NRL Dally M winner is Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga. Ponga polled 56 votes, clinching the lead off Shaun Johnson (55) by one vote in the final round of the season.
Ponga burst into life after returning from a concussion injury in the second half of the season to help the Knights won nine games on the trot to finish in fifth position.
"It's a pretty crazy feeling standing up here in front of so much talent," Ponga said.
"I had an early season holiday and while I was over there I decided that I wanted to stop letting people down and start making people proud.
"I think I came back and did that and what a year."
9.57pm: The NRLW Dally M Medal winner for 2023 is Tamika Upton from the Newcastle Knights. Upton has taken her game to new heights this season, spearheading her side into Sunday's decider against the Titans.
"This is definitely not an individual award. From the moment I stepped foot there I've felt supported from the staff and everyone involved and that spreads to my teammates, I'm pretty lucky to be surrounded by the most amazing players and people," Upton said.
9.55pm: The Team of the Year is in for the NRL. Six players from this weekend's grand final have been named with the Broncos having four players and the Panthers two.
- Fullback — Kalyn Ponga (Knights)
- Winger — Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Warriors)
- Winger — Jamayne Isaako (Dolphins)
- Centre — Stephen Crichton (Panthers)
- Centre — Herbie Farnworth (Broncos)
- Five-Eighth — Ezra Mam (Broncos)
- Halfback — Shaun Johnson (Warriors)
- Prop — Payne Haas (Broncos)
- Prop — Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors)
- Hooker — Harry Grant (Storm)
- Second Row — Liam Martin (Panthers)
- Second Row — David Fifita (Titans)
- Lock — Pat Carrigan (Broncos)
9.50pm: The NRL votes are in for Round 24 and Round 25 and Shaun Johnson has the Dally M lead on 52 votes, two votes ahead of Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga on 50 while Nicho Hynes is on 48 and Harry Grant 46.
9.45pm: The Team of the Year is in for the NRLW. The Broncos have four players while the Roosters have three.
- Fullback — Tamika Upton (Knights)
- Winger — Jakiya Whitfield (Wests Tigers)
- Winger — Julia Robinson (Broncos)
- Centre — Isabelle Kelly (Roosters)
- Centre — Mele Hufanga (Broncos)
- Five-Eighth — Tarryn Aiken (Roosters)
- Halfback — Ali Brigginshaw (Broncos)
- Prop — Shannon Mato (Titans)
- Prop — Sarah Togatuki (Wests Tigers)
- Hooker — Destiny Brill (Broncos)
- Second Row — Yasmin Clydsdale (Knights)
- Second Row — Olivia Kernick (Roosters)
- Lock — Simaima Taufa (Raiders)
9.33pm: As we get closer to announcing the winner of the 2023 Dally M Medal the leaderboard after Round 23 shows Shaun Johnson take the lead with 51 votes while Scott Drinkwater* has 44, Kalyn Ponga 43 and Nicho Hynes 42.
9.25pm: Rabbitohs fullback Latrell Mitchell has been rewarded with the Ken Stephen Medal – Man of the Year, presented by Westpac for his outstanding community involvement. Mitchell was recognised for his work with Indigenous communities, regional NSW, mental health and grass roots rugby league.
9.20pm: Cowboys five-eighth Tahlulah Tillett has been awarded the Veronica White Medal – Woman of the Year, presented by Westpac, for her outstanding community involvement.
"As elite female rugby league players we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us and it's a privilege to be honoured with this award...without Veronica White's commitment and tireless efforts I would not be standing here today," Tillett said.
9.11pm: The Dally M votes are in after Round 7 of the NRLW season with Simaima Taufa still leading the way on 21 votes, Tarryn Aiken and Teagan Berry tied in second with 20, Ali Brigginshaw 18 and Tamika Upton 17.
8.56pm: Penrith winger Sunia Turuva has been voted the Dally M Rookie of the Year after enjoying a breakout season for Ivan Cleary’s side, scoring 12 tries, averaging 166 run metres and over four tackle breaks per game, to help his side into their fourth consecutive grand final against the Broncos on Sunday.
"He's just been so reliable, he gets targeted every single week but he's just been incredible so he thoroughly deserves that. He's a ball of energy and we love him," coach Ivan Cleary said.
8.52pm: The NRLW Rookie of the Year is Annessa Biddle from the Sharks. The 21-year-old led a breakout season in Cronulla's inaugural year, finishing second in the competition for post-contact metres (620).
"What a season it's been for me and I'm just so honoured and privileged to receive this award especially with the amount of outstanding rookies there were," Biddle said.
8.47pm: The NRL Coach of the Year is Andrew Webster from the New Zealand Warriors, who took his side from 15th in 2021 all the way to last Saturday's Preliminary Final against the Broncos.
"I just want to thank the boys, I love you all so much. First day at training to where we are now, it's amazing. I'm here because of you," Webster said.
"We've got an amazing thing going on in 'up the Wahs' at the moment and it's special what's happening in New Zealand."
8.42pm: The NRLW Coach of the Year has been awarded to Titans coach Karyn Murphy who is preparing to lead her Titans into Sunday's NRLW decider against the Knights.
"Only a few years ago I didn't even know if there'd be an NRLW competition so to be coaching in it and there be plenty of female coaches with Tahnee (Norris) and Kylie Hilder and plenty of others coming through the system, it's so great to be giving each other confidence in this space but it's certainly not an award that I ever thought I'd be receiving in rugby league," Murphy said.
8.35pm: Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds, who will lead his side into the Grand Final on Sunday against the Panthers has taken out the NRL Dally M Captain of the Year.
"Thank you to Kev for trusting me with the boys, I'm lucky with the group that I've got, it makes my job pretty easy going out there and I'm extremely grateful for that," Reynolds said.
The NRLW Captain of the Year is the Raiders' Simaima Taufa, who led her team to five victories in their inaugural season.
"It's a privilege to be able to lead such a great group of individuals that form our team and represent such a special club," Taufa said.
8.30pm: The Dally M update after Round 18 sees Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards leading the way on 35 votes, reigning medallist Nicho Hynes, Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater* and Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson are all tied second on 33, Ben Hunt and Cody Walker are on 32 while Broncos pair Payne Haas and Reece Walsh* sit on 31 votes.
8.23pm: The first count of the night is in with the NRLW Dally M update after Round 4 seeing Raiders skipper Simaima Taufa leading the way on 15 votes, Wests Tigers forward Sarah Togatuki and Raiders five-eighth Zahara Temara on 11 votes and Evania Pelite, Tarryn Aiken, Teagan Berry and Tamika Upton all tied on 9.
7.45pm: Broncos Hooker Lavinia Gould has been awarded the NRLW Provan-Summons medal for bravery. Gould’s teenage daughter Kaia has been living with a rare kidney disease since she was a child. Through it all, Gould has bravely stepped out on the field every week, often wearing her daughter's name on her headgear.
Nicho Hynes has claimed the NRL Provan-Summons Medal for respect after handing his inaugural Paul Green medal and jersey to Green’s children, Emerson and Jed, in the sheds after the game.
7.30pm: Wests Tigers speedster Jakiya Whitfield has taken out the Youi Tackle of the Year in the NRLW after running down Roosters centre Isabelle Kelly in Round 6.
Whitfeld's wonder effort wins tackle of the year
Manly forward Haumole Olakau'atu’s monster hit on Storm centre Justin Olam in Round 7 has won the Youi Tackle of the Year in the NRL.
Haumole's hammer time hit on Olam wins tackle of the year
Knights halfback Jesse Southwell has been awarded the NRLW Try of the Year after running through several Roosters defender to score her third for the season in Round 9.
Southwell's sizzler claims NRLW try of the year
Dragons winger Mathew Feagai has been awarded the Drinkwise Try of the Year for his superb 79th minute match winning four-pointer against the Roosters in Round 12.
Feagai's finish wins try of the year
