What is the Dally M Medal?

The Dally M Medal is the top individual award in the NRL. It is given to the player voted the best player of the NRL premiership season.

How does the Dally M Medal voting work?

The Dally M Medal is presented to the player deemed the NRL's best and fairest. The voting occurs after each regular season premiership, where rugby league sports commentators vote to award three votes to the best player, two votes to the second-best player, and one vote to the third-best player.

Can I place a bet on the Dally M Medal?

Previously the answer was: yes you can. But online bookmakers no longer offer Dally M betting odds following a wagering scandal on the vote in 2020.

Who should I bet on to win the Dally M Medal?

Following the voting up until it closes in round 12 is an important step to finding a Dally M Medal winner. Outside of that, following our articles at bets.com.au once voting closes will help you find a winner because we employ experts to assess how the voting should go once it goes dark.

When do the votes on the Dally M Medal stop being made public?

Round 12 of the NRL season is the last time the public can access the votes round-to-round on the Dally M Medal.

How does Dally M Medal voting work?

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Last updated: Tue 22 Sep 2026 02:17

Bets.com.au Staff 22 Sep 2026

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Dally M Medal voting system explained
Dally M voting uses a 3-2-1 points system by NRL-appointed judges.
Votes are public until Round 12; after that, results go secret until Grand Final Week

James Tedesco of the Sydney Roosters poses with the NRL Dally M Medal (Photo by Getty Images)

The 2026 Dally M Medal will take place on Wednesday September 30, with the prestigious honour awarded to the NRL's best player for the season.

Read on below for an explanation on how Dally M Medal voting system.

How Dally M Medal Voting Works - Four Key Points

The Dally M Medal voting format was overhauled in 2023, with two independent judges assigned to every NRL regular-season match
Both judges submit their own 3-2-1 votes, allowing a player to collect a maximum of six Dally M points from a single game
Discipline can have a major impact on eligibility, with players suspended for two or more matches during the season ruled out of contention for the award
The leaderboard is made public during the opening part of the season before voting goes behind closed doors, with the final standings revealed at the Dally M Awards

How Are Dally M Medal Votes Awarded?

Every NRL regular-season match is assessed by two judges selected from a panel that includes former players. The judges work independently and each submits a 3-2-1 allocation based on the performances they consider the best in that game.

Three points are awarded to a judge's best player, two points to their second choice and one point to their third. Because there are two sets of votes available, a player can earn as many as six points in one match if both judges rate them as the standout performer.

The format replaced the long-running system in which a single judge was responsible for distributing the 3-2-1 votes. While the familiar voting scale remains, the current structure effectively doubles the number of points available from each match and keeps the identity of the judges confidential.

Voting is visible to the public through the first 12 rounds of the regular season, with updated standings released following each round. The leaderboard then goes behind closed doors, leaving the remaining votes secret until they are unveiled at the Dally M Awards.

Dally M Medal Suspension and Eligibility Rules

On-field performance is not the only factor determining whether a player can win the Dally M Medal, with the NRL also applying eligibility rules relating to suspensions.

A player who receives a suspension totalling two or more matches during the season becomes ineligible for the Dally M Medal and other Dally M awards, irrespective of how many votes they have accumulated.

Suspensions can also affect a player's points tally. Players lose three Dally M points for each match they are suspended, meaning disciplinary issues can prove costly even before the threshold for outright ineligibility is reached.

How Is the Dally M Team of the Year Selected?

The Dally M Awards also recognise the leading performers across the competition through the Team of the Year, which features one player in each of the 13 starting positions.

Judges assess players by position throughout the regular season before a final voting process is conducted at the end of the campaign. The system is designed to recognise the strongest performers across every role rather than simply selecting the players with the highest overall Medal totals.

Players who finish inside the top three in the overall Dally M Medal count automatically earn selection in their respective positions. The remaining places are determined by the voting for each positional category.

The honour roll highlights the calibre of players recognised by the award in recent seasons. James Tedesco claimed the 2025 Dally M Medal, while Johnathan Thurston holds the record for most Dally M Medals with four, one ahead of Andrew Johns (three). The pair are the only two players since the award was introduced in 1979 to win 3+ Dally Ms.

With two judges assessing every game, a maximum of six points available per performance and strict rules surrounding suspensions, the modern Dally M voting format rewards consistency across the NRL regular season while keeping the race under wraps during its decisive stages.

Dally M Medal Voting FAQ

What is the Dally M Medal?
The Dally M Medal is the top individual award in the NRL. It is given to the player voted the best player of the NRL premiership season.
How does the Dally M Medal voting work?
The Dally M Medal is presented to the player deemed the NRL's best and fairest. The voting occurs after each regular season premiership, where rugby league sports commentators vote to award three votes to the best player, two votes to the second-best player, and one vote to the third-best player.
Can I place a bet on the Dally M Medal?
Previously the answer was: yes you can. But online bookmakers no longer offer Dally M betting odds following a wagering scandal on the vote in 2020.
Who should I bet on to win the Dally M Medal?
Following the voting up until it closes in round 12 is an important step to finding a Dally M Medal winner. Outside of that, following our articles at bets.com.au once voting closes will help you find a winner because we employ experts to assess how the voting should go once it goes dark.
When do the votes on the Dally M Medal stop being made public?
Round 12 of the NRL season is the last time the public can access the votes round-to-round on the Dally M Medal.