The Dally M Medal is decided by a simple 3–2–1 points system across every NRL regular-season game, with two independent judges awarding votes after each match.

How Dally M Voting Works

  • After every NRL game, two independent judges each give:
    • 3 points to the best player on the field
    • 2 points to the second-best
    • 1 point to the third-best
  • Because there are two judges, a player can earn up to 6 votes in a single match (3+3).
  • Votes from all games are added up across the regular season; the player with the most total votes wins the Dally M Medal.

Judges and Transparency

  • Judges are usually former players or experts selected by the NRL, and their identities stay anonymous during the season to protect the integrity of the process.
  • Votes and leaderboards are publicly revealed only up to around Round 12; after that, voting goes “behind closed doors” so fans do not know the exact tallies until awards night.

Suspensions and Eligibility

  • Under the current setup, each match of suspension costs a player 6 Dally M points, matching the maximum they could earn in a single round.
  • Any player suspended for two or more matches in a season becomes ineligible to win Dally M awards, even if they finish with the most points.

Team of the Year Link

  • The Dally M Team of the Year is also picked using these votes, with the highest vote-getter in each position named in the side.
  • Players who finish in the top three overall for the Dally M Medal automatically get their position in the Team of the Year.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.