For the first time in its history, the NRL‘s Dally M medal for player of the year was awarded to joint winners, as the North Queensland Cowboys‘ Johnathan Thurston and Parramatta Eels‘ Jarryd Hayne were announced as shared-winners on Monday night.
This was Thurston’s third Dally M medal, having last won the honour in 2007. The Cowboys co-captain now joins Andrew Johns as the only player to have won the award three times.
It is the second time Hayne has won the top award, as the Parramatta player was last crowned the league’s best in 2009 when the Eels made the grand final. This year, the 26-year-old was also named representative player of the year, fullback of the year and top try-scorer for 2014.
Thurston also won the five-eighth of the year award, top points scorer and the Provan-Summons People’s Choice Award, given to the best player in the game as chosen by the fans. Upon accepting the Dally M medal for the third time, he said it was humbling to be named alongside Andrew Johns.
“Joey, he’s an Immortal and just to have half the career he had I’d be ecstatic,” said Thurston. “To have my name mentioned alongside his with the highest honour the Dally M medal, it’s mind blowing and humbling. I’m shaking.”
In other award categories, Manly skipper Jamie Lyon was named captain of the year, Penrith Panthers’s Ivan Cleary was named coach of the year and Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks took out the award for rookie of the year award.
The only grand finalists to receive an award on the night were Canterbury’s James Graham and South Sydney’s Sam Burgess, who were named best prop and lock respectively. The two will face off in Sunday’s grand final.
Winners
Dally M Player of the Year: Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta Eels) and Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys).
Captain of the Year: Jamie Lyon (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Coach of the Year: Ivan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
Peter Moore Award for Rookie of the Year: Luke Brooks (Wests Tigers)
Best Representative Player: Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta Eels)
Fullback: Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta Eels)
Winger: Semi Radradra (Parramatta Eels)
Centre: Jamie Lyon (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Five Eighth: Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys)
Halfback: Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Lock: Sam Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Second Rower: Beau Scott (Newcastle Knights)
Front Rower: James Graham (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs)
Hooker: James Segeyaro (Penrith Panthers)
Top points scorer: Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys)
Top try scorer: Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta Eels)
Holden Cup Under 20’s Player of the Year: Kane Elgey (Gold Coast Titans)
Provan Summons People’s Choice Medal: Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys)
