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Big shootout for one spot; star’s contract statement: Predicted Dally M Team of Year
This year’s Dally M Team of the Year is one of the most hotly contested fields the NRL has ever seen. While there’s an obvious favourite to win the Dally M Medal, a host of positional awards are up for grabs with players gunning to be recognised as the best in their respective spot.
Judges vote on their best players in each position at “regular intervals throughout the season” with a final judgement coming after 27 rounds are played. WHAT'S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
Get the expert take on NRL Grand Final Day with FOX LEAGUE’s extensive coverage, plus full and mini replays available post-game on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Therefore, overall votes don’t decide if a player does or doesn’t get named in the Team of the Year, with consistency across the season being paramount for selection. But if a player finished top three in the overall 3-2-1 Dally M voting, they automatically are included.
In previous years, the NRL has revealed the contenders for each position — however, that information was not announced in 2026. The fullback spot is truly a red-hot race this season. A plethora of players at the back have been excellent. But we will narrow this list down to five players.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has been strong for the Dolphins, while Sua Fa’alogo enjoyed his breakout season in a Storm side that struggled and eventually missed the finals. However, the big three this year shakes down to Kalyn Ponga, Dylan Edwards and James Tedesco. Ponga has spearheaded a Knights outfit that made a staggering surge to the finals, and ultimately we know Newcastle have gone on to achieve a fairytale grand final appearance.
Unfortunately for him, the Dally M voting takes in the regular season and therefore he won’t receive a boost due to his finals exploits. Tedesco, meanwhile, has arguably only got better with age and has been in fine form at the back for the Roosters.
However, what could hamper him is the games he missed during the Origin period — and therefore, he could be leapfrogged. Edwards played 20 regular season games to Tedesco’s 17, and will undoubtedly pull a mountain of Dally M votes on the overall leaderboard as one of Penrith’s most consistent players.
There’s also an argument to say Tedesco has more ‘star’ players to take votes away from him each game, with the likes of Daly Cherry-Evans, Sam Walker, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Naufahu Whyte and Robert Toia all delivering. When the voting went behind closed doors after Round 12, Edwards was sitting in third with a five-vote buffer on Tedesco that we are tipping only increased as the season went on, meaning the Panthers fullback could finish in the top three and be an automatic selection in the Dally M Team of the Year.
If you were going off pure try-scoring prowess, Tom Jenkins and Alex Johnston would claim the two places in this team after sharing the spoils for the Ken Irvine Medal this season. However, as has become the case across the last decade, wingers have to do so much more than just find the try line. Their running game is crucial to a team’s success and if they can create opportunities from nothing — even better.
There’s arguably not a better outside back at doing just that then Mark Nawaqanitawase, who we are predicting earns the first spot in this side. Then for the remaining slot, Marzhew certainly puts up a strong case. The Knights gun tallied the most tackle breaks, the second most running metres and the third-most tries.
However, one Dolphins flyer had a career-best year across both the NRL and Origin, even though the mid-year representative spectacle has no influence on this team’s selection. Selwyn Cobbo was dynamite for the 17th franchise, scoring tries at will and helping his team create points. The 24-year-old’s statistics maybe don’t stack up to his rivals, but Cobbo is a moments player and he delivered some big ones this year, namely his Round 21 matchwinning.
One man is a certainty to be included in this team and it means he will have the ultimate bargaining power when he negotiates a new contract this summer. Herbie Farnworth, who is off-contract at the end of 2027, has all but secured his position as the best centre in the game with a staggering season, consistently providing threat for the Dolphins on the left edge.
The 26-year-old has the most tackle breaks of any player this season to go his crown as the off-load leader. A truly stellar campaign that will likely see Farnworth competing right at the pointy end of the top gong. From there, the player that takes the second spot becomes considerably more difficult to pick.
Latrell Mitchell was in fine form to start the season and given judges vote at regular intervals, could have picked up enough votes to lock himself in here. Casey McLean was also solid for the Panthers without setting the world on fire, while Simi Sasagi had a career-best, but stalled season due to injuries.
Therefore, we’re tipping Roosters weapon Robert Toia to get the nod alongside Farnworth. The 22-year-old lays claim to being the best defensive centre in the competition alongside Stephen Crichton, and he hardly missed a game for the Tricolours outside of his Origin commitments. His consistency will be key to his selection and all throughout the year he would have heavily featured in voting, meaning he has a strong chance of earning selection here.
There’s some excellent stories to come out of this position. The first of which being Fletcher Sharpe, who has been an integral figure in a staggering Knights rise, showcasing his speed and ability to find the line as one of the club’s prized local juniors.
Next is Cherry-Evans, who moved to the Roosters for an NRL swan song and is one win away, as well as Sharpe, from lifting the trophy on Sunday night. The veteran’s importance for the Tricolours can’t be understated, especially following Sam Walker’s injury to close out the regular season, and he has proven to be an excellent leader for his talented outfit. Warriors gun Chanel Harris-Tavita also deserves a special mention for his excellent campaign.
However, the best No.6 this season has been Braydon Trindall, who assumes chief playmaking duties for the Sharks. The gun half will undoubtedly be competing for the top gong, let alone his spot in this team, and a podium finish for the Dally M Medal could lock him in regardless. Trindall led the NRL this season with 35 try assists, while also scoring nine tries of his own to go with the seventh most line break assists.
An impressive season from a player who has improved year on year. Isaiya Katoa and Sam Walker were both brilliant this season — no one can deny that. But given the way the Dally M works, Nathan Cleary will almost certainly be locked into this position with the Panthers halfback definitely vying for the top going. A Dally M Medal has been missing from Cleary’s impressive resume, so could he finally tick it off his NRL bucket list?
More on that later. The prop position is potentially the hardest to pick this season, alongside the back row. After 12 rounds, Jackson Ford was leading the charge but he suffered a torn pectoral muscle which saw his campaign cut short before a late return. Moses Leota was strong, while Keaon Koloamatangi, Terrell May and Payne Haas were ever reliable for their respective teams.
However we have narrowed it down to two players — Naufahu Whyte and James Fisher-Harris. Whyte churned out the most running metres of any prop for the Roosters and led from the front with a huge campaign in the middle of the park. Fisher-Harris, meanwhile, is constantly a force to be reckoned with for the Warriors and his leadership can’t be understated.
This position could truly go to any of these names, outside of Ford due to his injury, but we’re tipping Whyte and Fisher-Harris to get the nod. You have to go back to 2022 to find a year when the Dally M Hooker of the Year was won by a player outside of Brailey or Grant. So could this be the year?
Grant has had a quieter season by his own impressive standards, but was still one of the Storm’s most consistent players during a turbulent campaign. He is still an elite hooker, but arguably shapes up in the bronze medal in this battle. Brailey, meanwhile, has been strong and his running game has been pivotal for the Sharks in their charge to the finals.
However, we’re tipping Egan to get the nod here after a stellar season from the ruck for the Warriors. The 29-year-old has previously battled with head knocks and a handful of niggling injuries, but this year was on the field for 25 games. Egan’s ability to beat his markers and square up defenders is second to none, and he often finds his forwards in space with insane no-look passes.
Throw in the mix a keen eye for space when running the ball, and the Warriors gun is a true weapon and was reportedly in Origin calculations for the Blues. Amongst his peers, he had the equal most try assists with Brailey to go with the most line break assists. As aforementioned, this is a tough position to pick and one player gets a huge disadvantage.
Given a panel votes on the best player in each position at different stages throughout the regular season, Tallis Duncan’s utility value hampers him here. The Rabbitohs gun started his year on the bench before playing eight games in the back row. From there he played nine in the centres and two more on an edge. Given he crossed positions, albeit in a strong year, two other back rowers could win a spot in this team.
Haumole Olakau’atu was on fire this season and showcased his damaging running ability for the Sea Eagles. He had the most running metres of any back rower and the most tackle breaks by a staggering margin. Alongside him, Dylan Lucas was excellent up until he suffered a nasty ankle dislocation in Round 21 and his form up until that point could lock him into this side.
The Knights gun scored an impressive 10 tries and was a constant threat on Newcastle’s left edge, while the likes of Hudson Young, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and Jacob Preston all had impressive seasons respectively. Watch every game of the 2026 NRLW Finals Series LIVE and ad-break free during play on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Cameron Murray and Isaah Yeo have long been considered the two best locks in the game.
But Erin Clark has well and truly blown that opinion out of the water, having won the Dally M Lock of the Year in 2025. We’re tipping the Warriors weapon to go back-to-back here after yet another stellar campaign for the team across the Tasman. The 29-year-old is truly a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the park under Andrew Webster, playing a pivotal role in a forward pack that are equal parts damaging and surprisingly creative.
Clark is not only a threat with his running game but has been able to record six tries and six try assists to go with an impressive nine line breaks. He also has the 36th most running metres in the competition, evolving his game to be incredibly well-rounded. Yet another stellar campaign from one of New Zealand’s most consistent players.
While there were a stack of players who made their NRL debuts this year, a handful stuck out from the bunch. Francis Manuleleua shapes as the bolter in this equation and played only 11 regular season games after making his debut off the bench in Round 3. It wasn’t until Round 20 when he fully emerged as a genuine star.
Ethan Sanders, meanwhile, was handed the reins in the No.7 for the Raiders and did an admirable job in his first full season in first grade. However, Cooper Clarke was the pick of the bunch. The hardy forward become a reliable and consistent figure in a struggling Storm side, emerging as a ‘go to’ forward for Craig Bellamy this season.
The 20-year-old played 24 games in his debut season in a team that is notoriously tough to break into and was a shining light — and a deserving winner of this award should he get the nod. Yes, the Warriors, Roosters and Panthers battled it out for the minor premiership. Yes, all three sides were dominant throughout the regular season. Yes, this trio of coaches are considered amongst the best in the NRL and the Roosters reached the grand final.
But Justin Holbrook arguably trumped them all in his first season at the helm of the Knights. The former Titans mentor took over what was a struggling outfit that won the wooden spoon in 2025, a fate that saw Adam O’Brien axed as head coach. Holbrook oversaw a full off-season transformation and managed to instil belief in a squad many believed were headed for back-to-back 17th place finishes.
Instead, they finished in seventh and could have easily climbed further up the NRL ladder after losing countless tight contests in games that last season they would have folded in. Now they are one win away from a premiership after a gritty finals campaign. A seriously impressive effort fully deserving of coach of the year honours. This year’s Dally M Medal is sure to be hotly contested with several truly great individual campaigns.
It’s set to be an interesting vote, and when the leaderboard went behind closed doors Nathan Cleary was leading the way on 38, with Jackson Ford in second with 35 following by Dylan Edwards , Scott Drinkwater , James Tedesco and Braydon Trindall . It’s important to note too that Herbie Farnworth didn’t feature on the list released and Kalyn Ponga sat on 19 votes.
Of that group, Cleary and Tedesco both featured in Origin, hampering their voting potential through that period after missing a handful of games. Meanwhile, the likes of Edwards, Trindall and Farnworth all played through. But overall, one player stands out from the bunch after a stellar campaign.
Fresh off being named the RLPA Player of the Year, Nathan Cleary could finally tick off the top going that has eluded him thus far in his career and he’s tipped to win the Dally M Medal. The Penrith weapon led from the front for the Panthers, while Trindall could come in second place after a dominant period for the Sharks before their ugly late-season slide. Edwards and Farnworth could then fight it out for a podium finish.
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