Bulldogs boss Phil Gould has lashed out over what he sees as an unforgivable snub that has cost the NRL’s brightest young player a spot at the Dally M Awards.
Wests Tigers star Lachlan Galvin is widely regarded as the competition’s best debutant after turning in a stellar season for the struggling side – but he is ineligible for the Rookie of the Year honour at Wednesday night’s ceremony after copping a two-match ban for a hip-drop tackle.
Gould lashed out at the omission after the list of award nominees was released on Monday and said ‘the rules are wrong’.
‘He’s the rookie of the year from here to Mars,’ Gould told Channel Nine.
‘He’s 18, he wouldn’t know what a hip drop was. he’d think it’s a rock and roll song, he’d think it’s hip hop.
‘He’s the best rookie in the competition.
‘It’s going to be a tragedy for our game that when he ends up one of the greatest players of all time that they didn’t have him down as the rookie of the year.’
Galvin’s snub isn’t the only drama surrounding the ceremony, with another rookie, Parramatta’s Blaize Talagi, also not on the shortlist for the award.
Lachlan Galvin (pictured) is ineligible for the rookie of the year award at the Dally Ms – and Phil Gould is not happy
Bulldogs supremo Gould (pictured) believes the Wests star will ‘end up one of the greatest players of all time’
Here’s everything you need to know about the NRL’s biggest awards night…
When are the Dally Ms being held?
The red carpet begins at 5.30pm on Wednesday, AEST, with the awards ceremony to get underway at 7.30pm and the count for the men’s Dally M Medal to begin at 8pm, all coming from Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse.
How you can watch the awards
Channel Nine isn’t televising the ceremony, so you’ll need to tune in to Foxtel or the Kayo streaming service, both of which will begin their coverage at 7.30pm AEST.
Who are the favourites for the biggest honours?
Melbourne’s Jahrome Hughes is widely regarded as the best chance of winning the men’s Dally M for the NRL’s best and fairest player. Reigning women’s Dally M winner Tamika Upton will once again be difficult to beat for the top gong in the NRLW.
Nathan Cleary might be the game’s best player, but he has missed many games this season due to injury.
When the round-by-round voting for the men’s Dally M went behind closed doors after round 12, Penrith’s Dylan Edwards was in front on 31 points, with Nicho Hynes on 30 and Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans on 27.
Sharks star Tiana Penitani is pictured on the red carpet at the 2023 Dally Ms
Warriors flyer Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s wife Purdy caused a stir with an eye-catching outfit at last year’s ceremony
How is the Dally M decided?
Two independent judges rate the players in every non-finals game handing out six points each on a 3-2-1 voting basis. In other words, if a player is judged the best on the ground by both of those judges, they can collect a maximum of six points.
Any footballer who is suspended for two or more matches is ineligible.
Judges will also vote for the best player in each position on the field. Any star who finishes the Dally M count in the top three is automatically selected for the team of the year in their position.
Awards are also handed out for the NRL’s top tryscorer and top points scorer, with the Provan Summons Medal going to the player who best embodies the spirit of the game through their actions on the field.
Which stars have previously won the Dally M?
A long roll call of all-time greats have snagged the medal in years past, with Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston taking the top gong a record four times, with Knights icon Andrew Johns notching three wins.
Kalyn Ponga is the reigning Dally M winner, following on from names like Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith, James Tedesco, Peter Sterling and the first winner, Steve Morris.
The women’s Dally M has been awarded since 2015, with Emma Tonegato and Millie Boyle becoming joint winners in 2021.
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