Brisbane utility Matt Gillett has been named Dally M Rookie of the Year after a stunning debut season in the NRL.

The 22-year-old was the highlight of a dismal year for the Broncos that saw them miss the finals for the first time since 1991.

After being named to face North Queensland Cowboys in round one, Gillett, who played 21 games mostly in the backrow, as well as six games at centre and one at five-eighth, scored 12 tries.

His performances are comparable to the 12-try debut season by Parramatta great Ray Price (25 games) in 1976 and Newtown's John Ribot (17 games) in 1978.

Gillett is the first Brisbane player since Karmichael Hunt in 2004 to win the award.