Ben Barba wins the 2012 Dally M Medal

The brilliant Ben Barba has been named the 2012 Dally M Player of the Year and the Provan-Summons Medal winner in a night that saw the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs claim nine awards before a star-studded crowd at Sydney Town Hall.

Barba’s scintillating form this year also saw him named Fullback of the Year, share the Top Try-Scorer Award and claim the Peter Frilingos Headline Moment of the Year for his role in a freakish length of the field try against Melbourne in Mackay.

He tallied a commanding 32 votes, beating off late-season charges from Cowboys stars Matt Bowen (26) and Johnathan Thurston (24) as well as Melbourne’s Cooper Cronk (25).

Running fifth when voting went ‘silent’ after Round 16, Barba took the lead two rounds later. From Round 18 to Round 23 he captured 14 of a possible 18 points. A single vote in Round 24 made his position unassailable with two rounds to play. 

Barba, who was presented with the Dally M Medal by NSW Premier, the Hon Barry O’Farrell, becomes the first player to graduate from the Toyota Cup and win League’s highest individual honour.

It capped a stunning night for the Bulldogs club, which this week celebrated Minor Premierships in the Telstra Premiership, Toyota Cup and NSW Cup.

Bulldogs coach Des Hasler was acknowledged for his history-making efforts in becoming the first coach to lead a club to a Premiership in one season and go on to lead a different team to the Minor Premiership the following year.

Josh Morris (Centre of the Year) and Sam Kasiano (Prop of the Year) also won Positional Awards while prop David Klemmer became the first Bulldogs player to be named the Toyota Cup Player of the Year.
For the second consecutive year, Cronk finished in the top three of overall voting and was named Halfback of the Year, with Thurston’s stunning first season in the No.6 jersey recognised with the Five-Eighth of the Year Award.

Gold Coast forward Nate Myles – the Wally Lewis Medal winner in this year’s Harvey Norman State of Origin Series – was named the Representative Player of the Year and Second-Rower of the Year.

South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds was named Rookie of the Year, joining a prestigious list of past winners including Daly Cherry-Evans (2011), Matt Gillett (2010), Chris Sandow (2008) and Jarryd Hayne (2006).

The full list of Dally M Award winners is:

The 2012 Dally M Medal judges were Laurie Daley, Greg Alexander and Gary Belcher  (Fox Sports), Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and Wally Lewis (Channel 9), Daryl Halligan (Sky NZ) and Dean Ritchie, Josh Massoud, Andrew Webster, Nick Walshaw, Paul Crawley, Christian Nicolussi and Barry Toohey (The Daily Telegraph).

Dally M Medal Honour Roll
2012: Ben Barba (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
2011: Billy Slater (Melbourne Storm)
2010: Todd Carney (Sydney Roosters)
2009: Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta Eels)
2008: Matt Orford (Manly Sea Eagles)
2007: Johnathan Thurston (North Qld Cowboys)
2006: Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
2005: Johnathan Thurston (North Qld Cowboys)
2004: Danny Buderus (Newcastle Knights)
2003: Not awarded
2002: Andrew Johns (Newcastle Knights)
2001: Preston Campbell (Cronulla Sharks)
2000: Trent Barrett (St George Illawarra Dragons)
1999: Andrew Johns (Newcastle Knights)
1998: Andrew Johns (Newcastle Knights)
1997: Not awarded
1996: Allan Langer (Brisbane Broncos)
1995: Laurie Daley (Canberra Raiders)
1994: Cliff Lyons (Manly Sea Eagles)
1993: Ricky Stuart (Canberra Raiders)
1992: Gary Freeman (Eastern Suburbs Roosters)
1991: Michael Potter (St George Dragons)
1990: Cliff Lyons (Manly Sea Eagles)
1989: Gavin Miller (Cronulla Sharks)
1988: Gavin Miller (Cronulla Sharks)
1987: Peter Sterling (Parramatta Eels)
1986: Peter Sterling (Parramatta Eels)
1985: Greg Alexander (Penrith Panthers)
1984: Michael Potter (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
1983: Terry Lamb (Western Suburbs Magpies)
1982: Ray Price (Parramatta Eels)
1981: Steve Rogers (Cronulla Sharks)
1980: Robert Laurie (South Sydney Rabbitohs)