We asked players past and present at the 2017 Dally M Awards night who they were expecting to win Sunday's grand final and Clive Churchill Medal.
Dylan Walker (Sea Eagles centre)
Grand final tip: I think the Cowboys will win. I love an underdog and I think people have written them off but deep down the players like that.
Clive Churchill Medal: If the Cowboys win then Michael Morgan will win the Clive Churchill.
Danny Buderus (Knights legend)
Tip: I think the Storm have had one hand on the trophy for a while now, but I've loved getting on the Cowboys bandwagon with everyone else. I'm sure they'll make a game of it, but Melbourne's team just has too many important players in key positions.
CCM: I'm going to go Cooper Cronk. I don't think anyone has left a legacy of winning the comp and the Clive Churchill Medal in their last game, but if anyone can do it, it's him.
Michael Ennis (2016 premiership winner)
Tip: I think Melbourne will win it. I think the Cowboys will push them right to the end because they've been the form side of the finals series. But I just think Melbourne will be driven by the heartbreak of last year and they'll be too desperate in Cooper Cronk's final game.
CCM: I'm going Dale Finucane to get the Clive Churchill Medal. They've been lucky over a long period of time that they've been able to have so many good people at their club, and I don't think the Melbourne Storm would be where they are without guys like Dale Finucane.
James Maloney (Sharks five-eighth)
Tip: I'd be in the Cowboys' corner, I'd love to see them do it but I can't see them doing it.
CCM: Smith. I think he's had a big year and you know he'll play well and it's not always necessarily the one performance on Grand Final Day, I think sometimes that award reflects the season you've had and I think he'd be a special for that as well.
Sam Burgess (Rabbitohs lock)
Tip: I think the Storm will win. They've been very good and consistent all year, they've only lost four games, I think they'll be really hard to beat but Cowboys have shown it's possible. They believe in what they're doing, I really enjoyed watching them through the finals series.
CCM: There'd be good money around Cameron Smith I'd imagine. He's been in great form but a number of players could take it. A smokey – Vunivalu, you never know. Cooper, Billy and if the Cows are to win Taumalolo and Morgan surely have to be close.
James Graham (Bulldogs prop)
Tip: It's going to be a brave man to back against Melbourne but I think the Cowboys will [win] – we've seen plenty of encouraging signs to believe they can go out and win the game. If I was Paul Green and the Cowboys camp I'd be looking to the Cronulla [grand final] game from this time last year and seeing how they started that game, they really came out of the blocks. They gave Michael Ennis the job of putting Cooper Cronk under tremendous pressure and I think someone's got to put their hand up to do that if they're going to lift the trophy this weekend.
CCM: I guess it's the obvious candidates, either way it goes. Cam, or if it's Cowboys it's Morgan or Taumalolo. Slater or Cronk. It's probably within those five.
