The Dally M medal process will see significant changes for 2023 with two independent judges voting on a 3-2-1 basis and players able to earn a maximum of six votes per game.
The changes started in Round 1 with five players polling a maximum of six votes following their performances in the season opener.
Here is all you need know about the new Dally M medal voting process.
What is the Dally M Medal?
The Dally M Medal recognises the game's best player on a 3-2-1 voting basis throughout the regular season.
The player who polls the highest number of votes over the regular season is crowned the winner of the Dally M Medal.
The awards evening is held in the lead-up to the NRL grand final in September.
Recent winners of the Dally M Medal include Cronulla's Nicho Hynes, Sea Eagles star Tom Trbojevic and Canberra's Jack Wighton.
What are the main changes to voting in 2023?
Players will be able to earn a maximum of six votes per game, an increase on three votes in previous years, with two judges allocated to a 3-2-1 vote on each match.
Up to six players could receive votes in one game. Judges allocate three points to the player they believe is the best on field.
Two points are then assigned to the player they believe was second-best, and one point to the player they consider the third-best.
2022 Dally M NRL and NRLW teams of the year
Who are the judges for the voting process?
The judges will be taken from a select pool of former players assigned to the role for the 2023 season.
The identity of judges will be kept anonymous for the entirety of the Dally M Medal process, ensuring the independence of voting and the integrity of the voting between the two judges are completely separate.
The judges are tasked with assessing the contribution of each player and submitting their votes to the NRL.
This process takes place across every NRL match, allowing for a balanced adjudication of player performance across each match.
Why are the changes in effect?
This innovation is designed to add rigour to the Dally M voting process.
It is also likely to add more excitement to the final count – a player five points behind in the final round of the regular season could still overtake the leader by earning maximum votes.
How long is the Dally M leaderboard visible for in 2023?
The NRL collates the votes and maintains the leaderboard, both of which are made public and updated on NRL.com every Monday morning up to and including Round 12.
From Round 13, voting goes ‘behind closed doors’ for the remainder of the regular season with anticipation building towards the announcement of the winner at the Dally M Awards.
How is the Dally M Team of the Year chosen?
The Dally M Team of the Year recognises the best player(s) in each position across all rounds of the regular season. Since 2020, the NRL has named a full team, from one through to 13.
The judges vote on the best player(s) in each position at regular intervals throughout the season. A further vote is conducted at the conclusion of the regular season.
The player(s) who polls the highest number of votes in each position is included in the Team of the Year, with one exception – players who finish in the top 3 of the Dally M Medal automatically receive their position in the Team of the Year.