Medal detector: Can Tamika break curse of the halfway leader

After storming home to win the 2025 Dally M Medal from 12 points off the pace at the halfway mark, Broncos superstar Tamika Upton has pole position to make it back-to-back medals in 2026.

Upton has 12 points to her name with voting now silent for the remainder of the NRLW season, one ahead of Raiders fullback Sheridan Gallagher and Roosters playmaker Tarryn Aiken.

If Upton is to go on and claim her third Dally M Medal in four years, she will have to do what Isabelle Kelly, Lauren Brown and Simaima Tuafa couldn't do across the past three seasons and that's turn the halfway lead into triumph.

When voting went silent after five rounds last year, Roosters star Kelly was a runaway leader on 23 points, six clear of Jesse Southwell (Knights) and seven ahead of Broncos winger Julia Robinson.

Kelly would go on to poll just six more votes in the run home, finishing fourth on 29 votes. Upton powered home with 24 votes in her last six games to edge out Robinson and Southwell for the game's most prestigious individual honour.

Back in 2024, Titans playmaker Brown had the halfway lead on 12 points from a trio of chasers on 10 points - Abbi Church (Eels), Brooke Anderson (Sharks) and Simaima Taufa.

Roosters star Olivia Kernick was a point further back on nine and she would pick up 13 votes in the run to the wire to claim the medal with 22 points from Brown (20) and Church (20) while Upton finished fourth on 19.

In 2023, Taufa had the lead after four rounds on 15 points with her Raiders teammate Zahara Temara and Wests Tigers prop Sarah Togatuki equal second on 11 followed Evania Pelite (Titans), Teagan Berry (Dragons), Tarryn Aiken (Roosters) and Upton (Knights) all nine.

The Raiders would win just one of their last four games in 2023 with Taufa picking up seven more points to finish equal third behind Upton, who charged home claim the gong with 27 votes, one ahead of Aiken.

Upton's bid for another Dally M in 2026 is sure to gather momentum as the unbeaten Broncos surge towards the finals with the winner to be crowned at a gala ceremony in Sydney in grand final week.

Halfway home: How the leaders have fared

Leaderboard after Round 4, 2023

15
Simaima Taufa (Raiders)

11
Zahara Temara (Raiders)
Sarah Togatuki (Wests Tigers)

9
Evania Pelite (Titans)
Teagan Berry (Dragons)
Tarryn Aiken (Roosters)
Tamika Upton (Knights)

Winner: Tamika Upton, 27 votes.
Equal 3rd place: Simaima Taufa, 22 votes

Leaderboard after Round 4, 2024

12
Lauren Brown (Titans)

10
Abbi Church (Eels)
Brooke Anderson (Sharks) 
Simaima Taufa (Raiders)

9
Olivia Kernick (Roosters)

8
Ellie Johnston (Sharks)
Tarryn Aiken (Roosters)

Winner: Olivia Kernick, 22 votes
Equal 2nd place: Lauren Brown, 20 votes 

Leaderboard after Round 5, 2025

23
Isabelle Kelly (Roosters)

17
Jesse Southwell (Knights)

16
Julia Robinson (Broncos)

15
Jakiya Whitfeld (Cowboys)

13
Rachael Pearson (Eels)

11
Tayla Preston (Bulldogs)
Tamika Upton (Broncos)
Yasmin Clydsdale (Knights)

Winner: Tamika Upton, 35 votes
4th place: Isabelle Kelly, 29 votes

Leaderboard after Round 4, 2026

12
Tamika Upton (Broncos)

11
Sheridan Gallagher (Raiders)
Tarryn Aiken (Roosters)

10
Jesse Southwell (Broncos)

9
Teagan Levi (Titans)

8
Andie Robinson (Bulldogs)
Jaime Chapman (Titans)
Zahara Temara (Raiders)

NRLW Dally M Honour Roll

2025 Tamika Upton (Broncos)
2024 Olivia Kernick (Roosters)
2023 Tamika Upton (Knights)
2022 Raecene McGregor (Roosters)

2021 Emma Tonegato (Dragons) and Millie Boyle (Broncos)
2020 Ali Brigginshaw (Broncos)
2019 Jess Sergis (Dragons)
2018 Brittany Breayley-Nati (Broncos)
2017 Simaima Taufa (Jillaroos)
2016 Kezie Apps (Jillaroos)
2015 Jenni-Sue Hoepper (Jillaroos)