Bulldogs boss Phil Gould has hit out at what he sees as an unforgivable snub that cost the NRL’s brightest young player a spot at the Dally M Awards.
Wests Tigers star Lachlan Galvin is widely regarded as the league’s best debutant after putting in an excellent season for the struggling side, but he will not be eligible for Rookie of the Year honors at Wednesday night’s ceremony after serving a suspension of two games due to a hip injury. drop tackle.
Gould lashed out at the omission after the list of nominees was released Monday, saying “the rules are wrong.”
“He’s the rookie of the year from here to Mars,” Gould told Channel Nine.
‘He’s 18, he wouldn’t know what a hip drop was. he’d think it’s a rock ‘n’ roll song, he’d think it’s hip-hop.
“He’s the best rookie in the league.
“It will be a tragedy for our game if he becomes one of the greatest players of all time and they don’t name him rookie of the year.”
Galvin’s disapproval isn’t the only drama surrounding the ceremony; another rookie, Parramatta’s Blaize Talagi, is also not shortlisted for the award.
Lachlan Galvin (pictured) is ineligible for the Dally Ms rookie of the year award – and Phil Gould isn’t happy about it
Bulldogs supremo Gould (pictured) believes the Wests star ‘will become one of the greatest players of all time’
Here’s everything you need to know about the NRL’s biggest awards show…
When will the Dally Ms be detained?
The red carpet starts at 5.30pm on Wednesday AEST, the awards ceremony starts at 7.30pm and counting for the men’s Dally M Medal starts at 8pm, all from Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse.
How to view prices
Channel Nine isn’t broadcasting the ceremony, so you’ll have to tune in to Foxtel or the Kayo streaming service, both of which start their coverage at 7:30pm AEST.
Who are the favorites for the biggest awards?
Melbourne’s Jahrome Hughes is widely considered to have the best chance of winning the men’s Dally M for the NRL’s best and fairest player. Reigning Dally M winner Tamika Upton will once again be tough to beat for the top gong in the NRLW.
Nathan Cleary is arguably the best player in the game, but he has missed many games this season due to injury.
When voting for Men’s Dally M went behind closed doors after Round 12, Penrith’s Dylan Edwards was leading with 31 points, with Nicho Hynes on 30 and Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans on 27.
Sharks star Tiana Penitani is pictured on the red carpet at the Dally Ms
Warriors flyer Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s wife Purdy caused a stir with a striking outfit at last year’s ceremony
How is the Dally M determined?
Two independent judges will rate the players in each non-final match and award six points each on a 3-2-1 basis. In other words, if a player is judged to be the best on site by both judges, he can collect a maximum of six points.
Any football player suspended for two or more games is ineligible.
The judges will also vote for the best player at each position on the field. Any star who finishes the Dally M count in the top three will automatically be selected for the team of the year at his or her position.
Awards will also be presented for the NRL’s top try scorer and top points scorer, with the Provan Summons Medal going to the player who best embodies the spirit of the game through their actions on the field.
Which stars have previously won the Dally M?
A long roll call of all-time greats have taken the medal in recent years, with Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston taking the top gong a record four times, while Knights icon Andrew Johns recorded three wins.
Kalyn Ponga is the reigning Dally M winner, following the likes of Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith, James Tedesco, Peter Sterling and the first winner, Steve Morris.
The women’s Dally M has been awarded since 2015, with Emma Tonegato and Millie Boyle becoming joint winners in 2021.