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Melbourne Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes has beaten James Tedesco to the NRL Dally M Medal by one vote, while Roosters back rower Olivia Kernick is named the NRLW's best player for the first time.
As the event was wrapping up, Hughes's Melbourne teammate Will Warbrick charged forward from the back of the ball room at the Royal Randwick Racecourse.
As he came forward, Storm star Eli Katoa and Canberra's Joe Tapine descended the stairs to join Warbrick in an emotional haka for their Kiwi teammate.
It capped a stunning night for Hughes, who became just the fourth New Zealander to win the award after Gary Freeman (1992), Jason Taumalolo (2016) and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (2018).
For Kernick, her win came over the top of fellow team of the year Titans halfback Lauren Brown and Abbi Church.
Brown led the tally with 12 votes when the count went secret after round four and held onto the advantage heading into the final two weeks of the season.
But a 46-10 loss to Newcastle in round eight, followed by a season-ending injury left her stranded on 20 votes, while Kernick polled well in wins over Parramatta and North Queensland to win with 22 votes.
Both Dally M winners will look to add to their silverware on Sunday, with Kernick's Roosters up against the Cronulla Sharks from 2:55pm AEDT before Hughes's Melbourne Storm meet three-time defending premiers Penrith from 6:30pm.
Look back at how the count unfolded in our live blog below.
Now there's only one thing left to do
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And just like that, the penultimate day of real substance on the NRL calendar is done.
Congratulations to Jahrome Hughes and Olivia Kernick for giving us our sixth straight year of dual first-time winners.
Now both will be looking to add the big one to their trophy cabinets, with Kernick's Roosters and Hughes's Storm in the grand final action on Sunday.
ABC Sport will have live blog coverage of both from around 2pm AEDT (don't forget, daylight saving starts ON SUNDAY).
Until then, let's enjoy these final few days of rugby league for 2024.
Thank you and good night!
Surprisingly close?
I think I expected Jahrome to win this at a relative canter. Were you surprised James Tedesco got so close? I think I am… Wasn’t this the year that James Tedesco was washed up and dropped from Origin? Form is temporary, class is permanent…
- Surprised
The vote really came down to the wire.
Do I think Jahrome Hughes was considerably better than James Tedesco this year? Yes, but I do think it's a worthwhile reminder of the greatness of Tedesco, who's greatness is so constant that it's almost forgettable at this point.
Final Dally M leaderboards
NRL
Jahrome Hughes - 62
James Tedesco - 61
Daly Cherry-Evans - 51
Tom Trbojevic - 46
Scott Drinkwater - 45
Isaah Yeo - 42
Kalyn Ponga - 40
Dylan Edwards - 34
Ben Hunt, Harry Grant - 33
NRLW
Olivia Kernick - 22
Abbi Church, Lauren Brown - 20
Tamika Upton - 19
Julia Robinson, Simaima Taufa, Yasmin Clydsdale - 17
Alexis Tauaneai - 16
Tarryn Aiken, Tiana Penitani - 14
Hughes honoured with a haka
The first-time Dally M Medal winner looks set to get off the stage as the ceremony is about to wrap up, but not before Melbourne teammate Will Warbrick shouts from the back of the ballroom to start the haka.
Fellow team of the year members Joe Tapine and Eli Katoa jump down the stairs to join him, and Hughes looks a little emotional as they deliver the traditional dance.
Jahrome Hughes wins his first Dally M Medal by just one vote!
One vote separates Jahrome Hughes (56) and James Tedesco (55) heading into the final round.
Tedesco polls a maximum of six points, taking a 61-56 lead over Hughes. But Hughes polls six of his own, and wins his first Dally M Medal by just one vote!
Hughes thanks everyone from Craig Bellamy to his former coaches, to his Storm teammates, New Zealand teammates and even his high school teachers.
Olivia Kernick has won her first NRLW Dally M Medal
Olivia Kernick has been in stunning form for years now, but 2024 was certainly a breakout year for the Roosters back rower, holding off Parramatta fullback Abbi Church by just two votes.
Kernick says she is "really honoured and grateful", but is a woman of few words.
The NRL team of the year has been announced
1.James Tedesco (SYD)
2.Zac Lomax (SGI)
3.Stephen Crichton (CBY)
4.Herbie Farnworth (DOL)
5.Brian To'o (PEN)
6.Tom Dearden (NQ)
7.Jahrome Hughes (MEL)
8.Joe Tapine (CAN)
9.Harry Grant (MEL)
10.Addin Fonua-Blake (WAR)
11.Angus Crichton (SYD)
12.Eli Katoa (MEL)
13.Isaah Yeo (PEN)
Here is the NRLW team of the year
1.Abbi Church (PAR)
2.Julia Robinson (BRI)
3.Isabelle Kelly (SYD)
4.Tiana Penitani (CRO)
5.Stacey Waaka (BRI)
6.Zahara Temara (CAN)
7.Lauren Brown (GLD)
8.Millie Elliott (SYD)
9.Keeley Davis (SYD)
10.Shannon Mato (GLD)
11.Olivia Kernick (SYD)
12.Yasmin Clydsdale (NEW)
13.Simaima Taufa (CAN)
Olivia Kernick hits the front in the NRLW count with one round left
Lauren Brown doesn't poll in the Titans' 46-10 loss to Newcastle and Roosters back rower Olivia Kernick jumps into the lead.
And Hughes takes back the lead after round 25
Jahrome Hughes leads the tally heading into the final two rounds of the NRL season.
He's on 56 votes ahead of James Tedesco's 53. But don't forget, Hughes was rested in round 26.
It's coming down to the wire.
James Tedesco and Jahrome Hughes are tied after round 24
The count jumps straight into round 24, and Jahrome Hughes and James Tedesco are tied on 51 at the top of the leaderboard.
Tedesco: "Jahrome will probably poll nine votes [in the last round]."
Hughes: "I hope James wins it."
A couple of humble lads.
Jahrome Hughes takes the Dally M lead after round 23
Can Jahrome Hughes hit the front? The Storm had a bye and a shock loss to the Dragons in this stretch, and Hughes missed round 26.
Could he miss out if he doesn't poll well here?
Tom Trbojevic leaps into the top four with 18 votes, captain Daly Cherry-Evans drops to third with just two votes, James Tedesco stays second with six, but Hughes pokes his nose to the front as he jumps up to 47.
Nicho Hynes wins the Ken Stephen Medal
A rough season on the field for Cronulla's Nicho Hynes, but one thing that's never been questioned is his calibre as a person, but he says he's just one of many NRL and NRLW players doing wonder work in the community.
"There's so many players in our game doing great things.
"I could probably chop this up into little pieces and hand it out to lots of players doing it without the limelight and without being seen."
Kimberley Hunt wins the Veronica White Medal
The award, named for women's rugby league pioneer Veronica White, goes to the St George Illawarra Dragons' Kimberley Hunt, for her role promoting healthy lifestyle choices for Indigenous youth.
"Your contributions to the community are truly inspiring."
Hunt says at high school she had a mentor "who believed in me when I didn't" and she says that's inspired her work with young Indigenous kids.
"I challenge everyone here to continue to listen, learn and share and use your platform as NRL and NRLW players … to lead to meaningful change."
The moment of the broadcast so far
Because Nicho Hynes hasn't copped it enough in the back half of the season.
Jack Bostock is the NRL rookie of the year
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A breakout year for Dolphins winger Jack Bostock ends with him edging out Cronulla centre Kayal Iro and Raiders five-eighth Ethan Strange for rookie of the year.
Bostock was only just eligible after playing four games last year and says his goal for 2025 is just to make sure he locks in that first-grade spot outside Herbie Farnworth going forward.
Kasey Reh is the NRLW rookie of the year
The Dragons have their first recognition of the night with 18-year-old playmaker Kasey Reh named the best first-year player in the women's league.
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Reh edges out Newcastle's Evie Jones and Wests Tigers' Natash Penitani, and thanks her dad Greg, an Illawarra legend, and uncles Glenn and Brett Stewart, former Manly premiership champions, for their help.
"They're always asking if I'm having fun with the footy. They help me in any way they can."
Craig Bellamy wins NRL coach of the year
Maybe a bit of a turn-up here, with veteran Craig Bellamy getting the nod ahead of Cameron Ciraldo and Ivan Cleary.
I'd have guessed Ciraldo would have won for taking the Bulldogs back to the finals, or Cleary for completing the half-decade as arguably the best team in the league, but instead they've honoured Bellamy.
To be clear, he absolutely deserves it. Bellamy said this team has given him a new lease on life and the Storm have played like it this year as they nabbed yet another minor premiership.
This is his seventh coach of the year award since 2006. Outlandish.
Scott Prince wins NRLW coach of the year
Wow! Brisbane Broncos coach Scott Prince gets the nod ahead of Parramatta's Steve Georgalis and grand final-bound Sharks coach Tony Herman.
Prince led the Broncos back to the top of the ladder, but it ended up a disappointing finish to the season with a surprise loss to the Sharks in the finals.
"Working with these amazing women and playing a small role in their development, I'm really enjoying that."
Stephen Crichton is named NRL captain of the year
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Former Penrith star and current Canterbury skipper Stephen Crichton is honoured for the way he's led the Bulldogs from the cellar to the finals this year, edging out grand final captains Isaah Yeo and Harry Grant for this award.
Crichton recognises his former teammates at the Panthers for helping guide him on this path.
"I learned from the best from Yeo and Nathan [Cleary] and took those lessons into this year."
