The 2026 Dally M Awards are in full swing at The Cutaway in Barangaroo, Sydney, with players, partners and coaches arriving on the red carpet on Wednesday evening — all eyes on an absent Nathan Cleary, who is tipped to claim the game's highest individual honour while recovering from surgery on a broken leg.

Cleary won't be attending tonight's ceremony in person, but his Penrith Panthers teammates have turned out in force. Thomas Jenkins, who has already been confirmed as the league's top try scorer, arrived on the red carpet and offered a positive update on his injured teammate.

"He's going really well. He's absolutely devastated, but we're all rallying behind him," Jenkins said.

Jenkins himself said he is still stinging from Sunday's dramatic semi-final loss that ended Newcastle's path to the grand final — wait, reversed: it was Penrith who edged out the Knights in a result that sent Newcastle through. Jenkins acknowledged the pain of his side's exit: "It's obviously such an unfortunate situation — it's one of those things where the outcome's the outcome, we're just going to deal with it and move on."

Cleary the overwhelming Dally M favourite despite absence

All signs point to Nathan Cleary claiming the 2026 NRL Dally M Medal, making him one of the most celebrated winners in recent memory — and almost certainly the most dramatic, given the circumstances. The halfback suffered a serious lower leg injury that required surgery, ruling him out of tonight's ceremony and, more painfully, the grand final scheduled for Sunday.

The NRL has not publicly revealed the nominees for best player in each position this year, meaning the ceremony will carry an added layer of suspense — though the identity of the likely Dally M medallist has been something of an open secret for weeks. Cleary had shown encouraging signs of recovery at Panthers training in the lead-up to the finals series before the injury setback.

In the NRLW, Tamika Upton is considered the frontrunner for the women's equivalent of the medal.

12,000 fans pack Knights open training session

While the awards ceremony draws its own crowd in Sydney, the extraordinary appetite for this weekend's grand final was laid bare in Newcastle, where approximately 12,000 fans descended on an open training session for the Knights — a remarkable show of support ahead of the club's appearance in Sunday's season decider.

Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook stopped for a chat on the red carpet and made little effort to hide his elation at the week his club is having.

"The nerves are fine, obviously a long week and it will go really fast, it already has," Holbrook said. "We'll enjoy the week, but we know we have a job to do on Sunday — but I'm still over the moon. That win was as good as I've seen and I can't wait to play on Sunday."

Holbrook was more guarded when asked about whether Harrison Graham — named as the replacement for suspended player Phoenix Crossland — would play out the full 80 minutes. "He's fit enough, so he might do," the coach said, declining to commit further. The Knights' finals campaign has been one of the stories of the season, culminating in their stunning victory over Penrith last Sunday.

Silverchair won't reunite for grand final, but back the Knights

One subplot that captured the imagination of Newcastle supporters — a Silverchair reunion performance before Sunday's grand final — has been officially ruled out. Frontman Daniel Johns confirmed on Instagram that the band, which has not performed together for 15 years, won't be taking the stage despite a wave of public requests, including from NRL legend Andrew Johns.

"For the first time in ages, the three of us actually agree wholeheartedly about something: GO KNIGHTS!!!" Johns wrote, adding that the city's passion had been "pretty special" to witness. "We're way too rusty, so sorry, no can do. We won't be taking the stage, but we'll be supporting as loudly as everyone else and there in spirit."

The NRL has also opted against traditional pre-game entertainment for Sunday's decider, making the Silverchair question moot in any case.

Red carpet: fashion highlights from The Cutaway

On the style front, the Dally M red carpet has delivered some memorable moments, albeit on a shorter production runway than comparable awards nights — with stylist Paul Versace noting that players and their partners typically receive their invitations only around ten days out from the event, leaving little time to commission custom looks.

"The thing is, with the Dally M, they only get invited a week and a half out. So one of the reasons why the red carpet isn't like the Brownlow is because they do get invited so late — how are you supposed to turn out a custom look?" Versace said.

Among the early standouts, Tahira, daughter of Warriors enforcer James Fisher-Harris, turned heads in a white gown accessorised with a purple orchid lei. Cowboys player Reed Mahoney's partner Madison Pinkus opted for elegant minimalism in a floor-length gunmetal turtleneck gown with her hair in a sleek bun. Canberra Raiders duo Joseph Tapine and wife Kirsten brought colour to proceedings via a striking sky-blue gown, while Brisbane Broncos' Julia Robinson arrived in a black draped gown — accompanied by a special plus one: her mum.

The Fox Sports and Kayo broadcast is set to begin at 7:30pm AEST, with the ceremony itself getting underway at 8pm.