Penrith Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary has been crowned the NRL's best player of the season, claiming his maiden Dally M Medal on Wednesday night — delivering his acceptance speech remotely from his parents' couch, his broken leg propped up in a boot between two surgeries. Brisbane Broncos fullback Tamika Upton took out the NRLW equivalent, claiming the award for a remarkable third time in four seasons.

The ceremony capped an emotional night, with Ivan Cleary — Nathan's father and Penrith coach — visibly struggling to contain his feelings as his son received rugby league's most prestigious individual honour despite being unable to attend in person.

Cleary's dominant season earns Dally M despite injury heartbreak

Nathan Cleary played 21 games this season and polled an extraordinary 67 votes, averaging more than three votes per game — a number that underscores just how commanding his performances were before injury ended his regular season. His nearest rival, Cronulla Sharks five-eighth Braydon Trindall, finished second with 53 votes. Trindall's haul was widely regarded as a fine individual achievement in what was described as a middling season for the Sharks overall, with the playmaker widely credited for driving his side's most impressive moments.

The medal was effectively sealed with three rounds to spare, when Cleary's main rivals — including North Queensland's Scott Drinkwater and Parramatta's Dylan Edwards — failed to poll, leaving Cleary needing only three votes. He picked up six.

Other notable finishers included Haumole Olakau'atu, who placed fourth as a back rower, and Jackson Ford, who ended up seventh despite not playing a regular-season game after round 16.

Speaking via video message, Cleary was characteristically selfless. "None of this would be possible without them," he said of his Panthers teammates. "They make me 10,000 times the player that I am and no individual award is achievable without the help of teammates. I've had some of my funnest times this year alongside those guys."

He also opened up about the personal challenges of the year, offering thanks to his partner — widely understood to be Matildas star Mary Fowler — without naming her directly. "It's tough doing the long distance but she always makes me feel supported and loved. That's all I could ever ask for," he said.

For Cleary watchers, the Dally M completes a significant milestone in his individual trophy cabinet. His previous State of Origin heroics have long marked him as one of the game's elite — his performances in the NSW Blues jersey have silenced critics on multiple occasions — and he has long been a topic of discussion at the highest levels of the representative game.

Upton claims third NRLW Dally M in four seasons

On the women's side of the ledger, the race went down to the wire. Tamika Upton held off a fierce challenge from Wests Tigers halfback Raecene McGregor, who surged into contention with a massive 20-vote haul between rounds five and eight.

The contest was ultimately decided in the final round. McGregor's Tigers were beaten 22-10 by the Raiders, while Upton turned in a match-winning display for the Broncos — scoring a try, setting up three line-break assists and two try assists in a 52-18 demolition of the New Zealand Warriors.

It was a fitting way for Upton to seal the award, which she now holds for the third time in four seasons. "To be standing here now, doing what I do preparing for a grand final, it's pretty surreal to be honest," she said upon accepting the medal, thanking the entire Broncos organisation from coach Scott Prince down to the club's medical staff.

Arrow tribute and grand final week build

The awards ceremony came amid broader grand final week build-up, with veteran forward Jai Arrow confirming he is set to receive a special tribute in the lead-up to Sunday's men's decider, in place of a traditional pre-match entertainment act. Arrow said he had not yet been given many details about the tribute.

The NRL finals series has already produced a series of compelling results heading into the decider, with the Broncos and Roosters both advancing through the finals bracket in recent weeks.

For Nathan Cleary, the Dally M caps a bittersweet season — dominant enough to claim the game's top individual honour, yet curtailed by injury before he could potentially lead Penrith to another premiership tilt. His couch-bound speech, humble and warm, was entirely in keeping with a player whose performances have long spoken louder than his words.