A leading NRL commentator has joined fans in questioning the integrity of the Dally M Awards voting process after a player earned a vote despite his side getting thrashed in round one.
Manly sounded an early NRL premiership warning, blowing apart North Queensland with a 42-12 thrashing at Brookvale.
That didn’t stop one Dally M judge awarding Cowboys winger Braidon Burns a single vote, even though his individual effort to score for North Queensland meant nothing in the context of the match.
Veteran NRL commentator Andrew Voss criticised that decision on social media, suggesting there was no way Burns was the third best player on the field in the massacre.
‘So the Cowboys Braidon Burns picked up a Dally M point on Saturday night. 3rd best player on the field … okay. Nothing to see here,’ he posted to social media platform X.
He was joined by a host of footy fans that blasted the decision.
North Queensland Cowboys winger Braidon Burns received a Dally M vote despite his side being flogged by Manly
Fans have argued that there was no way Burns was the third best player on the field with more worthy Manly players missing out
NRL commentator Andrew Voss was a vocal critic of the decision to give Burns a vote
‘The Dally M scoring system is an amateur run chook raffle,’ one said.
‘That Dally M voter must have taken a toilet break when he did one of the worst draw and passes on a linebreak I’ve ever seen,’ posted another.
‘This is why I’ve never put much stock in the dally M awards. Voted on by media personalities and ex players. Some have agendas or biased opinions…and most just have no real clue wtf they are talking about,’ added another.
‘This week in Bizarre Dally M judging … Braidon Burns scoring a great individual try but earns a Dally M point. Taniela Paseka and Jurbo [Jake Trbojevic] can count themselves a little unlucky,’ fumed yet another.
Controversy surrounding the Dally M Medal voting system is not new.
In 2023, supporters were left outraged, labelling the system as ‘flawed’ after Kalyn Ponga narrowly defeated Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson by a single point to claim the award.
New Zealand fans, anticipating Johnson’s first-ever Dally M Medal, stayed up late only to experience disappointment as Ponga surged to victory.
The outcome, however, left many Warriors fans particularly frustrated.
Kalyn Ponga, pictured with 2023 NRLW Dally M Medal winner and Fullback of the Year Tamika Upton, was a controversial winner of the award
Jahrome Hughes from the Melbourne Storm won the most recent Dally M Medal in 2024
Veteran coach and media analyst Phil Gould has been a long-time critic of the voting system
Critics pointed to irregularities in voting, highlighting Johnson receiving no points in a crucial round 25 match against Manly despite a standout performance.
Johnson had significantly contributed to the Warriors’ victory with a try-assist, two linebreak assists, and a decisive field goal.
Nonetheless, teammate Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and opponent Jason Saab, each with hat-tricks, were given the points instead.
Betting concerns have also historically plagued the Dally M Awards, prompting the NRL to ban wagering on the event since 2020 following a high-profile scandal.
Two Sydney men faced charges after placing suspicious bets on the 2019 Coach of the Year award, based on alleged insider knowledge.
Authorities conducted raids as part of their investigation, bringing attention to vulnerabilities within the awards’ integrity.
Premiership-winning coach Phil Gould has been a long-time critic of the awards.
‘I haven’t liked it for 30 years,’ Gould said bluntly in 2021.
‘I’ve got to be brutally honest, I ignore all this because I’m not interested, I never have been interested in it.’
Gould has long argued that the process is inherently compromised.
‘I’ve always seen the Dally M process as flawed,’ he said.
‘I’ve always felt at different times it was political, I’ve always felt it was agenda-based and biased.’
