No one ever likes attending an event by themselves. It is actually very preferable that you don’t go by yourself. But when it comes to something you’re so bleedingly passionate about, you’d be willing to overlook that fact if you couldn’t take anyone with you, right? Well, that’s what I did when I attended this year’s Dally M awards.

Smile, Watmough!

Rocking up to the Star by myself and waiting in the registration line by myself was a bit daunting. After being escorted to the red carpet (behind a security gate unfortunately), the stars rolled out and I was literally starstruck. It was big star after big star after big star – Anthony Watmough, Adam Reynolds, Jake Friend, Paul Gallen, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves… they kept popping out on the red carpet. I didn’t get any pictures with them but I got a few of them. I got to speak to Greg Inglis for a hot second as well, which was bloody amazing.

After the red-carpet shenanigans were done, the registered fans in attendance were hurried off to the Marquee room where we received free drinks and a complimentary meat pie or sausage roll. Seeing as I’m a vegetarian, I got my fill in of free bevs.

We were sat down in the top seating area for the Dally M’s in the main room (I got a pretty decent seat) and were (unfortunately) treated with a Justice Crew/Timomatic performance. Kudos to both of them for doing well in their careers but I personally do not care in the slightest for either of them. The awards finally begun and I have to say the production was terrible. There were a few lengthy gaps in between announcements and it just looked as if the crew didn’t know what they were doing.

The award winners were as follows:

Dally M 2013 Winner: Cooper Cronk (Storm)
Fullback of the Year: Greg Inglis (Rabbitohs)
Try of the Year: David Nofoaluma (Wests Tigers)
Five Eighth of the Year: Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys) / Todd Carney (Sharks) tied
Halfback of the Year: Cooper Cronk (Storm)
Headline Moment of the Year: Burgess Brothers (Rabbitohs)
Hooker of the Year: Cameron Smith (Storm)
Lock of the Year: Corey Parker (Broncos)
Prop of the Year: Andrew Fifita (Sharks)
Winger of the Year: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Roosters)
Centre of the Year: Jamie Lyon (Sea Eagles)
Captain of the Year: Cameron Smith (Storm)
Coach of the Year: Trent Robinson (Roosters)
Rookie of the Year: George Burgess (Rabbitohs)
Provan Summons Medal: Greg Inglis (Rabbitohs)
Under-20s Player of the Year: Bryce Cartwright (Panthers)

I definitely recommend attending a Dally M ceremony to all of the NRL fans out there. I got close to the Burgess brothers, had Beau Ryan do the Whakatane pose right in front of me and witnessed my favourite Corey Parker rightfully gain Lock of the Year. I may or may not have shouted “YES!” in triumph while the room was dead silent when this happened. It was an absolutely amazing experience and it was free as well!

– by The Black Widow