Ah, the ever-controversial Dally M Coach of the Year award—where NRL fans and pundits alike unite in questioning the judgment of the voting system, much like they question whether pineapple belongs on pizza. Enter Penrith coach Ivan Cleary, who—spoiler alert—has only snagged one Dally M award thus far. Meanwhile, Craig Bellamy, the coach who is practically a minor premiership vending machine, has claimed the trophy three times since 2019. You could say Bellamy is the ‘Dally M Whisperer,’ while Cleary is the one they forgot to invite to the party.
Despite Penrith’s recent string of successes—including four consecutive NRL premierships, like a champion hamster on a wheel—they remain in the shadows of the award. Yes, they’ve been minor premiers thrice between 2020 and 2023. It’s almost as if the Dally M committee decided that winning a trophy doesn’t quite count if you also collect some silverware along the way.
Here’s Ivan Cleary—he’s “totally” winning the Dally M this year. Seriously, look at that face.
While Cleary’s trophy case is looking a bit empty in the Dally M department, other coaches are getting fancy award ribbons. This season, Todd Payten and Andrew Webster are the new kids on the block, strutting around with their shiny new awards for “making their teams a tad better.” Ever wonder if they’d trade those trophies for a taste of success like Cleary’s? Probably not.
The debate intensifies as fans have started to wonder whether Cleary deserves a second shot at the award in 2025. After all, he took the Panthers from the bottom of the league to the semi-finals—talk about a comeback story! Yet, despite being reigning champions, Penrith’s rocky start had them sitting dead last after Round 12, which sounds a bit like last year’s trendy diet: all upside down.
However, with a sprinkle of tactical genius, Cleary whipped his players into shape, turning the Panthers into dark horses. They might even be heading to their sixth straight grand final. At this rate, they’ll need a larger trophy cabinet just to store the things. And while fans rally behind Cleary in appreciation of his achievements, the ever-elusive Dally M award remains just out of reach—like that last piece of pizza you can’t seem to grab.
Ricky Stuart: The Front-Runner in the Popularity Contest
So, who’s stealing the spotlight this year? Spoiler: it’s Canberra Raiders’ coach Ricky Stuart. Not only has he taken his squad to minor premiers—this is the same team everyone thought could be serving up wooden spoons at the end of the season. It turns out they might have misunderstood the menu.
Fans likely groaned collectively when the Raiders ditched their expected role as the league’s lovable losers to instead top the table. And speaking of top table, Adam Lucius from Yahoo Sport Australia has suggested that Craig Fitzgibbon might also deserve a nod for taking the Sharks to the preliminary finals. Just think, coaching could be the new hot skill in demand next to barista training and TikTok influencer status.
Greg Alexander Unpacks the Dally M Conundrum
Penrith legend Greg Alexander waded into the mud of Dally M voting, suggesting it might be a bit flawed. His masterstroke: voting should be postponed until after the grand final. Who needs to know who the best coach is in the middle of the season anyway? Talk about cutting-edge ideas!
Stuart’s Raiders might have been glorious enough to secure the minor premiership, but then lost in straight sets during the finals—a real wrench in the works. Just think of it as the Raiders’ version of going out for ice cream, only to discover they don’t serve your favorite flavor anymore. Major disappointment!
Ivan Cleary contemplating his (un)lucky streak with Dally M recognition.
Now, let’s talk about a bold move Cleary made—resting 16 players in round 26! It’s like choosing to let your friends party while you catch a much-needed nap. Sure, he may have finished seventh, but his strict approach has revitalized the squad to hit the finals looking sharper than ever. The moral of the story? Sacrifice a little to gain a lot, or as they say, “You’ve got to lose big to win big.” But will this Herculean effort finally land him the Dally M? Only time and a questionable voting system will tell.
