Nathan Cleary's docked Dally M points is neither surprising nor unfair
The NRL’s best player may currently be wearing the No.7 for the Penrith Panthers, but he may not be wearing the Dally M medal come grand final week.
Thanks to his two-game suspension earlier in the season for
lying to the NRL integrity unit, Nathan Cleary was docked six Dally M points, three for each week suspended.
While Cleary polled three points in each of rounds 2,6 and 7, plus another two in round 10, his tally sits at five after the Dally M count went behind closed doors – eight off the pace of Wests Tigers rake Harry Grant.
This is not surprising – or even the first time it’s happened.
Nathan Cleary take a bow
#NRLManlyPanthers 6-30.
#TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/QqXdzgDe7F
— NRL (
@NRL)
August 1, 2020
Jason Taumalolo’s bid to go back-to-back in 2017 was in early danger after earning a two-week suspension – and being docked six Dally M points – for a shoulder charge on Alex Glenn.
He finished the season on 19 points, 14 behind Cameron Smith
MORE:
Unpacking all the Dally M stats we have so far
Glenn Stewart finished on 18 Dally M points in 2011, but only after being docked nine points and suspended for three games for his role in the Battle of Brookvale.
Billy Slater won that year, edging out Benji Marshall, 29 points to 27, thanks to a six-week hot streak at the end of the season.
Had Stewart went on with it, he would have been the first backrower to win Australian rugby league’s highest honour since Sharks second-rower Gavin Miller won in 1988 and 1989.
Yet, somehow, this news has come as a surprise.
“He has already been penalised by not being able to win points over those two games, hasn’t he?” Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher
told The Daily Telegraph on Monday, which, fine, what else is he going to say about his star half?
Missed the last round of open Dally M judging?
Check out the ladder and match-by-match judging here
The rules are there for all to see: three points for each week you’re suspended.
Two suspensions and you’re ineligible.
The NRL hadn’t updated the official count, but this was always happening.
Despite hand-wringing over his chances, Cleary’s season is far from shot.
He’ll be considered desperately unlucky if he didn’t claim the maximum three points in
Penrith’s 42-12 win over Manly.
Slater’s 2011 and, even more severe, Jarryd Hayne’s 2009 six-week masterclass prove that late runs for the Dally M lead are still possible.
Of the players in the top 10 when voting went behind closed doors, Cleary will face Jack Wighton (round 13), Shaun Johnson (round 15), Harry Grant and Benji Marshall (round 16), Clint Gutherson (round 18) and Jason Taumalolo (round 19).
So, everyone but Cameron Smith and Matt Dufty.
Of course, this would hardly matter to Cleary. Ask every NRL player if they’d prefer a premiership or a Dally M medal and the answer would be unanimous.
It would be nice, though. There’s time. All is not lost.
https://www.nospam47.com/au/league/...s-penrith-panthers/1jod9uomirx561nwdbf150op8h
