Melbourne Storm skipper Cameron Smith has won his second Dally M Medal – 11 years after his first.
Just days away from captaining the Storm in the 2017 NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final, Smith (33 points) won the prestigious Dally M Medal by a remarkable eight points – following his first win in 2006.
His opponent in Sunday's grand final, North Queensland Cowboys halfback Michael Morgan (25 points), finished runner-up, while St George Illawarra's Gareth Widdop (24) was third. Sydney Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks captain Paul Gallen finished equal fourth, on 22 points.
Smith was also awarded Captain of the Year honours as well as Hooker of the Year, while his Melbourne teammate Billy Slater won the Fullback of the Year award. Storm coach Craig Bellamy also won Coach of the Year.
At a glittering event at The Star Event Centre, the Rookie of the Year award was taken out by Canberra winger Nick Cotric. His fellow Raiders winger Jordan Rapana was crowned Winger of the Year.
The prestigious Provan Summons People's Choice award was won by Parramatta Eels player Clinton Gutherson, while the Dally M Female Player of the Year was Simaima Taufa.
Smith's honour was the first under a revised voting process and structure of the Dally M Awards, including a new voting panel of former players.
A number of new awards were handed out, including Interchange Player of the Year (Penrith's Reagan Campbell-Gillard), Tackle of the Year (Parramatta's Nathan Brown) and Try of the Year (North Queensland's Kyle Feldt).
The full list of winners is:
Captain of the Year: Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
Peter Moore Award for Rookie of the Year: Nick Cotric (Canberra Raiders)
Holden Cup Player of the Year: Jake Clifford (North Queensland Cowboys)
Top Points Scorer: Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
Top Try Scorer: Suliasi Vunivalu (Melbourne Storm)
Tackle of the Year: Nathan Brown (Parramatta Eels)
Try of the Year: Kyle Feldt (North Queensland Cowboys)
Coach of the Year: Craig Bellamy (Melbourne Storm)
Peter Frilingos Headline Moment: Mitchell Pearce (Sydney Roosters)
Provan Summons People's Choice Medal: Clinton Gutherson (Parramatta Eels)
Female Player of the Year: Simaima Taufa (Jillaroos)
Fullback of the Year: Billy Slater (Melbourne Storm)
Winger of the Year: Jordan Rapana (Canberra Raiders)
Centre of the Year: Dylan Walker (Manly Sea Eagles)
Five-eighth of the Year: Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Halfback of the Year: Michael Morgan (North Queensland Cowboys)
Lock of the Year: Paul Gallen (Cronulla Sharks)
Second-rower of the Year: Matt Gillett (Brisbane Broncos)
Prop of the Year: Aaron Woods (Wests Tigers)
Hooker of the Year: Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
Interchange Player of the Year: Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Penrith Panthers)
Dally M Player of the Year: Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)