AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JULY 30: Nathan Cleary of the Panthers looks on during the round 21 NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Penrith Panthers at Mt Smart Stadium on July 30, 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

The Dally M Medal is the NRL's most prestigious award, given to the NRL’s best and fairest player of the season. The award is named after late Eastern Suburbs player Dally Messenger who was rugby league’s first big name player during the game’s inception.

Here is a list of ten players who will be vying for the award over the next decade! Let us know if there is anyone missing from the list in the comments below!

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Nathan Cleary

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JULY 30: Nathan Cleary of the Panthers looks on during the round 21 NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Penrith Panthers at Mt Smart Stadium on July 30, 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

It’s well known that Nathan Cleary is the son of former Sydney Roosters player and current Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary. Ever since his NRL debut in 2016, he is becoming more known as Nathan Cleary a future star, as opposed to Nathan Cleary the son of Ivan.

Cleary has the potential to become one of, if not the, greatest goal kickers of all time. In 2017 alone he has (as of the 10th of August) kicked 72 goals out of 82 attempts. This leaves him with a goal kicking average of 87.80% for the season!


He is also an amazing in-play kicker as well. At this moment in time, Cleary has 6,000 kicking metres which puts him at 3rd in the entire NRL.

The 19-year-old has also proven he is a born leader. In the multiple absences of Matt Moylan this season, Cleary has stepped up and controlled the ruck making the Penrith Panthers his team that he has control over.

Since Moylan has become Cleary’s halves partner, the Panthers have gone 3-0 in games where Moylan is out and Cleary is in the leading halves role.

If Cleary can continuously improve each year and find a way to control the Panthers ruck even with Moylan and make them his team, he could very well be a future NRL Dally M medal winner.

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