Dally M Medal leaderboard paints grim picture for Queensland Maroons

Dally M Medal voting has officially gone behind closed doors and the leaderboard after 12 rounds paints a grim picture for the Maroons.

There have been some genuine surprise packets near the top, with Luke Metcalf and Will Kennedy leading the race for the game’s top individual gong.

Some usual suspects are also in the mix, but very few of them are from Queensland.

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In the top 10 as it stands, just two players – Cameron Munster and Jye Gray – hail from the sunshine state, with the other eight players all eligible for the Blues.

According to our calculations, the top vote-getters in each position for NSW to build a 17-man team equates to a grand total 286 votes this year.

That number is well above the Maroons, who sit at 167 total votes.

Let’s take a look at what the potential teams for State of Origin would look like if it was solely based on Dally M votes.

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NSW BLUES

1. Will Kennedy (29)

Has been in wonderful form in club land for Cronulla, but would be extremely far down the pecking order when it comes to Origin selection. He isn’t the only NSW eligible fullback high up in the votes, with James Tedesco (27) and Ryan Papenhuyzen (20) both producing man-of-the-match performances on numerous occasions this year.

2. Lehi Hopoate (12)

Has split his time between wing and fullback, filling in at times for Tom Trbojevic. There’s reason to believe he could become the third Hopoate to play for the Blues – following his dad John and brother Will – in the future.

3. Stephen Crichton (11)

One of the first players picked for the representative team and has been excellent for the Bulldogs, pushing them to the top of the ladder.

4. Latrell Mitchell (10)

Despite an interrupted campaign due to injury and suspension, the Rabbitohs marquee man has been at the forefront of some crucial victories and polled well when on the field. Was a no-brainer selection at left centre given his past exploits in Origin.

5. Zac Lomax (10)

Another player who is in the Blues team despite an interrupted season. Has been strong for the Eels after making an off-season switch and will look to replicate his maiden Origin campaign when the series kicks off on Wednesday night.

6. Fletcher Sharpe (17)

Shot the lights out early in the year as Newcastle’s five-eighth but has been part of a mixed run for the side in recent times. When the team is firing, Sharpe is usually at the forefront and has shown glimpses of his enormous potential.

7. Luke Metcalf (31)

The big surprise packet as voting goes behind closed doors is the fact the Warriors playmaker is right at the top. Many were calling for him to be axed after a disastrous start in Las Vegas, but the fleet-footed Metcalf has turned things around and then some. Sits well ahead of Laurie Daley’s gun NSW halves Nathan Cleary (15) and Mitchell Moses (11) on the Dally M leaderboard.

8. Terrell May (27)

Perhaps the most talked about omission from the Blues team and for good reason, with the Tigers front-rower sitting in outright fourth spot on the Dally M leaderboard.

9. Wayde Egan (11)

Rarely spoken about in Origin calculations but has put together a few solid years of footy now at the Warriors and could certainly be a viable option at hooker if things go awry. Incumbent Reece Robson has scored seven votes, as has another NSW hooker option, Blayke Brailey.

10. Payne Haas (23)

No surprises here to see the best prop in the world in the Dally M mix and the Broncos enforcer would have been the first bloke picked in Laure Daley’s squad.

11. Hudson Young (15)

Finds himself on the bench for the Origin opener off the back of playing career-best football with the Raiders this year. The wily back-rower has a knack for finding the line and will add plenty of X-factor and mongrel to the Blues.

12. Haumole Olakau’atu (13)

Was selected in the wider squad for NSW despite a mixed start to 2025. The imposing Manly back-rower has been at his destructive best in some games, but has also come up with a few error-riddled performances in club land.

13. Keaon Koloamatangi (17)

Can consider himself unlucky to miss out on spot for the Blues. His versatility and work rate has been a blessing for the Bunnies this year and he’s again been one of their better players, whether it be in the back-row or in the middle.

14. Clinton Gutherson (22)

The heart and soul of the Dragons this season, the veteran fullback has led the team to some narrow victories and provided much-needed spark in attack. Has featured at Origin level in the past, but those days might be behind him.

15. Max King (14)

Will cap off an unlikely rise with a debut for the Blues in the series opener. Had been the quiet achiever with Canterbury, but his efforts didn’t go unnoticed by selectors.

16. Jacob Preston (12)

Many had him right in the frame for an Origin call-up before he was handed a four-game suspension for a crusher tackle. Preston is a definite chance of playing for his state at some stage in the future – and potentially even later in this series.

17. Mitchell Barnett (12)

Selected in the front-row this year for the Blues and has become a real leader of men at the Wahs over the past 18 months. A well-earned selection and Barnett has become an underrated forward in the modern game.

QUEENSLAND MAROONS

1. Jye Gray (20)

Started the season in stellar form with South Sydney, but has since been shuffled out of his usual fullback role. Was floated at one stage by Darren Locker as a bolter for the Maroons team, but was down the pecking order in regards to fullbacks. Kalyn Ponga, who has been picked to represent the Maroons, has tallied 13 Dally M votes this season.

2. Xavier Coates (6)

An automatic selection for Queensland, but finds himself in a star-studded Storm outfit that makes it difficult to earn Dally M votes regularly.

3. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (9)

Was a little bit slow out of the gates, but found form at the right time of year for the Dolphins. Has a centre spot locked down at Origin level long-term, despite playing his club football at the back.

4. Gehamat Shibasaki (5)

Very few could have anticipated the type of form shown by the Broncos journeyman in the early stages of this season, but has been a casualty of their slide in recent weeks.

5. Valentine Holmes (6)

Has produced some strong showings for the Dragons in the centres, but was selected on the wing for the Origin opener. Still a quality player on his day.

6. Cameron Munster (21)

Melbourne and Queensland’s top-ranked player this year when it comes to Dally M votes and looks raring to go ahead of his return to the Origin arena.

7. Tom Dearden (19)

Was named on the bench for the Maroons and looks destined to fill the utility role, but has been in red-hot form despite the Cowboys struggling for consistency.

8. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (16)

Looms as a massive boost for Billy Slater’s side in the Origin series and has done his best in club land, even if the Titans find themselves towards the bottom of the table.

9. Harry Grant (6)

A lack of game time has probably hurt his Dally M standings, but is one of the best players in the NRL and was a no-brainer to play hooker for the Maroons.

10. Corey Horsburgh (11)

Probably the stiffest Queensland player to be overlooked after a stellar start to the year with the Green Machine. There’s still a chance he features in the Origin series at some stage if he can curtail his hot-headedness and keep up his form.

11. Jaydn Su’A (7)

Similar to the man listed above him, can probably think himself as incredibly unlucky not to be playing Origin in game one. Outside of one small but costly error in Magic Round, the tough back-rower been a shining light for the Dragons once again this year.

12. Jeremiah Nanai (5)

Earned a starting spot for the Maroons despite being dropped by his club side early in the year. It’s tough to steal votes at the Cowboys with the likes of Tom Dearden, Jaxon Purdue and Scott Drinkwater in the mix though.

13. Patrick Carrigan (13)

Has spent this year playing prop, but has been a lock-forward for most of his career and will play there for Queensland. The ever-reliable Carrigan is up there for the Broncos when it comes to Dally M votes, even with their recent woes taken into consideration.

14. Daly Cherry-Evans (16)

Has been a major talking point this year due to his lingering contract decision and at times, it looked to have had an impact on his club form with the Sea Eagles. Will once again lead the Maroons into battle and has polled well in Manly’s wins.

15. David Fifita (3)

Has barely been sighted for the Titans this year and was axed due to form issues – but is somehow among the top vote-getters among Queensland forwards.

16. Francis Molo (2)

Only joined the Dolphins a few weeks ago and starred in their win over Canterbury, which gifted him his only two votes to date. Molo has played Origin before, but is likely down the pecking order when it comes to their front-row stocks.

17. Josh Kerr (2)

Another player who has been in and around the Maroons squad in the past but isn’t spoken about in selection discussions. Has been a focal point of the Dolphins victories this year, filling his role off the bench and providing plenty of spark.