Roger Tuivasa-Sheck became the first Warriors player to clinch the Dally M Medal – and it was fitting the win was celebrated with an impromptu haka by some of his New Zealand mates.
The baby-faced skipper leap-frogged Newcastle sensation Kalyn Ponga in the final round of voting.
"This is crazy,'' Tuivasa-Sheck said on Wednesday night.
"I remember the first time I came to these awards in 2013, Cooper Cronk won the Dally M and I remembered sitting there thinking, 'Man, it would be a dream to win this award'.
"I didn't know that day would come, so I feel truly blessed to be holding this trophy and wearing this medal.''
Moments after Tuivasa-Sheck finished his speech, including thanking his proud father, Johnny, Warriors teammates Issac Luke and Jazz Tevaga, as well as Canberra and Kiwi international Jordan Rapana performed the haka in the middle of Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal.
“I feel truly blessed to be holding this trophy”: Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
Tuivasa-Sheck stood metres away on stage and was almost reduced to tears.
Ponga was entitled to be close to crying himself given injury all but robbed him of taking out the Dally M in his first full year in the NRL.
The Knights No. 1 missed the final two matches for Newcastle because of an ankle injury and did a remarkable job to finish as high up the leaderboard as he did.
So, too, did Knights star teammate Mitchell Pearce, who was brilliant in his first year at the Hunter club.
Plenty of good judges believe the Knights would have pushed for finals football had Pearce not missed two months in the middle of the season with a pectoral injury.
Cronulla's Valentine Holmes rattled home in the voting, while Wests Tigers No. 7 Luke Brooks, who took out his club's top award and led the Dally Ms with three rounds remaining, rounded out the top five.
Tuivasa-Sheck was brilliant for the Warriors and a big reason they reached the finals when most tipsters had them taking out the wooden spoon.
The 25-year-old briefly entertained a switch to rugby before he signed a new four-year deal with the Warriors at the start of the year, and he gave the Auckland franchise plenty of bang for their buck.
Man of the match: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck celebrates after the Dragons are denied a match-winning try in round 21.
Two key games which would have definitely featured the maximum three votes were in rounds 21 and 22.
Tuivasa-Sheck had run for nearly 200m by half-time against St George Illawarra at WIN Stadium, and also stopped Tim Lafai from scoring in the first half.
Honour: Rabbitohs coach Anthony Seibold with his Dally M Coach of the Year Award.
The following week he chalked up more than 300m in an absolute clinic against the Knights back home.
Like Ponga and Pearce, Tuivasa-Sheck missed games this year – and the chance to poll – because of the birth of his first baby.
The Warriors' chances of advancing past week one of the finals, however, were dashed as soon as Tuivasa-Sheck was forced from the field with a knee injury before half-time.
The medial ligament strain has also cost Tuivasa-Sheck the chance to play Australia in the October 13 Test on home soil, as well as the Test series against England.
Cameron Smith was crowned captain of the year, Brisbane's Jamayne Isaako the rookie, Anthony Seibold coach of the year and Damien Cook, one of the early favourites for the Dally M, the Provan Summons People's Choice Award.
"This is a night we can celebrate the incredible feats of our players,'' NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said.
"Our players are the reason we have seen crowds, ratings and memberships increase this
year.
"Our players played such a key role in the rise in participation this year – because young
girls and boys want to be like them.''
In a special presentation, former St George player Steve Morris was officially added to the record books as the first recipient of the Dally M Medal.
Morris was awarded a Dally M Medal in 1979, but until Wednesday night was never acknowledged as a Dally M Medal winner.
"Steve has never been recognised since, but our records will be updated to show he won the first Dally M Medal,'' Greenberg said of the father of twins Josh and Brett.
Smith won the award last year, while Cooper Cronk and Jason Taumalolo shared the spoils in 2016.
Full list of winners
Dally M Player of the Year: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors)
Captain of the Year: Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
Coach of the Year: Anthony Seibold (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Peter Moore Award for Rookie of the Year: Jamayne Isaako (Brisbane Broncos)
Fullback of the Year: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors)
Winger of the Year: Blake Ferguson (Sydney Roosters)
Centre of the Year: Joseph Leilua (Canberra Raiders)
Five-eighth of the Year: Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
Halfback of the Year: Luke Brooks (Wests Tigers)
Lock of the Year: Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland Cowboys)
Second-rower of the Year: Josh Jackson (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Prop of the Year: Andrew Fifita (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
Hooker of the Year: Damien Cook (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Interchange Player of the Year: Jazz Tevaga (Warriors)
Top Points Scorer: Jamayne Isaako (Brisbane Broncos)
Top Try Scorer: David Fusitu’a (Warriors)
Provan Summons People’s Choice Medal: Damien Cook (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Female Player of the Year: Brittany Breayley (Brisbane Broncos)
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