Melbourne Storm star Jahrome Hughes has won a nail-biting Dally M Medal count for 2024, taking the gong by just a single vote ahead of Sydney Roosters' fullback James Tedesco.
In a count which came down to the final round of the season, Tedesco wound up just a single vote shy of Hughes at the end of the campaign.
At the end of Round 12 when voting went behind closed doors, Dylan Edwards was the leader with 31 votes.
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He held a one-vote lead to Nicho Hynes, with Daly Cherry-Evans back by another three votes. Thde likes of Isaah Yeo, James Tedesco and Viliame Kikau were all within striking distance.
Popular favourite Melbourne Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes was well out of the picture in 17th spot.
Through to the end of Round 18, Matt Burton moved into the top ten, Nicho Hynes failed to poll in the six rounds after polling went behind closed doors, while Scott Drinkwater surged into fifth.
Dylan Edwards had dropped to fourth by the end of Round 18, while James Tedesco moved to third, Daly Cherry-Evans added 12 votes to move into second spot, and Jahrome Hughes had surged all the way from 17th spot to first with 27 votes in six rounds, but a suspension would see him fall two points behind Cherry-Evans, and one behind Tedesco with nine rounds to go.
Through to the end of Round 23, many of the players at the bottom of the top ten failed to poll votes, however, Tom Trbojevic managed 18 votes between Round 19 and 23, moving into fourth place.
Daly Cherry-Evans would fall to third position, while Tedesco polled seven votes during the time period, sitting just two votes behind Jahrome Hughes with four games to play - of which Hughes missed one being rested in Melbourne's loss to the North Queensland Cowboys.
In Round 24, all of Isaah Yeo, Ben Hunt, Scott Drinkwater and Tom Trbojevic polled inside the top ten, but it was six votes for James Tedesco, compared to four for Jahrome Hughes, which tied the leaderboard with just three rounds to go with the duo both on 51 votes, five votes ahead of Daly Cherry-Evans on 46.
Round 25 saw Tedesco claim two votes, while Hughes managed five, handing the New Zealand international a three-vote lead but one less game to play given he was rested in Round 26.
In that round where Hughes was rested, Tedesco polled two votes in a loss to the Raiders, leaving him a single vote behind Hughes ahead of the final round.
In Round 27, both players polled. Tedesco, who scored a double and assisted another two tries, polled a perfect six votes. Hughes, who played in Melbourne's win over the Broncos and scored a hat-trick, also polled a perfect six, handing him a single vote victory.
