After recording only nine votes over the opening four rounds, Tamika Upton has stormed home to win the NRLW Dally M award for 2023 by just a single vote ahead of Tarryn Aiken.
Simaima Taufa was the run away favourite heading into the evening, having a four-vote lead after Round 4. Voted the captain of the year earlier in the evening, she was unable to hold the lead though.
RELATED: Full list of awards
Instead, the battle finished as one between Tamika Upton and Tarryn Aiken, but Upton's ten votes over the final two rounds would be enough to see the Newcastle Knights star, who will play in this Sunday's grand final, take home the medal.
The fullback, who played with the Brisbane Broncos in the NRLW competition until the end of the 2021 season, put on a glittering season where she scored five tries, added eight try assists, 56 tackle busts and ran for 221 metres per game.
Here are all the votes as they happened during the evening.
Round 5
Shannon Mato - 3 votes
Raecene McGregor - 3 votes
Ali Brigginshaw - 3 votes
Teagan Berry - 3 votes
Tamika Upton - 5 votes
Tarryn Aiken - 6 votes
Simaima Taufa - 6 votes
Round 6
Sarah Togatuki - deducted 6 votes
Gayle Broughton - 4 votes
Yasmin Clydsdale - 4 votes
Tarryn Aiken - 2 votes
Evania Polite - 2 votes
Ali Brigginshaw - 6 votes
Teagan Berry - 6 votes
Round 7
Gayle Broughton - 6 votes
Raecene McGregor - 6 votes
Shannon Mato - 6 votes
Jessica Sergis - 5 votes
Tamika Upton - 3 votes
Ali Brigginshaw - 2 votes
Teagan Berry - 2 votes
Tarryn Aiken - 3 votes
Round 8
Emma Tonegato - 4 votes
Zehara Temara - 6 votes
Shannon Mato - 3 votes
Ali Briginnshaw - 2 votes
Simaima Taufa - 1 vote
Tamika Upton - 6 votes
Round 9
Evania Polite - 6 votes
Ali Briginnshaw - 2 votes
Tarryn Aiken - 6 votes
Tamika Upton - 4 votes
