LeagueNews.co | Nick Loken
The Dally M Awards marked the end of an exceptional 2023 season for the NZ Warriors, with Andrew Webster winning the coaching award and three players receiving team accolades.
However, the night was tinged with disappointment as Shaun Johnson narrowly missed out on the ultimate gong.
Johnson had hopes of emulating Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's feat in 2018 by becoming the second Warriors player to win the Dally M Medal.
As the votes were declared on a progressive basis, Johnson surged up the leaderboard and took a strong lead.
But just when victory seemed within his grasp, Newcastle fullback Kalyn Ponga snuck through to win by one point in the final count.
This unexpected outcome was a heavy blow for Johnson, who had been widely expected to prevail after his outstanding performance throughout the season.
He had recently collected all three player crowns, including the coveted Simon Mannering Medal, at the Warriors' annual awards.