Nathan Cleary has declared grand-final rival Jahrome Hughes the best player of the NRL season as Melbourne's star halfback enters the Dally M Awards as favourite for the prestigious honour.
Hughes has been the architect of the Storm's best season since Cameron Smith retired, steering the club to the minor premiership amid Cam Munster and Ryan Papenhuyzen's injury lay-offs.
He most recently parlayed his well-known running abilities into three tries during the 48-18 thrashing of the Sydney Roosters to book the Storm a grand-final date with Penrith.
But other aspects of Hughes's game flourished in 2024, the 29-year-old recording career-highs in try assists (26) and kick metres (351 per game).
It's been enough to impress Cleary, widely regarded the best player in the game, ahead of Wednesday night's Dally M Awards.
"He's been a pleasure to watch all year, he's been on fire. He's been the best player this year for sure," said Cleary - Hughes's rival halfback on grand-final day.
"He's definitely the best running halfback I've just about ever seen. The way he takes on the line, he's constantly a threat.
"I think he's added a lot of other stuff to his game as well just in terms of game management and ball playing."
When voting for the Dally M Medal went behind closed doors at the end of round 12, Hughes sat in equal-15th spot and had lost six points following a one-match ban for touching referee Chris Butler.
But it was only after Munster began a 10-week injury lay-off in round 11 that Hughes truly began to take charge at the Storm and cement himself as a candidate for the NRL's top individual prize.
Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards led the count in round 12, his 31 points well ahead of Hughes' 16, but missed seven regular season games through injury and State of Origin absences.
James Tedesco looks to be Hughes's major competition after an excellent and largely uninterrupted season for the Roosters, with Manly's Daly Cherry-Evans also a chance for the medal.
Cleary said he had enjoyed analysing Hughes's game during his lay-offs while nursing hamstring and shoulder injuries this season.
"He's a great player," said the Panthers co-captain.
"I have a lot of admiration watching other halves that are really killing it and try to pick their game apart and add it to mine."
Elsewhere, Canberra five-eighth Ethan Strange, Cronulla centre Kayal Iro and Dolphins winger Jack Bostock have been shortlisted for rookie of the year, with a two-game ban disqualifying breakout Wests Tigers star Lachlan Galvin.
Penrith prop Liam Henry shrugged at missing a nomination despite becoming a mainstay of the triple reigning premiers' bench on the charge to a grand final.
"I wasn't upset at all," he said.
"The three that are up absolutely killed it this year. I'm stoked for them. I wish them all the best on Wednesday."
