NZ Kiwis stars Joseph Manu and Joseph Tapine's stellar seasons have been recognised at the NRL Dally M Awards.
As Cronulla Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes took out the Dally M Medal for Player of the Year with a record 38 points, New Zealand's contingent didn't leave empty-handed.
Sydney Roosters' Manu, 26, was named one of two centres of the year, after a season that saw him make 23 appearances, scoring 11 tries and assisting 12 more.
Away from his club, Manu also shone for the Kiwis in their 26-6 victory over Mate Ma'a Tonga in June, where he ran for 404 metres, understood to be the record for a professional game.
Canberra Raiders' Tapine, 28, was named as one of two props of the year, making 25 appearances.
As the Raiders reached the NRL semi-finals, Tapine made 731 tackles at a success rate of just over 95 percent this season, also averaging 165 running metres per game.
NZ-born second-rower Jeremiah Nanai of North Queensland Cowboys was also included, after a breakthrough season that saw him named NRL Rookie of the Year.
Nanai played 23 games for the Cowboys, scoring a whopping 17 tries - the most for any forward. Aside from his tryscoring heroics, Nanai also averaged more than 30 tackles and nearly 100 running metres per game.
Despite being born in Auckland, Nanai was raised in Queensland, and has opted to turn out for the Maroons and Australia at representative level.
Former NZ Warriors assistant Todd Payten was also named NRL Coach of the Year, leading his side to within one game of reaching this year's Grand Final in just his second season with North Queensland.
Payten, 43, took over the Warriors as interim coach, after Stephen Kearney was sacked in 2020, but turned down the fulltime role to sign with the Cowboys.
Grand-finalists Penrith Panthers and Sydney Roosters contributed the most players to the side with three each, while the Cowboys had two.
South Sydney Rabbitohs, Melbourne Storm, Cronulla Sharks, Brisbane Broncos and Canberra Raiders all had one player each in the team of the year.
Dally M Team of the Year: 1-James Tedesco (Roosters), 2-Joseph Sua'ali'i (Roosters), 3-Joseph Manu (Roosters), 4-Valentine Holmes (Cowboys), 5-Alex Johnston (Rabbitohs), 6-Cameron Munster (Storm), 7-Nicho Hynes (Sharks), 8-Payne Haas (Broncos), 9-Apisai Koroisau (Panthers), 10-Joseph Tapine (Raiders), 11-Viliame Kikau (Panthers), 12-Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys), 13-Isaiah Yeo (Panthers)
Coach of the Year: Todd Payten (Cowboys)
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