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Rooster Todd Carney - Source: Getty -
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He was nowhere to be seen when voting went behind closed doors, but Sydney Roosters skipper Braith Anasta believes teammate Todd Carney can emulate the deeds of Parramatta ace Jarryd Hayne and come from the clouds to take out the Dally M Medal.
Carney wasn't even on the leaderboard when votes became secret after round 16, the Roosters five-eighth six points behind leader Darius Boyd who was on 17.
But Carney came home with a wet sail, with dominant performances against Brisbane, Parramatta, Canberra, Canterbury and Manly in which he would have surely polled votes likely to be enough to pip Boyd.
Should he take out the award on tonight it would be reminiscent of Hayne's late charge last year when the Eels fullback stormed home on the back of six successive man of the match awards.
"I kept a close eye on it before it went behind closed doors and Todd got about three or four man of the matches," Anasta said.
"That's 12 points and the matches he didn't get man of the match he would have scored on another couple of occasions - I reckon he's skipped ahead there."
Carney's elevation to player of the year honours would cap a Lazarus-like return after he was banished to park football when sacked by Canberra for repeated off-field indiscretions midway through 2008.
His form has been critical in helping return the Roosters to the NRL finals after they collected the wooden spoon last year, with his match-up with Wests Tigers playmaker Benji Marshall one of the most-anticipated clashes of the opening week of the finals.
His greatest rival for the Dally M would appear to be Boyd, though the St George Illawarra fullback's form has tapered off in the closing rounds.
Injury appears to have robbed Lachlan Coote (15 points after 16 rounds), Issac Luke (14) and Greg Bird (12) of any chance, while Brisbane's late fade-out is likely to hamper Sam Thaiday's (13) chances.
Manly's Trent Hodkinson, Brisbane's Matt Gillett and Cronulla fullback Nathan Gardner look set to fight out rookie of the year honours, while Roosters mentor Brian Smith appears unchallenged for coach of the year with the tri-colours rising ten places to finish sixth on the ladder.
