NRL officials are 'FURIOUS' Jack Wighton was revealed as the winner of the Dally M Medal hours before the ceremony in outrageous blunder that 'ruined' rugby league's night of nights
NRL officials are reportedly furious Jack Wighton's Dally M Medal win was leaked online hours before the official announcement.
The Canberra Raiders star was crowned the league's best player at Sydney's Fox Studios on Monday night, but The Daily Telegraph accidentally revealed his win before the ceremony had even begun.
The story titled 'Dally M drama: System needs an urgent overhaul' referred to Wighton as the winner at 5.45pm - more than three hours before the live TV reveal at 9.15pm.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys said an investigation would be launched.
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NRL star Jack Wighton claimed the coveted Dally M Medal on Monday night - but the big reveal was ruined after the full final vote count was published online hours before
Wighton poses with the coveted medal after winning the Dally M Player of the Year award on Monday night
'I know mistakes do happen but we'll certainly do an investigation to see how this happened,' he said.
'We'll do an investigation and make sure this never, ever, ever happens again.'
Mr V'landys said players at the Sydney event were not aware of the leak as their phones were confiscated after the story was posted online.
The article said 'Dally M winner Jack Wighton is a great player who had a wonderful season' but argued Penrith Panthers star Cleary was a more worthy winner.
Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V'Landys has vowed to get to the bottom of how the results were accidentally published on The Daily Telegraph's website
Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph accidentally published the result on its homepage hours before the official announcement - along with a full breakdown of the vote tally
Channel Nine chief rugby league reporter Danny Weidler said NRL officials were 'angry', and would be particularly irked at the fact the article criticised the event.
'The NRL want an investigation into this, they want to know how this happened,' he told 100% Footy.
'Obviously, it's an accident this has happened. But this is an accident the NRL is really angry about because it's taken away a lot of the gloss from the award.'
Weidler - who said he had spoken to an 'upset' NRL CEO Andrew Abdo - said The Daily Telegraph had been told the winner at about 3pm on Monday so they could prepare their event coverage ahead of time.
The story was removed from the publication's website before the awards, but not before screenshots of the article were posted on social media and shared by thousands.
Footy fans wrote of their outrage on Twitter, saying the highly-awaited award reveal was turned into a damp squib.
Jack Wighton with (L-R) James Tedesco, Clint Gutherson, Luke Keary and Nathan Cleary after the the Dally M Player of the Year award was announced
Wighton with his Dally M Medal on Monday night. He said his crowning moment was not spoiled as his phone was confiscated during the awards night - meaning he was unaware of the leak
'Why spoil the awards for everyone?' one fan wrote who tagged the article's author Buzz Rothfield in his tweet.
'Now anyone that has come across the article has the spectacle ruined.'
'Well done Buzz - saved me having to watch the awards knowing the result after you leaked it,' another said.
Weidler also tweeted the leak was a 'blunder that ruined the NRL's big awards night'.
Rothfield took to Twitter after the results were officially announced to say a 'production error' was behind the gaffe.
Footy fans immediately wrote of their outrage at the leak on Twitter, saying the highly-awaited award reveal had been turned into a damp squib
Journalist Buzz Rothfield took to Twitter after the results were officially announced to say a 'production error' was behind the gaffe
Wighton's crowning moment wasn't spoiled as the Canberra Raiders five-eighth said he had his phone taken off him during the event
'Owing to a production error that was out of my control, The Daily Telegraph website accidentally published the winner of the Dally M award before the official announcement tonight,' he said.
'We apologise sincerely for the mistake.'
Wighton confirmed his crowning moment was not spoiled as he was unaware of the leak.
'Halfway through they took all our phones so we didn't know what was going on. We had no insight to that at all,' he said later on Monday evening.
Panthers Group chief executive Brian Fletcher said the leak 'was all a bit disappointing'.
The article published at 5.47pm said 'Dally M winner Jack Wighton is a great player who had a wonderful season' but argued Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary was a more worthy winner
'To be sitting there waiting for something that has already been announced is disappointing. It wouldn't worry Nathan ,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Jack Wighton's wife Monisha Lew-Fatt shares moving tribute to the NRL star as she celebrates his Dally M Medal win on the couch at home with their daughters
Canberra Raiders player Jack Wighton won the Dally M Medal on Monday night - and his partner, Monisha Lew-Fatt, watched the moment unfold on TV.
The 30-year-old shared two Instagram Stories, showing the footage on screen, as she curled up on the couch with the couple's two daughters, Ariah and Aaliyah.
One clip showed the announcement that NRL star Jack, 27, had won, and Monisha captioned it, 'My heart!'
Family: Canberra Raiders player Jack Wighton won the Dally M Medal on Monday night - and his partner, Monisha Lew-Fatt, watched the moment unfold on TV. Pictured with their daughters Ariah and Aaliyah
She then shared a short video, showing Jack in his footy uniform, and she cried out, 'Argghhh!' before turning the camera to film her older daughter Aaliyah.
'Are you proud of him?' she asked the little girl, who was tucked under a blanket, and nodded vigorously and smiled widely at her mum.
Monisha comically panned to the couple's younger daughter, Ariah, who was fast asleep on the couch next to her sister.
Home time: The 30-year-old shared two Instagram Stories on Monday evening, showing the footage on screen, as she curled up on the couch with the couple's two daughters
Winner! She then shared a short video, showing Jack in his footy uniform, and she cried out, 'Argghhh!' before turning the camera to film her older daughter Aaliyah
Aww! 'Are you proud of him?' she asked the little girl, who was tucked under a blanket, and nodded vigorously and smiled widely at her mum
Sweet: Monisha comically panned to the couple's younger daughter, Ariah, who was fast asleep on the couch next to her sister. 'Ariah is proud too,' Monisha added with a laugh
She added: 'Even though you annoy the hell out of me sometimes and I annoy the hell out of you with my constant whining, you know I'll always have your back and love you'
Family: 'The girls and I appreciate you more than you will ever know! Love you and good luck,' she concluded
'Ariah is proud too,' Monisha added with a laugh, filming the snoozing toddler, who was out cold.
Excited, the WAG then said, 'Yay! Go daddy!' while again pointing the camera at a beaming Aaliyah.
Monisha also shared a photo of the couple at last year's awards, captioning it: 'Good luck tonight bub at the 2020 Awards! The girls and I are so proud of you and all of your achievements.
'Even though you annoy the hell out of me sometimes and I annoy the hell out of you with my constant whining, you know I'll always have your back and love you.
'The girls and I appreciate you more than you will ever know! Love you and good luck,' she concluded.