Todd Carney has completed a dream rugby league comeback after winning the Dally M medal for NRL player of the year.

A host of Maroons stars also featured heavily on the night picking up a swag of accolades.

Alex Fynes-Clinton reports.

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TRANSCRIPT

It was only a year ago that Todd Carney was thrown into the rugby league wilderness forced to play bush football and pull beers in North Queensland after being sacked by the Canberra Raiders.

The 25 year old closed that torrid chapter last night thanking the Atherton club as he completed his phoenix like rise from the ashes.

Todd Carney, Dally M Winner: “I owe a lot to them obviously. To play twenty two rounds of football up there helped me. It made me a new person and I thank them immensely for that.”

The night proved fruitful for Queensland with Raiders stalwart David Shillington picking up Prop of the year.

David Shillington, Dally M prop of the year: “It’s been a great honour to get it and it’s been pretty exciting at the Raiders. In the finals now, so hopefully we can stick there for a while.”

Broncos powerhouse Sam Thaiday won the second rower of the year honours.

Sam Thaiday, Dally M Second rower of the year: “You always try your best week in, week out. We were low on troops there for a while and we had a lot of young kids and I was just playing football.”

Titans captain Scott Prince won halfback of the year, while boom Broncos youngster Matt Gillett scooped rookie of the year.

Matt Gillett, Rookie of the year: “I do feel very proud and I’d just like to thank my family and Ivan and that for giving me a chance this year.”

Maroons full back Billy Slater picked up representative player of the year.

Alex Fynes-Clinton, QUT News.