2024 Clive Churchill Medal Tips - Who will be best on ground in the NRL Grand Final?

Jeremy Darke

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Last updated: 02 Oct 2024

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Jeremy Darke 02 Oct 2024

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Clive Churchill Medal awarded to best player in NRL Grand Final
Nathan Cleary aims to win the medal for the third time in 2024
Jahrome Hughes also a strong contender, having had a superb season

Who will win the 2024 NRL Clive Churchill Medal?

NRL Grand Final Clive Churchill Medal

The Clive Churchill Medal is awarded to the man of the match in the NRL Grand Final and we have two likely candidates picked out.

The award has been dominated by the halves pairings over the past 10 years with a No. 6 or 7 winning the Clive Churchill winning seven times and the last six in a row.

Peter Sterling was the first player back in 1986 to win the coveted award and Nathan Cleary was the last to take out the honours in the 2023 NRL Grand Final.

The latter will have the opportunity to write history in 2024 and become the first every player to win the Clive Churchill Medal three times in their career, equally the record held by Bradley Clyde and Billy Slater as two-time winners of the award.

Previous Clive Churchill Medal Winners

Year	Player	Team	Position
2014	Sam Burgess	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Lock
2015	Johnathan Thurston	North Queensland Cowboys	Halfback
2016	Luke Lewis	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	Second-row
2017	Billy Slater (2)	Melbourne Storm	Fullback
2018	Luke Keary	Sydney Roosters	Five-eighth
2019	Jack Wighton	Canberra Raiders	Five-eighth
2020	Ryan Papenhuyzen	Melbourne Storm	Fullback
2021	Nathan Cleary	Penrith Panthers	Halfback
2022	Dylan Edwards	Penrith Panthers	Fullback
2023	Nathan Cleary (2)	Penrith Panthers	Halfback

2024 Clive Churchill Medal Predictions

Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)

The 2021 & 2023 winner is the obvious pick to win his third Clive Churchill medal and with good reason. The Panthers halfback has had an injury interrupted season, but when he has been on the field he hasn’t missed a beat and has been the key that unlocks the Panthers all over the field.

Cleary dug Penrith out of a 24-8 hole in last year’s Grand Final to lead the Panthers to a 26-24, converting his own try in the 78th minute after kicking a 40/20 and getting a try assist that turned the result on its head.

The Panthers are never out if Cleary is on the field and simply looking back to his Preliminary Final against the Sharks last week where he had 3 try assists, 2 linebreak assists along with 502 kicking metres that kept his team on the front foot is enough to warrant his favourite tag.

Jahrome Hughes (Melbourne Storm)

By the time this prediction is read Jahrome Hughes could very well be the 2024 Dally M Medalist after a superb season for the Storm, leading Melbourne through the rollercoaster of a season they have had dealing with multiple injuries to their other stars.

One thing has been constant throughout the season and that is Melbourne’s halfback Jahrome Hughes and the consistency of his game that has lead whatever troops he has had on the park to victory.

Hughes finished the year ranked third in try assists and linebreak assists record 26 of each. The Kiwi international has also has 12 tries to his name, which includes the hattrick he scored in the Preliminary Final against the Roosters last week.

As his opposite number, Hughes’ kicking changes the game and this battle with Cleary could well and truly decide the match and who will be crowned the 2024 NRL Premiers.

Verdict

2024 NRL Grand Final Melbourne Storm v Penrith Panthers

Either halfback will take out the 2024 Clive Churchill Medal, the question is will it be Nathan Cleary or Jahrome Hughes?

Nathan Cleary

Clive Churchill Medal Winner

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Jahrome Hughes

Clive Churchill Medal Winner

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