An emotional and impromptu haka highlighted a thrilling 2018 edition of the Dally M Medal, won by New Zealand Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

The fullback won the maximum three votes in Round 25 to finish on 29 votes, two ahead of Newcastle young gun Kalyn Ponga.

But it was a spontaneous haka performed by four of Tuivasa-Sheck’s teammates that stole the show.

Issac Luke, Jazz Tevaga, Jordan Rapana and Jamayne Isaako, who also play with Tuivasa-Sheck for New Zealand’s national team, paid their own tribute to the 25-year-old in a moment that captivated the room.

The quartet stared at Tuivasa-Sheck, still on stage after he made a classy victory speech, and he was visibly emotional as he took in the unforgettable scene, with viewers left scrambling for their mobile phones to tweet in approval.

That's what respect looks like!#DallyM#NRL pic.twitter.com/1Xfjeupo8B

— NRL (@NRL) September 26, 2018

“That’s just crazy,” Tuivasa-Sheck was quoted as saying by News Corp, in response to the haka.

“It was just a special moment for me.

“I’ve seen it done to a lot of special people and just to have Bully [Luke], a close friend of mine, do it for me, and the rest of the lads there … very grateful.”

Luke Brooks of Wests Tigers finished in third, with 26 votes, one ahead of Cronulla star Valentine Holmes (25).

Newcastle’s Mitchell Pearce (23) rounded out the top five.

Speaking after his victory was confirmed, Tuivasa-Sheck spoke of how he first attended the awards in 2013 and thought “it would be a dream to win this award”.

He said the special feeling around the Warriors group in 2018 helped him win rugby league’s highest individual honour.

“To the team, the players, man, you guys push me every day,” he said.

“Even though we weren’t going so well, you guys were there and you were buzzing and that’s what I loved about this year – just the buzz we had at the club.”

Tuivasa-Sheck is the first Warriors player to win the Dally M Medal – named after the legendary Dally Messenger– after a season in which he finished third in the competition for total running metres and second in kick return metres.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison presented the Dally M Medal to Tuivasa-Sheck. Photo: Getty

He added three tries, eight try assists, 13 line breaks and 112 tackle breaks in an outstanding 2018, which also saw him named fullback of the year.

How the count unfolded and how it works

Each match of the NRL season is voted on by an expert judge, who gives three votes to the best player afield, two to the second best, and one to the third best.

If a player is suspended once, they lose three votes, and if they are suspended for a second time they are ineligible.

The votes up until Round 12 are made public, too, with Penrith’s James Maloney leading the way with 17 votes when they went behind closed doors.

A group of three players, comprising Ponga, Brooks and Andrew Fifita, were just one behind, and Ponga made a fast start on the night, surging to a five-vote lead at the end of Round 16.

Maloney joked on Fox League that he was likely to finish on 17 and was “just here for the party”, and so it proved, with the Panthers star dropping right off the pace.

Even though Ponga missed matches through injury, two votes in Round 20 took him to 24, four ahead of Brooks and five in front of Tuivasa-Sheck.

The Warriors man made his run, though, polling seven votes from Round 21 to Round 23, to edge within one of Ponga.

Ponga just missed out. Photo: Getty

The Knights man missed the last two matches of the season due to injury but still led by one vote with just one round remaining, after Tuivasa-Sheck and Brooks failed to poll in Round 24.

But the eventual winner finished on a high, a three-vote performance seeing him edge a tight and exciting count.

The top 10

1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, New Zealand Warriors, 29 votes
2. Kalyn Ponga, Newcastle Knights, 27 votes
3. Luke Brooks, Wests Tigers, 26 votes
4. Valentine Holmes, Cronulla Sharks, 25 votes
5. Mitchell Pearce, Newcastle Knights, 23 votes
6. Jason Taumalolo, North Queensland Cowboys, 19 votes
6. Cameron Munster, Melbourne Storm, 19 votes
8. Ash Taylor, Gold Coast Titans, 18 votes
8. Damien Cook, South Sydney Rabbitohs, 18 votes
8. Issac Luke, New Zealand Warriors, 18 votes

Other awards presented

Captain of the Year: Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
Coach of the Year: Anthony Seibold (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Peter Moore Award for Rookie of the Year: Jamayne Isaako (Brisbane Broncos)
Fullback of the Year: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New Zealand Warriors)
Winger of the Year: Blake Ferguson (Sydney Roosters)
Centre of the Year: Joseph Leilua (Canberra Raiders)
Five-eighth of the Year: Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
Halfback of the Year: Luke Brooks (Wests Tigers)
Lock of the Year: Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland Cowboys)
Second-rower of the Year: Josh Jackson (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Prop of the Year: Andrew Fifita (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
Hooker of the Year: Damien Cook (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Interchange Player of the Year: Jazz Tevaga (New Zealand Warriors)
Top Points Scorer: Jamayne Isaako (Brisbane Broncos)
Top Try Scorer: David Fusitu’a (New Zealand Warriors)
Provan Summons People’s Choice Medal: Damien Cook (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Female Player of the Year: Brittany Breayley (Brisbane Broncos)
Peter Frilingos Headline Moment: Women’s State of Origin
Ken Stephen Medal: Ryan James (Gold Coast Titans)