Todd Carney's rugby league resurrection is complete after the reformed bad boy took out the 2010 Dally M Medal in Sydney on Tuesday night.
Twelve months after he was pulling beers in a country pub in Queensland after being sacked by Canberra following a string of off-field atrocities, the Roosters five-eighth collected 27 points to hold off a fast-finishing Robbie Farah (26) to win the game's biggest individual prize.
Carney (11) trailed St George Illawarra full-back Darius Boyd (16) when voting went behind closed doors after 16 rounds.
He polled heavily over the last 10 rounds, collecting 16 points to sweep past Boyd (25) and become the 31st winner of the prestigious award.
Carney embraced coach Brian Smith on his way to accepting the medal, paying tribute to the Roosters mentor for giving him another shot at the NRL.
"The first thing Smithy said to me was if I wasn't going in his direction, he pretty much said 'walk out the door'," Carney said of his return to the game.
"I was all ears. He's been great."
"People ask why the Roosters are going so great, it's just his contact and the way he treats his players."
"He gets every player playing their best. The confidence he gives all the players has been great."
"I owe a lot of this medal to him."
Carney also took out the five-eighth-of-the-year and Provan-Summons (fans' vote) gongs.
To cap a great night for the Tricolours, Smith was named Dally M coach-of-the-year after guiding the Roosters from the wooden spoon to the finals inside 12 months.
"I had a few people say I was a lunatic and what a crazy choice it was but from the first day I felt comfortable," the veteran coach said of his move from Newcastle to Bondi.
"There's always been the making of a good team and the guys we've added have done a fantastic job for us."
"I think we're in a really good spot."
Other award winners were:
Prop of the Year: David Shillington (Canberra)
Hooker: Robbie Farah (Tigers)
Second-row: Sam Thaiday (Brisbane)
Lock: Luke Lewis (Penrith)
Halfback: Scott Prince (Gold Coast)
Five-eighth: Todd Carney (Roosters)
Centre: Jamie Lyon (Manly)
Winger: Akuila Uate (Newcastle)
Fullback: Darius Boyd (Dragons)
Coach of the Year: Brian Smith (Sydney Roosters)
Rookie of the Year: Matt Gillett (Brisbane)
Captain of the Year: Braith Anasta (Roosters)
Rep player of the Year: Billy Slater (Qld & Aust)
Peter Frilingos Headline Moment: Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta)
Provan-Summons Medal (fans' vote): Todd Carney (Roosters)
Toyota Cup player-of-the-year: Tariq Sims (Broncos)