Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has blasted reaction to Jack Wighton upsetting Nathan Cleary to win the 2020 Dally M on Monday night.

In an embarrassing night for the NRL, Wighton’s win was revealed accidently via News Corp hours before the result was meant to be made public.

“I think it’s totally disrespectful to any award winner who has to put up with such negativity,” Stuart told The Daily Telegraph.

“This is a wonderful achievement and he’s done it through a lot of consistency and hard work. He’s a wonderful example of what happens when you commit and work hard. Winning a Dally M puts Jack into a very elite category.”

The NRL is now expected to overhaul the Dally M for 2021.