Blockbusting No.8 Wycliff Palu has capped a dramatic form turnaround by being named the Wallabies' best player on their spring rugby tour.

Axed during the earlier Tri-Nations series, Palu credited some stern words from his mother as he excelled on the recent five Test tour to Japan and Europe.

For the first time player voting for the annual John Eales Medal award is to be announced in three stages, with the first update after the spring tour revealed on Thursday.

Palu leads the votes taken among the players each of the Tests against the All Blacks, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales with 113 votes.

This year's John Eales Medal winner Matt Giteau is second with 102 votes, following by Wallabies young guns David Pocock (86) and Will Genia (72) and fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper (52).

The next phase of voting to be revealed will include the four Tests against Fiji (in Canberra), England (in Perth and Sydney), and Ireland (in Brisbane) next June.

Voting in next year's six-Tests Tri Nations series will remain secret until the winner is announced in October.

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