Five Kiwis from the record test win over Australia have been nominated for the World Rugby League Player of the Year award and Kiwi Ferns co-captain Raecene McGregor has a shot at a second consecutive prize.
Kiwis captain James Fisher-Harris is joined on the Golden Boot longlist by scrumhalf Jahrome Hughes, try-scoring wing Ronaldo Mulitalo, loose forward Joey Tapine and fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
The quintet were key performers in the Kiwis’ 30-0 win over the Kangaroos in the Pacific Championship final.
They are bidding to make it a Kiwis ‘three-peat’ for the prestigious award inaugurated by the International Rugby League.
The last two winners were Kiwis centre Joey Manu – another standout in the win over Australia – in 2022 and new Warriors returnee Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in 2019 (before the awards were mothballed for two years due to the Covid pandemic).
McGregor, the Kiwi Ferns playmaker, was the women’s Golden Boot winner in 2022, the third time the prize had been awarded.
She is joined on the 2023 nominees list by her Kiwi Ferns co-captain Georgia Hale, a NRLW runner-up with the Gold Coast Titans, fullback Apii Nicholls and centre Mele Hufanga.
The quartet starred in the Kiwi Ferns’ first win over Australia in seven years in October.
Hufanga was a try-scorer in the 12-8 win over the world champion Jillaroos.
Players are shortlisted for their performances in international matches, not domestic competitions.
The winners will be announced in early December.
Addin Fonua-Blake, the Warriors’ Dally M prop of the year, and Tonga test captain, has been nominated for the men’s award, along with the Cook Islands’ former Kiwis test centre Esan Marsters.
Former Kiwis Ruben Wiki and Adam Blair are on the men’s judging panel while ex-Kiwi Ferns wing Honey Hireme-Smiler is one of the women’s award judges.
Outgoing IRL chair Troy Grant said: “The IRL Golden Boot is one of the oldest and most highly regarded awards in rugby league, so it is fitting that some of the giants of the international game decide the winners.
“Having former players of such standing choose the men’s and women’s international player of the year adds to the prestige of the IRL Golden Boot and we thank them for their support of the award.”
The men’s award was first struck in 1984 when Kangaroos legend Wally Lewis won it.
Six New Zealanders have won the Golden Boot – Hugh McGahan (a co-winner with Peter Sterling in 1987), Stacey Jones (2002), Benji Marshall (2010), Shaun Johnson (2014), Tuivasa-Sheck (2019), Manu (2022).
The women’s Golden Boot was first awarded to Australia’s Isabelle Kelly in 2018.
McGregor was the first Kiwi Ferns winner.
The Wheelchair Golden Boot which was first presented in 2018, will also be awarded in 2023 with some of the sport’s pioneer athletes on the judging panel.
Golden Boot nominees
Women
Elisa Akpa (France), Toru Arakua (Cook Islands), Lauréane Biville (France), Belinda Gwasamun (Papua New Guinea), Georgia Hale (New Zealand), Amy Hardcastle (England), Mele Hufanga (New Zealand), Raecene McGregor (New Zealand), Apii Nicholls (New Zealand), Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala(Samoa), Tiana Penitani (Tonga), Georgia Roche (England), Jess Sergis (Australia),Tamika Upton (Australia).
Men
Matty Ashton (England), John Bateman (England), Jahream Bula (Fiji), Su’a Faalogo (Samoa), James Fisher-Harris (New Zealand), Addin Fonua-Blake (Tonga), Harry Grant (Australia), Payne Haas (Australia), Jahrome Hughes (New Zealand), Edwin Ipape (Papua New Guinea),Tui Kamikamica (Fiji), Lachlan Lam (Papua New Guinea), Mikey Lewis (England), Esan Marsters (Cook Islands), Ronaldo Mulitalo (New Zealand), Cameron Murray (Australia), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (New Zealand), Harry Smith (England), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Australia), Joey Tapine (New Zealand).
