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2019 Golden Boot nominee shortlist

League Unlimited News

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7th November 2019, 10:20
rlif

Tonga, New Zealand and Australia lead the running for International Rugby League Golden Boots

International Rugby League (IRL) will be awarding the prestigious Golden Boot trophies to the players adjudged by a panel of media to have put in the best performances in full international matches in 2019 in both the men’s and the women’s games. The winners will be announced once the final scheduled games for the year are complete.

Tonga has two players at the top of the current list with both Sio Siua Taukeiaho and Tui Lolohea being recognised for their performances in the Oceania Cup and the Great Britain Lions games, this includes the historic victory over the Kangaroos.

New Zealand also has two strong contenders in Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves both of whom have excelled throughout the year. Australia has a spread of candidates having completed their two-game programme for 2019. Damian Cook the Kangaroos hooker has caught the eye of the judges, whilst newcomer Payne Haas has received several commendations.

Great Britain has only one current representative on the list after their disappointing start to the tour. John Bateman has continued his excellent club season into the international programme and, with two games still to play, has the opportunity to enhance his claim to the men’s Golden Boot.

Fiji has three players who have been recognised for their performances in the International Rugby League’s Oceania Cup competition. Viliame Kikau, Kevin Naiqama and Brandon Wakeman all have received enough votes to put them on the list.

In the race for the women’s award, the stand-out performances so far have been from the Australian Jillaroos pair, Jess Sergis and a nominee from last year, Ali Brigginshaw.

There is the two-game series between England and the PNG Orchids which starts this weekend and will give players from those two nations the opportunity to stake their claim.

http://www.rlif.com/article/8779/to...for-international-rugby-league-golden-boots--


tl;dr:

 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
Change the f**king thing back. Which f**king idiot had the bright idea to change the criteria in the first place?
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903

The award used to be for the best player in the world. Now its for the best performed player in internationals, which is essentially meaningless in years like this.

There's a reason why players of the caliber of Tui Lolohea and Brandon Wakeham never used to be nominated.
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
The award used to be for the best player in the world. Now its for the best performed player in internationals, which is essentially meaningless in years like this.

There's a reason why players of the caliber of Tui Lolohea and Brandon Wakeham never used to be nominated.
When it was created Open Rugby magazine (which is now Rugby League World) would have occasional world rankings for each playing position. Sometimes there would be uncapped players in the lists. IIRC the Golden Boot was then awarded to the player who had received the most votes in the year. Votes were cast by journalists from the U.K., Australia and New Zealand if memory serves me right.
 

latingringo101

Juniors
Messages
585
Whoever selected these players must have chosen their international exploits over domestic because that's the only rational I can think of why some of those players made that list.

I suggested before that it should be a points system factoring in man of the match, rep selection, team of the year etc so the BEST player is for both domestic and international performances
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
Whoever selected these players must have chosen their international exploits over domestic because that's the only rational I can think of why some of those players made that list.

I suggested before that it should be a points system factoring in man of the match, rep selection, team of the year etc so the BEST player is for both domestic and international performances

It is literally only international achievements now. It's got nothing to do with the best player in the world anymore.
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,478
ok, ok we all know what the Golden Boot is/isn't, but this shortlist seems a tad ridiculous.

John Bateman (Great Britain)
Damien Cook (Australia)
Payne Haas (Australia)
Viliame Kikau (Fiji)
Tui Lolohea (Tonga)
Kevin Naiqama (Fiji)
Sio Siua Taukeiaho (Tonga)
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New Zealand)
Jared Waerea-HargreavesNew Zealand)
Brandon Wakeham(Fiji)

There's a few blokes in that shortlist who shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Lewis, Meninga, Hanley, Thurston, Smith, Cronk etc

Can you imagine Tui Lolohea getting the nod?

Fitler fires up here https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/spo...3BuWea4HPF7I04HJclIR1I_YDJQbPVtRzccQgyo97_7Gs
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,478
Anyway, Warea-Hargraves for me, seeing as he should have got the Clive Churchill
 

AJB1102

First Grade
Messages
6,339
Golden Boot simply isn't the same award anymore. I'm not sure exactly what criteria they changed but a 3 game English winger won last year. It's gone from 'best player in the world' to 'most consistent over a 3 week rep calendar' and it's so different it should have been renamed.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Love the new criteria and love how much it upsets the NRL-only simpletons.

The media personalities and ex players sooking loudest, deep down, think that only an Australian should win this award.
Australia already has a best player award. It's the Dally M.
Why does Tedesco need another award for what is then effectively the same thing?

No one is complaining that the Wally Lewis award doesn't include NRL games.

2 years in a row Tedesco has failed to star in Australia losing 1 of their only 2 tests.
Tough f**king titties.

Long live the new Golden Boot
 

AJB1102

First Grade
Messages
6,339
Love the new criteria and love how much it upsets the NRL-only simpletons.

The media personalities and ex players sooking loudest, deep down, think that only an Australian should win this award.
Australia already has a best player award. It's the Dally M.
Why does Tedesco need another award for what is then effectively the same thing?

No one is complaining that the Wally Lewis award doesn't include NRL games.

2 years in a row Tedesco has failed to star in Australia losing 1 of their only 2 tests.
Tough f**king titties.

Long live the new Golden Boot

It's nothing to do with any of that. It used to be prestigious and awarded to the highest caliber of players, regardless of where they're from.

I'm fine with this award but golden boot it is not. It should get a different name.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Disagree

It's perfectly fair and reasonable for there to be an award for the best performer in international football.
The Golden Boot is best suited to be that award.
As International football (hopefully) grows so that all teams are playing a major tournament/series and 5+ games a year, the award will regain its significance.

If the Kangaroos fronted up and actually played NZ out of tournament, pushed for a final in the Oceania Cup, and played GBL on their tour, I have little doubt that James Tedesco would be given the award.
As it stands, the Kangaroos have no interest in playing football and Australia should be penalised for their lack of effort.

You could argue that there should be a different award for "Best International Player" and the Golden Boot should remain for "World's Best Player" but the new award would simply be overshadowed by the Golden Boot and the public confused by the similar concepts.

And the entire point is for international football to step out of the shadows.

Rugby League doesn't need a "Worlds best player" award while there are only 2 professional comps.
The 2 winners in those comps were James Tedesco and Jackson Hastings.
I'm sure we can figure out who's the better player out of that tight field without a trophy for it.
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
Disagree

It's perfectly fair and reasonable for there to be an award for the best performer in international football.
The Golden Boot is best suited to be that award.

As International football (hopefully) grows so that all teams are playing a major tournament/series and 5+ games a year, the award will regain its significance.

If the Kangaroos fronted up and actually played NZ out of tournament, pushed for a final in the Oceania Cup, and played GBL on their tour, I have little doubt that James Tedesco would be given the award.
As it stands, the Kangaroos have no interest in playing football and Australia should be penalised for their lack of effort.

You could argue that there should be a different award for "Best International Player" and the Golden Boot should remain for "World's Best Player" but the new award would simply be overshadowed by the Golden Boot and the public confused by the similar concepts.

And the entire point is for international football to step out of the shadows.

Rugby League doesn't need a "Worlds best player" award while there are only 2 professional comps.
The 2 winners in those comps were James Tedesco and Jackson Hastings.
I'm sure we can figure out who's the better player out of that tight field without a trophy for it.

Agree first sentence. Disagree second sentence. Of course there should be an award for best international player, No way should it take over an award that was awarded for an entirely different reason for 30-odd years.

Pretty sure there used to be both the Golden Boot and best International Player. All it is at the moment is confusing.

Also world's best player doesn't just equal Dally M. For example in 2006 Cam Smith won the Dally M but Lockyer won the Golden Boot for performance in not just the NRL regular season but also finals, Origin and Internationals.
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
Love the new criteria and love how much it upsets the NRL-only simpletons.

The media personalities and ex players sooking loudest, deep down, think that only an Australian should win this award.
Australia already has a best player award. It's the Dally M.
Why does Tedesco need another award for what is then effectively the same thing?

No one is complaining that the Wally Lewis award doesn't include NRL games.

2 years in a row Tedesco has failed to star in Australia losing 1 of their only 2 tests.
Tough f**king titties.

Long live the new Golden Boot

Well that's very Australian-centric itself. Dally M is not exclusive to Australians.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Well that's very Australian-centric itself. Dally M is not exclusive to Australians.

Semantics. It's an Australian competition. "Australia has the Dally M" is a valid statement.

But my main point was that people like Buzz Rothfield and (i hate to group them together) Brad Fittler clearly believe that only someone who plays in the Australia could possibly the best player in the world.
 
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