From shaky hands to Golden Boots
November 28th 2008 07:47
The Golden Boot award, which is rugby league’s most prestigious individual honour, will provide the curtain call on a 2008 season full of surprises, and not without its fair share of controversy.
So who has been the standout player in rugby league this year?
An Australian’s chances of receiving the honour are quite good, considering the Kangaroos have five out of the eight nominations available for selection.
The World Cup runner up have Greg Inglis, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Johnathon Thurston and Brent Kite all in with a chance of claiming league’s greatest individual award.
New Zealand have two representatives in with a shot at the Golden Boot with Manu Vatuvei and Benji Marshall headlining Kiwi hopes.
England, who were by far the biggest disappointments in the world cup, only have the solitary player involved in Golden Boot contention in the form of Lions captain Jamie Peacock.
In terms of the eight nominations available for selection, it’s a surprise not to see Darren Lockyer in with a chance, considering he was named man of the match in the world cup final, and was also awarded the Harry-Sunderland medal as International Australian player of the year.
But for those in with a shot, Kangaroos fullback Billy Slater is the standout candidate, considering he was already named player of the year last Tuesday.
His brain snap in the final against the Kiwis though could have well cost him more than a world cup.
Brent Kite on the other hand has done nothing wrong this season and has arguably developed into one of the premier forwards in rugby league.
Do not be surprised if he emerges with the medal because he does deserve it.
Benji Marshall has rediscovered the spark in his football that allowed him to dominate all before him in 2005. Indeed the Kiwis benefited from his new found form with a world cup victory.
Marshall could indeed complete the miraculous revival from his shoulder reconstructions with the title of worlds best player.
And to be honest, Marshall can still get better.
Manu Vatuvei is the other player with a substantial chance of claiming the Golden Boot, with his blockbusting performances on the wing, now granting him the title of world’s best winger in my opinion.
Considering he was an inconsistent wreck two or three seasons ago, Vatuvei is now producing more diamonds than ever before, and now has the right to claim some gold of his own.
Overall, Slater is the outright favourite for the award, but Kite and Vatuvei are the real smokey’s for the title.
But ‘the beast’ would be my pick.
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