Kangaroos fullback Reece Walsh and Cameron Munster are tipped to miss out on the prestigious Golden Boot award with New Zealand playmaker Dylan Brown the star of the international schedule. This comes as Kangaroos great Corey Parker has called for the award to be renamed to reflect the new criteria used to select the winner.
Australia completed their 3-0 series win over England on the weekend after running away with the game 30-8. Walsh bounced back with another superstar performance having scored two tries to lead the team with an improved second-half showing. Walsh proved too much for England with his second solo try cementing his position as the best fullback in the game.
Kangaroos fullback Reece Walsh (pictured right) is tipped to miss out on the prestigious Golden Boot award with New Zealand playmaker Dylan Brown the star of the Pacific Championships tournament. (Images: Getty Images)
While the Brisbane Broncos fullback had the flashy highlights, it was Munster who won player of the series with his playmaking proving the difference in games 2 and 3. Unfortunately for the duo the Ashes series didn’t live up to the hype with England only scoring two tries across 240 minutes of footy.
Both Walsh and Munster are both on the short list to win the Golden Boot award, but the dire series might work against the Aussie duo with many tipping Brown to take home the coveted award. Brown entered the Pacific Championships final neck-and-neck with the Aussie duo for the award.
And he emerged from the final as the clear frontrunner after igniting New Zealand’s attack in the second-half to help his nation lift the trophy. Samoa started the Pacific Championship final on a roll having taken a 14-6 lead into half-time.
But Brown was involved in everything for New Zealand in the second-half with the five-eighth tearing Samoa apart. Brown finished with a whopping 192 running metres, while recording three try assists and three linebreak assists.
Brown was also solid in defence having made 16 tackles. Brown had a number of teammates who were also on the Golden Boot award short list with Penrith Panthers star Casey McLean heading into the final as a real chance of taking home the award.
But Brown was the clear standout during the Pacific Championships and found plenty of support to take home the award. Kangaroos and NRL great Parker agreed Brown was a clear favourite to become the first New Zealand star to win the individual award since Shaun Johnson.
Corey Parker calls for change to Golden Boot award
Parker agreed Brown is a frontrunner to win the Golden Boot after a stellar three games for his nation. But the Broncos great has also called for the Golden Boot award to be renamed after the criteria to select a winner dramatically changed a few years ago.
The likes of Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Johnson have all won the Golden Boot during their playing careers, but the award criteria chanced back in 2018. Prior to this, the whole season of the player – domestic and representative – was taken into account when selecting the winner.
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But in 2018, more weight was given to the international schedule. However, most players only play three games for their nation at the end of the season. This leaves a very short window to choose a deserved winner. And Parker feels while their should be an award for international footy, the award should change name since it doesn’t stand for what it did before 2018.
“I think Dylan Brown will get the golden Boot. And if we are talking about the international player of the year…he has been scintillating…I think he will win Golden Boot,” Parker said on SEN Radio. “It shouldn’t be called Golden Boot. If you go through the criteria for a Golden Boot, and who has won the Golden Boot, boy there are some names. That is not disrespecting Dylan Brown, but it is a collective, right throughout the course of the season.
“Dylan Brown only played 18 games for Parramatta and was dropped out of the starting side…if you are suggesting he has been the best player of the competition, that is not the reason. If you are suggesting he has been the best international player of the year, don’t disagree with that.” Parker feels the old award reflected the whole season and the title needs to be renamed to reflect the new criteria.
Dylan Brown (pictured) is favourite to win the Golden Boot award after a stellar international year.