Reece Walsh has missed out on being included on the short-list for rugby league’s Golden Boot award, with Cameron Munster, Harry Grant, Payne Haas, Dylan Brown and Joe Tapine the nominees. Walsh had an extraordinary late-season push that led the Brisbane Broncos to their first NRL premiership in 19 years, and was then part of the Kangaroos’ team that won the Ashes 3-0.
The star fullback was initially named on the long list for the Golden Boot, but his form for Australia wasn’t good enough to see him included on the short-list when it was revealed on Thursday. In years gone by, the prestigious award was judged on players’ form throughout the whole season – including NRL and Super League games, State of Origin and Test matches.
Harry Grant and Cameron Munster (R) are on the short-list for the Golden Boot, but Reece Walsh (L) isn’t. Image: Getty
But it changed in recent years to only include Tests, meaning it’s become an award for the best player of the international period. Munster and Grant are in the running and were Australia’s best two players in their 3-0 Ashes whitewash of England.
Haas was immense as Samoa made the Pacific Championships final, while Brown and Tapine were the stars of the triumphant New Zealand team. Brown is the clear favourite to win the top gong, which will have a first-time winner no matter who takes it out.
Dylan Brown and Joe Tapine led New Zealand to glory in the Pacific Championships. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
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Does the Golden Boot need a name change?
But questions are being asked about whether the award needs to be rebranded. If you asked the average NRL fan who the worthy winner of the top award in rugby league would be, most would either say Walsh, Munster or Haas.
Brown was sensational for the Kiwis, but had a fairly average year for the Parramatta Eels. Broncos legend Corey Parker has previously stated the Golden Boot award needs a name change to better reflect that it’s the best player of the end-of-season international window – not the whole year. And Andrew Voss declared it has “lost its meaning.”
Parker said on SEN radio: “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.
“[But] 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 [year]…that is not the reason. If you are suggesting he has been the best international player of the year, I don’t disagree with that.”
Parker suggestion was backed up on Thursday afternoon when fans were shocked that Walsh wasn’t on the short-list. There’s still a raft of confusion as to how the Golden Boot is judged, and many still don’t understand it doesn’t take into account the NRL season (or Super League for English players).
Who decides the Golden Boot winners?
The men’s award is judged by past recipients Darren Lockyer (Australia), Cameron Smith (Australia), Ruben Wiki (New Zealand), James Graham (England) and Petero Civoniceva (Australia/Fiji). The penal to decide the female gong is Karyn Murphy (Australia), Honey Hireme-Smiler (New Zealand) and Luisa Avaiki (New Zealand/Samoa). The short-list for the women’s award is Yasmin Clydsdale, Julia Robinson and Tamika Upton of Australia, Chantay Kiria-Ratu of the Cook Islands and Apii Nicholls of New Zealand.