Kiwis skipper on the short list for the Golden Boot

New Zealand captain Dallin WateneZelezniak, Australian fullback James Tedesco and England duo Elliott Whitehead and Tommy Makinson have been shortlisted for 2018 RLIF Golden Boot award.

The quartet were chosen following England’s series winning 20-14 defeat of New Zealand at Anfield on Monday in which Makinson scored a hat-trick of tries to cap a meteoric international rise after only receiving his call-up after Ryan Hall suffered a season-ending ACL injury.

Makinson, Whitehead, WateneZelezniak and Tedesco had been on an initial long list of 10 players from four nations, which included Kangaroos captain Boyd Cordner and winger Valentine Holmes, Kiwis playmaker Shaun Johnson, England second-rower John Bateman and Tonga forwards Jason Taumalolo and Sio Siua Taukeiaho.

The winner will be announced at the Hall of Fame & RLIF Golden Boot Dinner which will be held at Elland Road, Leeds today.

The first ever Women’s Golden Boot will also be presented, with Jillaroos trio Ali Brigginshaw, Brittany Breayley and Isabelle Kelly vying with Kiwi Ferns superstar Honey Hireme and England’s Georgia Roche.

The RLIF Golden Boot award recognises the most outstanding performances in both men’s and women’s international matches and covers all fully sanctioned international games played from last December’s World Cup final to Monday’s second test between England and New Zealand.