Two-Test rookie among surprise inclusions on 17-player Golden Boot nominees list
A two-Test rookie is among the surprise nominees for the 2024 Golden Boot, awarded to rugby league's top international player.
The prestigious Boot has previously been awarded to the likes of league icons Wally Lewis, Peter Sterling, Mal Meninga, and Andrew Johns.
Kiwi players have won the last three iterations of the award.
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James Fisher-Harris (2023), Joey Manu (2022) and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (2019) are the three most recent winners. The Boot was not awarded in 2020 and 2021 due to no international football being played.
The last Aussie player to win the Boot was Cameron Smith in 2017. England's Tommy Makinson won the 2018 gong.
Keano Kini of New Zealand charges into the Kangaroos defence. Getty
While selectors have had a limited sample size from which to pick this year's winner, a list of 17 stars has been compiled, albeit bizarrely before the Pacific Championships finals this weekend.
It includes New Zealand livewire Keano Kini - the Titans rookie who played his first two international games during the Pacific Championships.
The Kiwis lost to both Australia and Tonga and failed to qualify for the final.
Watch the 2024 Pacific Championships on Nine and 9Now.
Kini is their only nominee for the Golden Boot, which will be announced in early December.
Australia has Harry Grant, Zac Lomax, Isaah Yeo, and Tom Trbojevic all nominated, while England has Herbie Farnworth, Harry Smith, and George Williams in the running.
Samoa's Jarome Luai and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck have also been nominated from their Test series against England.
Zac Lomax has been nominated. NRL Imagery
Other nominees for the men's Boot are Addin Fonua-Blake (Tonga), Lachlan Lam (Papua New Guinea), Nene Macdonald (Papua New Guinea), Esan Marsters (Cook Islands), Taane Milne (Fiji), Haumole Olakau'atu (Tonga), and Jason Taumalolo (Tonga).
They are all vying to become the first player not from Australia, England, or New Zealand to win the award.
2024 GOLDEN BOOT NOMINEES
Herbie Farnworth (England)
Addin Fonua-Blake (Tonga)
Harry Grant (Australia)
Lachlan Lam (Papua New Guinea)
Zac Lomax (Australia)
Jarome Luai (Samoa)
Keano Kini (New Zealand)
Nene Macdonald (Papua New Guinea)
Esan Marsters (Cook Islands)
Taane Milne (Fiji)
Haumole Olakau'atu (Tonga)
Harry Smith (England)
Jason Taumalolo (Tonga)
Tom Trbojevic (Australia)
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Samoa)
George Williams (England)
Isaah Yeo (Australia)
