The International Rugby League have confirmed a long list of players and the judging panel to determine the winner of the 2023 men's golden boot award.
The list is predominantly made up of players who contested the Pacific Cup and Bowl tournaments, although four players from England and another from Tonga have made the list out of their three-Test series.
The sole Tongan representative is Addin Fonua-Blake, while Matty Ashton, John Bateman, Mikey Lewis and Harry Smith are included out of the English camp.
New Zealand players dominate the list out of the Pacific tournaments, with the Kiwis overrunning Australia in a record-breaking final of the tri-series.
James Fisher-Harris, Jahrome Hughes, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Joseph Tapine are all on the list, while Australia also has plenty of players with Harry Grant, Payne Haas, Cameron Murray and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow a chance of taking out the award.
Players from Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands are also on the long list after voting from media experts among others.
The final winner of the 2023 award - who will take the mantle from Joseph Manu after he won in 2022 - will be selected by a five-man voting panel that consists of Darren Lockyer (Australia), Adrian Morley (England) Ruben Wiki (New Zealand), James Graham (England) and Adam Blair (New Zealand).
Long list
Matty Ashton (England)
John Bateman (England)
Jahream Bula (Fiji)
Su'a Faalogo (Samoa)
James Fisher-Harris (New Zealand)
Addin Fonua-Blake (Tonga)
Harry Grant (Australia)
Payne Haas (Australia)
Jahrome Hughes (New Zealand)
Edwin Ipape (Papua New Guinea)
Tui Kamikamica (Fiji)
Lachlan Lam (Papua New Guinea)
Mikey Lewis (England)
Esan Marsters (Cook Islands)
Ronaldo Mulitalo (New Zealand)
Cameron Murray (Australia)
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (New Zealand)
Harry Smith (England)
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Australia)
Joseph Tapine (New Zealand)
Judging panel
Darren Lockyer (Australia)
Adrian Morley (England)
Ruben Wiki (New Zealand)
James Graham (England)
Adam Blair (New Zealand)
