Short list confirmed for 2022 Golden Boot award

A long list of 19 players has been trimmed to a short list of five players to take out the 2022 Golden Boot award.

The award, presented to the player judged the best player in international flxtures during any given year, is one of the most prestigious in rugby league.

Not awarded over the last two years thanks to the lack of international fixtures, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Tommy Makinson took out the award the last two times it was awarded in 2019 and 2018.

Before that, Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston were the previous three winners, with Thurston being the only three-time winner of the award.

To be presented overnight in England, the long list of 19 has been trimmed to just Josh Addo-Carr (Australia), Jarome Luai (Samoa), Joseph Manu (New Zealand), Victor Radley (England) and George Williams (England).

That means that all of Tom Burgess (England), Ben Garcia (France), Harry Grant (Australia), Jahrome Hughes (New Zealand), Edwin Ipape (Papua New Guinea), Keaon Koloamatangi (Tonga), Mitchell Moses (Lebanon), Cameron Munster (Australia), Joran Schoenmaker (Netherlands), Brandon Smith (New Zealand), Jaydn Su'A (Samoa), Joseph Sua'ali'i (Samoa), Brian To'o (Samoa) and Sunia Turuva (Fiji). from the long list have been excluded from a chance at winning the award.

The award is being selected by Cameron Smith, James Graham and Reuben Wiki, with Adrian Morley set to present the award to the winner when the announcement is made.