Leeds Rhinos star Zak Hardaker is one of three nominees for the 2015 Golden Boot award.
Dally M medal winner and two-time Golden Boot recipient Jonathan Thurston is also on the shortlist, with the half-back looking to create history and become the first man to receive the award three times. New Zealand’s Roger Tuivasa-Sheck makes up the three-man list.
Hardaker enjoyed his finest season to date in 2015, capping off Leeds’ treble winning season by winning the Man Of Steel award, beating Alex Walmsley and team mate Adam Cuthbertson to the crown.
He is up against stern opposition, with Thurston’s North Queensland Cowboys winning the NRL, while Tuivasa-Sheck has set the world alight with his dazzling displays this year.
The shortlist is decided by a panel of journalists and former winners of the award. Among the panel is the first recipient of the award, 1984 winner Wally Lewis, former Wigan star Brett Kenny and Garry Schofield.
The winner of the Golden Boot will be exclusively revealed in the December edition of Rugby League World magazine, in shops from November 20th.
Thurston’s two Golden Boots see him already part of an exclusive group, with Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer the only other players to ever win the award twice.
As for Hardaker, he looks to become only the third English player to win the award this millennium, following on from Andrew Farrell (2004) and Kevin Sinfield (2012).
The prestigious award, which determines the world’s best player, was introduced in 1984. The competition took a hiatus between 1991 and 1998 before being reintroduced in 1999, with Andrew Johns winning it that year before becoming the first player to win it twice in 2001.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
1984: Wally Lewis
1985: Brett Kenny
1986: Garry Jack
1987: Hugh McGahan & Peter Sterling
1988: Ellery Hanley
1989: Mal Meninga
1990: Garry Schofield
1999: Andrew Johns
2000: Brad Fittler
2001: Andrew Johns
2002: Stacey Jones
2003: Darren Lockyer
2004: Andrew Farrell
2005: Anthony Minichiello
2006: Darren Lockyer
2007: Cameron Smith
2008: Billy Slater
2009: Greg Inglis
2010: Benji Marshall
2011: Johnathan Thurston
2012: Kevin Sinfield
2013: Johnathan Thurston
2014: Shaun Johnson