Marshall in Contention for Player of Year Award

Marshall in Contention for Player of the Year Award

Auckland, New Zealand, November 2, 2010 – Kiwi captain Benji Marshall is one of eight players – and the only New Zealander – vying for the International Player of the Year title to be presented at the Rugby League International Federation’s annual awards at Eden Park tomorrow night (Wednesday).

Marshall (25) is set to lead the Kiwis for the 10th time when they face Australia in the main event of Saturday night’s historic Four Nations doubleheader at New Zealand rugby union’s home Eden Park.

After helping Wests Tigers continue a run deep into the NRL finals this year, Marshall has been nominated as one of the finalists for the top international award. Also in the hunt are Australian fullback Billy Slater – who won the inaugural award in 2008 – along with two other NRL stars Darius Boyd and Todd Carney, an Australian (Pat Richards) who helped Wigan to Super League success and three England internationals in James Graham, Adrian Morley and Sam Tomkins.

Three Kiwis Kieran Foran, Ben Matulino and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves are among the finalists for the International Rookie of the Year award.

Kiwis featuring among the finalists in the individual positional awards are Manu Vatuei (wing), Shaun Kenny-Dowall (centre), Benji Marshall (standoff), Thomas Leuluai (halfback), Frank-Paul Nuuausala (prop), Issac Luke (hooker), Bronson Harrison (second rower) is a finalis,

The full Four Nations squads from New Zealand, England, Australia and Papua New Guinea will attend the awards night. Today they were all at Eden Park for a fan day attended by 400 school children from around Auckland.

The nominations for the 2010 RLIF International Player of the Year awards are:

Player of the Year: Darius Boyd (St George Illawarra), Todd Carney (Sydney Roosters), James Graham (St Helens), Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers), Adrian Morley (Warrington), Pat Richards (Wigan), Billy Slater (Melbourne), Sam Tomkins (Wigan).

Coach of the Year: Richard Agar (Hull FC), Wayne Bennett (St George Illawarra), Michael Maguire (Wigan), Mal Meninga (Queensland), Brian Noble (Crusaders), Tim Sheens (Wests Tigers and Australia), Brian Smith (Sydney Roosters), Tony Smith (Warrington).

Rookie of the Year: Tom Briscoe (Hull FC), Kyle Eastmond (St Helens), Kieran Foran (Manly), Ben Matulino (Vodafone Warriors), Sam Tomkins (Wigan), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters), Gareth Widdop (Melbourne).

Fullback of the Year: Darius Boyd (St George Illawarra), Shaun Briscoe (Hull Kingston Rovers), Josh Dugan (Canberra), Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta), Billy Slater (Melbourne), Sam Tomkins (Wigan), Brent Webb (Leeds), Paul Wellens (St Helens).

Winger of the Year: Tom Briscoe (Hull FC), Michael Gordon (Penrith), Ryan Hall (Leeds), Brett Morris (St George Illawarra), Pat Richards (Wigan), Chris Riley (Warrington), Akuila Uate (Newcastle), Manu Vatuvei (Vodafone Warriors).

Centre of the Year: Chris Bridge (Warrington), Israel Folau (Brisbane), Matt Gidley (St Helens), Greg Inglis (Melbourne), Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Roosters), Matt King (Warrington), Jamie Lyon (Manly), Keith Senior (Leeds).

Five-eighth (standoff) of the Year: Lee Briers (Warrington), Kevin Brown (Huddersfield), Todd Carney (Sydney Roosters), Darren Lockyer (Brisbane), James Maloney (Vodafone Warriors), Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers), Danny McGuire (Leeds), Sam Tomkins (Wigan).

Halfback of the Year: Cooper Cronk (Melbourne), Michael Dobson (Hull Kingston Rovers), Kyle Eastmond (St Helens), Thomas Leuluai (Wigan), Mitchell Pearce (Roosters), Scott Prince (Gold Coast), Luke Robinson (Huddersfield), Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland).

Prop of the Year: Petero Civoniceva (Penrith), Stuart Fielden (Wigan), James Graham (St Helens), Adrian Morley (Warrington), Frank-Paul Nuuausala (Sydney Roosters), Jamie Peacock (Leeds), David Shillington (Canberra), Michael Weyman (St George).

Hooker of the Year: Danny Buderus (Leeds), Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers), Nathan Friend (Gold Coast), Danny Houghton (Hull FC), Issac Luke (Souths), Michael Monaghan (Warrington), James Roby (St Helens), Cameron Smith (Melbourne).

Second Rower of the Year: Sam Burgess (Souths), Gareth Ellis (Wests Tigers), Ben Galea (Hull Kingston Rovers), Bronson Harrison (Canberra), Clint Newton (Hull Kingston Rovers), Sam Thaiday (Brisbane), Joel Tomkins (Wigan), Ben Westwood (Warrington).

Loose forward (lock) of the Year: Craig Fitzgibbon (Hull FC), Paul Gallen (Cronulla), Ben Harrison (Warrington), Luke Lewis (Penrith), Sean O’Loughlin (Wigan), Corey Parker (Brisbane), Glenn Stewart (Manly), Kevin Sinfield (Leeds).

Awards for individual Nations’ International Players of the Year and the International Referee of the Year will also be presented, along with the Spirit of Rugby League Award, which the RLIF presents to a person or persons deemed to have made a significant contribution to the game in their lifetime.

The RLIF International Player of the Year awards were first presented in 2008 as part of the Rugby League World Cup celebrations. The inaugural RLIF International Player of the Year was Australian and Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater while in 2009 Parramatta and Australian star Jarryd Hayne collected the major award.

The winners of this year’s RLIF International Player of the Year awards are judged by a select international panel based on performances from (and including) October 13, 2009 to October 3, 2010.

ENDS

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