Papua New Guinea Kumuls and Leigh Leopards superstars Lachlan Lam and Edwin Ipape have been nominated for the 2023 Golden Boot Award. The International Rugby League (IRL) Golden Boot is an annual award given to the best players (men and women) in sanctioned rugby league international matches.
Their nominations come in recognition of their outstanding performances in the recent Pacific Championships and Betfred Challenge Cup victories, making them two of the most accomplished players of the season.
This is the second consecutive year that Edwin Ipape has been nominated for the award. Last year, the Golden Boot was awarded to Joseph Manu, who plays center for New Zealand Kiwis and the Sydney Roosters.
The judges for the 2023 Golden Boot recipients include Darren Lockyer (Australia), Adrian Morley (England), Ruben Wiki (New Zealand), James Graham (England), and Adam Blair (New Zealand). These players, who have all played 50 international games for their countries, will have the responsibility of choosing the winner of the men's IRL Golden Boot.
The Kumuls' duo have had an amazing season this year. Both players have been instrumental in their club and representative game victories. The Leigh Leopards won the Betfred Challenge Cup final at Wembley, the club's first cup challenge after 52 years, in August. Lachlan Lam's golden point thriller clinched a dramatic 17-16 win over Hull KR during the Cup Challenge.
Ipape and Lam were named in the 2023 Super League Dream Team, winning the Hooker of the Year and Halfback of the Year awards, respectively. For context, the Super League Dream Team is an annually-selected Rugby League All-Star Team consisting of the players deemed to have been the best in their respective positions in the Super League competition.
The winners of the 2023 IRL Golden Boot Awards will be announced in early December.
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