2 Nov 2011

Marshall in line for top gong again

5:53 am on 2 November 2011

Benji Marshall is in line for the top title while four of his Four Nations Kiwi team-mates are also short-listed for accolades at the Rugby League International Player of the Year Awards at the Tower of London on Thursday.

The Kiwis captain Marshall, the 2010 Golden Boot winner, is vying with Melbourne's Australian internationals Billy Slater and Cameron Smith for the International Player of the Year award.

Manly's Kieran Foran is finalist for Standoff of the Year along with Marshall while Jason Nightingale is in the running for the Winger of the Year, Wests Tigers-bound Adam Blair for Prop of the Year and Thomas Leuluai (Wigan) and Issac Luke (South Sydney) for Hooker of the Year.

Melbourne's Kiwi winger Matt Duffie, ruled out of the Four Nations after making his debut in this year's Anzac Test, is one of the three finalists for International Rookie of the Year.

Beaten NRL grand finalists the Warriors have two finalists - James Maloney (standoff) and Feleti Mateo (second rower) - but the club's 2011 Player of the Year Simon Mannering is a surprising omission.

Last night Marshall won the top prize at New Zealand Rugby League's annual awards held in Auckland.

Marshall was named the Kiwis player of the year while Warriors player Shaun Johnson was Rookie of the year.