Halberg Trust to consider reaction

Halberg Trust chairman Mike Jeffcoat says the makeup of the voting academy and the number of finalists are likely to be among the talking points in this year's review of the Halberg Awards.

The 25-member academy - eight sports journalists and 17 athletes or coaches - has been criticised over the omission of the Kiwis from the team of the year category.

Jeffcoat said the trust was always looking at ways to improve the awards and would consider the reaction at its annual review.

Many Herald readers emailed to say they thought the Kiwis should have been included.

The All Blacks and three world champion rowing crews are the finalists.

Jeffcoat said that while it was impossible to have a representative from every sport, the feedback "will probably encourage us again to look and, as we do each year, review the sports that have got a representative on [the academy].

"We are always prepared and willing to look at [the awards] and make sure we have got it right or as right as we can get it. We are always reviewing it." The Herald received more than 250 emails on the issue, of which just under 10 per cent supported the academy's decision to pass over the Kiwis.

Of the 90 per cent who thought the Kiwis should have been included, most would have eliminated the All Blacks to make room for them.

The trust reviews the awards each year and it reconsidered the voting two years ago after a survey found that athletes wanted to see more athletes on the panel, which used to consist entirely of sports journalists.

The All Blacks have been voted team of the year in the people's choice awards but the finalists were chosen before the Kiwis' Tri-Nations victory.