KEY POINTS:
BRISBANE - Kiwi winger Manu Vatuvei has received a boost ahead of the World Cup final on Saturday, being named the game's top winger at the Rugby League International Federations's inaugural player-of-the-year awards.
Vatuvei, 22, was the only New Zealander to feature among the winners when the awards were handed out at a dinner in Brisbane last night.
The biggest prize of player of the year went to Kangaroo Billy Slater, who also picked up the trophy for the fullback category.
Vatuvei was in devastating form for the New Zealand Warriors this season and also scored a World Cup-equalling four tries in a match in the pool victory over England.
However, because the awards period covered the 12 months until October, that feat was not taken into consideration when an international panel of journalists considered its choices.
Vatuvei, who has gained 15 caps after making his test debut three years ago, said he was honoured to get the award.
"It will give me a little bit of confidence going into the final," he said.
"But I have to concentrate on what I have to do and hopefully it will go well."
Of his quartet of tries against England, Vatuvei gave credit to the players around him, like centre Jerome Ropati, five-eighth Benji Marshall and fullback Lance Hohaia.
"I was pretty lucky to have scored four tries and I wouldn't have done it without the other players," he said.
"Some of Jerome's lines, and some of Benji's, Lance's and the other boys' long passes to me - anyone in my spot would score those tries."
Vatuvei is one of the few players in the present Kiwi squad to have tasted victory over Australia, having played in the two wins over the Kangaroos in the 2005 Tri-Nations, the 38-28 victory in Sydney and the 24-0 whitewash in the final in Leeds.
On both occasions, the Kiwis went in as underdogs, so Vatuvei was familiar with the present situation where Australia are hot favourites.
"We don't mind what people say," he said.
"The Aussies are going well, but we've been improving and we just have to build on that."
The Rugby League International Federations's inaugural player-of-the-year awards:
Fullback: Billy Slater (Melbourne).
Winger: Manu Vatuvei (New Zealand Warriors).
Centre: Israel Folau (Melbourne).
Five-eighth: Greg Inglis (Melbourne).
Halfback: Scott Prince (Gold Coast).
Lock: Paul Gallen (Cronulla).
Second Row: Gareth Ellis (Leeds) and Anthony Laffranchi (Gold Coast).
Front Row: James Graham (St Helens).
Hooker: Cameron Smith (Melbourne).
Coach of the Year: Des Hasler (Manly).
Rookie of the Year: Israel Folau (Melbourne Storm).
Player of the Year: Billy Slater.
- NZPA
