Bulls players Paul Deacon and Jamie Langley are backing former Bulls skipper Jamie Peacock in his bid to win Rugby League World's Golden Boot award.

The honour, bestowed annually by the magazine to the game's top performer, is due to be announced on Friday.

Peacock, who led Great Britain to their first series win for 13 years this autumn, has already topped a British poll to qualify for the global award, ahead of Australian hooker Cameron Smith and Britain's Gareth Ellis.

Other players on the short-list are Australian prop Steve Price, Kangaroos half-back Johnathan Thurston and Kiwi prop Roy Asotasi but Deacon has nailed his colours firmly to Peacock's mast.

The Bulls half-back said: "It is chosen on the basis of internationals and, without a doubt, Jamie Peacock was the stand-out player over the three tests against New Zealand.

"He captained the side and led from the front so, in international terms, he definitely deserves it.

"Jamie is just one of those blokes who doesn't say a lot but when he does say something everybody listens.

"And, from my point of view, I reckon he is not every often wrong.

"Also he is always there to carry the ball and when he does carry it he carries it strongly.

"You can see the passion and the heart in every team that he plays for.

"As for his biggest rival, I have lost touch with the Australian game because I haven't got Setanta Sports!"

Langley said: "JP has as good a chance as anybody and for the last four or five years he has been one of the form players of Super League, and at international level too for the last few years.

"He deserves his entry and is definitely one of the favourites."

Deacon added: "It is amazing that we hadn't won a series for 13 years because the quality of players over here now is right up there with the Australians.

"We always seemed to fall just short at international level and it was nice to see a 3-0 whitewash this year.

"It just goes to show that we are good at that level and hopefully we will do well in the World Cup next year."

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