Scott Dixon, who previously won sportsman of the year in 2008 and 2013, is looking to join Danyon Loader and Rob Waddell as a three-time winner in the category. Mahé Drysdale holds the record with five.
Sophie Pascoe could win the Disabled Sportsperson of the Year for a sixth time, having been nominated every year since the category was introduced in 2011.
Kiwi-born Irish coach Joe Schmidt has been named as a finalist for coach of the year, while not a single link to the All Blacks' 15-player code could be seen across the six categories.
It's the first time since 2007 that neither an All Blacks player, coach, or the team as a whole has made the final shortlist.
New Zealand Rugby's hopes for taking home an award lay on the shoulders of the men's and women's sevens teams, who are both up for Team of the Year, as well as Allan Bunting and Clark Laidlaw, who are finalists alongside Schmidt for coach of the year.
The majority of the categories are dominated by wider codes, with the likes of Winter Olympics heroes Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Nico Porteous up for Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year respectively, and two of the four finalists in the Sportsman of the Year category being motorsport athletes.
Full list of finalists:
Sportswoman of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)
Joelle King (squash), Jonelle Price (equestrian), Lisa Carrington (canoe racing), Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (snowboarding).
Sportsman of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)
Nico Porteous (freeskiing), Scott Dixon (motorsport), Scott McLaughlin (motorsport), Tom Walsh (athletics)
Para Athlete/Team of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)
Adam Hall (Para alpine skiing), Corey Peters (Para alpine skiing), Scott Martlew (Para canoe racing), Sophie Pascoe (Para swimming).
Team of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)
All Blacks Sevens (rugby union), Black Ferns Sevens (rugby union), NZ Football Under 17 Women (football), NZ Women's Kayaking Team (canoe racing), Black Sticks Women (hockey).
Coach of the Year
Allan Bunting (rugby union), Clark Laidlaw (rugby union), Gordon Walker (canoe racing), Joe Schmidt (rugby union), Leon Birnie (football).
Emerging Talent
Amelia Kerr (cricket), Anna Leat (football), Josh Armit (yachting), Lewis Clareburt (swimming), Maddison-Lee Wesche (athletics).
New Zealand's Favourite Sporting Moment of the Year
1. Nico Porteous and Zoi Sadowski-Synnott medaling at the Olympic Winter Games within two hours of each other (Pyeongchang)
2. David Liti breaking a Commonwealth record and winning gold in the men's 105kg+ weightlifting division at the Commonwealth Games (Gold Coast)
3. Kelly Brazier scoring a long range solo try in extra time to secure gold for the Black Ferns Sevens against Australia at the Commonwealth Games (Gold Coast)
4. Black Sticks Women penalty shootout over Olympic champions England in semifinal at the Commonwealth Games (Gold Coast)
5. Amelia Kerr blasting a record breaking 232 not out against Ireland for the White Ferns, achieving the highest score in women's ODIs (Dublin)
6. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck receiving an impromptu haka after winning the Dally M Player of the Year (Sydney)
7. Auckland Rugby winning the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership final after a dramatic finish in extra time against Canterbury (Auckland)
8. Black Caps winning the first test against Pakistan by four runs (Abu Dhabi)
9. Anna Leat's successful penalty shootout against Japan, leading New Zealand into the semifinal of the Fifa Under-17 Women's World Cup (New Zealand vs Japan, Uruguay)
How to watch
Live on Sky Sport 1 from 8pm. Free-to-air coverage on Prime from 11.35pm. nzherald.co.nz will be live blogging the event with video from the red carpet.
