The Rugby League World Magazine Golden Boot Award

The Rugby League World Golden Boot Award is a rugby league award handed out on an annual basis for achievements in rugby league.

The Golden Boot is given to the player adjudged to be the best in the world, as determined by a ballot of former players and international rugby league writers. The award was founded in 1985 by the British magazine Open Rugby.

No award was made between 1991 and 1998 due to organisational difficulties, the award was resurrected in its original format in 1999 when Open Rugby changed ownership to become Rugby League World Magazine, which still retains ownership of the Golden Boot.

It was presented during the RLIF Awards in 2004, 2005 and 2006. In 2007, the RLIF did not organise any awards. To fill the gap, Rugby League World magazine asked its Golden Boot panel to come up with winners in the existing categories used by the RLIF.

The youngest winner of the Golden Boot to date has been Greg Inglis, who won at the age of 22 in 2009. Andrew Johns collected the award in 1999 and again in 2001, becoming the first player to win it twice. Darren Lockyer has since repeated that feat, winning in 2003 and 2006 becoming the only player to win twice while playing in different positions. The oldest winner of the award is Mal Meninga, who won in 1990 at the age of 30.

Of the sixteen winners only three have been forwards, Cameron Smith at hooker in 2007, Andrew Farrell at second row in 2004 and Hugh McGahan at second row in 1988. The position that has won the most awards is stand-off with 5 wins, followed by scrum-half and fullback with 4 wins. Second rowers and centres have won the award twice each, while Cameron Smith is the only successful hooker.

[edit] Winners

Year	Player	Nationality	Position	Club
1985	Wally Lewis	Australia	Five-Eighth	Wynnum Manly Seagulls
1986	Brett Kenny	Australia	Five-Eighth	Parramatta Eels
1987	Garry Jack	Australia	Fullback	Salford City Reds
1988*	Hugh McGahan Peter Sterling	New Zealand Australia	Second Row Halfback	Eastern Suburbs Parramatta Eels
1989	Ellery Hanley	England	Five-Eighth	Western Suburbs Magpies
1990	Mal Meninga	Australia	Centre	Canberra Raiders
1991 - 1998	No award given
1999	Andrew Johns	Australia	Halfback	Newcastle Knights
2000	Brad Fittler	Australia	Five-Eighth	Sydney Roosters
2001	Andrew Johns	Australia	Halfback	Newcastle Knights
2002	Stacey Jones	New Zealand	Halfback	New Zealand Warriors
2003	Darren Lockyer	Australia	Fullback	Brisbane Broncos
2004	Andrew Farrell	England	Lock	Wigan Warriors
2005	Anthony Minichiello	Australia	Fullback	Sydney Roosters
2006	Darren Lockyer	Australia	Five-Eighth	Brisbane Broncos
2007	Cameron Smith	Australia	Hooker	Melbourne Storm
2008	Billy Slater	Australia	Fullback	Melbourne Storm
2009	Greg Inglis	Australia	Centre	Melbourne Storm

*The 1988 Golden Boot was shared by two winners

[edit] Wins by nationality

• Australia - 14 wins
• New Zealand - 2 wins
• England - 2 wins

[edit] Wins by position

• Five-Eighth or Stand-Off - 5 wins
• Fullback - 4 wins
• Halfback or Scrum-Half - 4 wins
• Centre - 2 wins
• Hooker - 1 win
• Lock or Loose Forward - 1 win
• Second Row - 1 win
• Prop or Front Row - 0 wins
• Wing - 0 wins

[edit] Wins by club

• Melbourne Storm - 3 wins
• Sydney Roosters or Eastern Suburbs - 3 wins
• Brisbane Broncos - 2 wins
• Newcastle Knights - 2 wins
• Parramatta Eels - 2 wins
• Canberra Raiders - 1 win
• Western Suburbs Magpies - 1 win
• Wynnum Manly Seagulls - 1 win
• Wigan Warriors - 1 win
• Salford City Reds - 1 win
• New Zealand Warriors or Auckland Warriors - 1 win

[edit] Multiple winners

The following players have won the Golden Boot on more than one occasion:

• Andrew Johns (1999 & 2001)
• Darren Lockyer (2003 & 2006)

[edit] See also

• RLIF Awards
• Rugby League World

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Rugby League World Magazine