Rugby League World Golden Boot Award

The Rugby League World Golden Boot Award is a rugby league award handed out annually for achievements in rugby league by Rugby League World magazine. The Golden Boot is given, usually in December after the conclusion of all the year's matches, to the player adjudged to be the best in the world, as determined by a ballot of international media representatives.[1]

The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) announced that the 2018 awards will be extended to include a Golden Boot for the best international female player.[2] The inaugural award was won by Isabelle Kelly, the Australia and Sydney Roosters centre.[3]

History

The award was founded in early 1985 by the British magazine Open Rugby and was awarded to Wally Lewis for his performances throughout 1984. Lewis and the other pre-1990 winners were initially recognised for the years that they collected the award, not for the year of their performances, but this was changed by Rugby League World magazine in 2010.

No award was made between 1990 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 retained ownership of the Golden Boot.

Andrew Johns collected the award in 1999 and again in 2001, becoming the first player to win it twice. Darren Lockyer repeated that feat, winning in 2003 and 2006 becoming the first player to win twice while playing in different positions.

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.

In 2011, Rugby League World magazine began to award retrospective Golden Boots to fill in "the missing years" starting with Garry Schofield who was adjudged to have won the 1990 Golden Boot. Schofield was due to receive the award at the time, until the sponsors, Adidas, withdrew their backing.

Winners - Men
YearNatPlayerClub(s)Position
1984Wally Lewis Wynnum-Manly Seagulls
Wakefield Trinity		Five-eighth/Stand-off
1985Brett Kenny Parramatta Eels
Wigan		Five-eighth/Stand-off
1986Garry Jack Balmain TigersFullback
19871Hugh McGahan Eastern Suburbs RoostersSecond-row
Peter Sterling Parramatta EelsHalfback
1988Ellery Hanley Wigan
Balmain Tigers		Five-eighth/Stand-off
1989Mal Meninga Canberra RaidersCentre
19902Garry Schofield LeedsFive-eighth/Stand-off
1991-98 No award given
1999Andrew Johns Newcastle KnightsHalfback/Scrum-half
2000Brad Fittler Sydney RoostersFive-eighth/Stand-off
2001Andrew Johns (2) Newcastle KnightsHalfback/Scrum-half
2002Stacey Jones New Zealand WarriorsHalfback/Scrum-half
2003Darren Lockyer Brisbane BroncosFullback
2004Andrew Farrell Wigan WarriorsLoose forward
2005Anthony Minichiello Sydney RoostersFullback
2006Darren Lockyer (2) Brisbane BroncosFive-eighth
2007Cameron Smith Melbourne StormHooker
2008Billy Slater Melbourne StormFullback
2009Greg Inglis Melbourne StormCentre
2010Benji Marshall Wests TigersFive-eighth
2011Johnathan Thurston North Queensland CowboysHalfback/Scrum-half
2012Kevin Sinfield Leeds RhinosFive-eighth
2013Johnathan Thurston (2) North Queensland CowboysFive-eighth
2014Shaun Johnson New Zealand WarriorsHalfback/Scrum-half
2015Johnathan Thurston (3) North Queensland CowboysHalfback/Scrum-half
2016Cooper Cronk Melbourne StormHalfback/Scrum-half
2017Cameron Smith (2) Melbourne StormHooker
Rugby League International Federation Golden Boot (For International Performances)
2018Tommy Makinson St. HelensWing
2019 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck New Zealand WarriorsFullback
2020 No award given
  • 1 The 1987 Golden Boot was shared by two winners
  • 2 Retrospective award made in 2011

By nationality
WinsNationality
19 Australia
5 England
New Zealand

By position
WinsPosition
9Five-eighth/Stand-off
8Halfback/Scrum-half
5Fullback
2Centre
2Hooker
1Lock/Loose forward
1Second-row
1Wing
0Prop

By club

NOTE: Clubs shared the award in 1984, 1985 and 1988

WinsClubYearsNationality
5Melbourne Storm2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017Australia
3Wigan Warriors1985, 1988, 2004England
3Sydney Roosters1987, 2000, 2005Australia
3North Queensland Cowboys2011, 2013, 2015Australia
3New Zealand Warriors2002, 2014, 2019New Zealand
2Parramatta Eels1985, 1987Australia
2Balmain Tigers1986, 1988Australia
2Leeds Rhinos1990, 2012England
2Newcastle Knights1999, 2001Australia
2Brisbane Broncos2003, 2006Australia
1Wynnum Manly Seagulls1984Australia
1Wakefield Trinity Wildcats1984England
1Canberra Raiders1989Australia
1St Helens2018England
1Wests Tigers2010Australia

Multiple winners
NumberPlayerYearsNationality
3Johnathan Thurston2011, 2013, 2015Australia
2Andrew Johns1999, 2001Australia
2Darren Lockyer2003, 2006Australia
2Cameron Smith2007, 2017Australia

Winners - Women
YearNatPlayerClub(s)Position
2018Isabelle KellySydney RoostersCentre
2019Jessica SergisSt. George Illawarra DragonsCentre

By nationality
WinsNationality
2 Australia

By position
WinsPosition
2Centre

By club
WinsClubYearsNationality
1Sydney Roosters2018Australia
1St George Illawarra Dragons2019Australia

See also

References
  1. Kangaroos trio shortlisted for Golden Boot, AAP, dated 6 December 2013.
  2. "RLIF to present 2018 Golden Boot for both male and female players". RLIF. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  3. "Kelly honoured to create Golden Boot history". NRL. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
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