IRL Golden Boot Award

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The IRL Golden Boot Award (previously Open Rugby Golden Boot Award and Rugby League World Golden Boot Award) [1] is an annual rugby league award, presented by the International Rugby League (IRL), awarded to the best player of the calendar year. There are categories for men's, women's, and wheelchair players.

Contents

The IRL purchased the rights to the award from League Publications Ltd. in 2017, who in turn purchased it from its original awarders Open Rugby in 1998 who started the award in 1984. [1]

Upon purchase IRL introduced a women's category starting in 2018, [2] with the wheelchair category coming a year later.

History

The award was founded in early 1985 by the British magazine Open Rugby. It was first awarded to Wally Lewis for his performances throughout 1984.

No award was made between 1990 and 1998 due to organisational difficulties.

League Publications Ltd bought the rights to the award in 1999 and began awarding the Golden Boot on the same year it was assessed.

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.

In 2011, Rugby League World magazine began to award retrospective Golden Boots to fill in "the missing years" of 1990 to 1998, starting with Garry Schofield who was adjudged to have won the 1990 Golden Boot.

No further Golden Boots were retrospectively awarded as sponsors Adidas withdrew their backing.

The International Rugby League purchased the rights to award the Golden Boot in 2017. [1]

Winners - Men

YearNat.PlayerClub(s)PositionRef.
Open Rugby Golden Boot
1984 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wally Lewis Wynnum-Manly Seagulls
Wakefield Trinity 		Five-eighth/Stand-off
1985 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brett Kenny Parramatta Eels Five-eighth
1986 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Garry Jack Balmain Tigers Fullback
1987 [i] Flag of New Zealand.svg Hugh McGahan Eastern Suburbs Roosters Second-row
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Sterling Parramatta Eels Halfback
1988 Flag of England.svg Ellery Hanley Wigan
Balmain Tigers 		Five-eighth/Stand-off
1989 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mal Meninga Canberra Raiders Centre
1990 [ii] Flag of England.svg Garry Schofield Leeds Five-eighth/Stand-off
1991–98No award given
Rugby League World Golden Boot
1999 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Andrew Johns Newcastle Knights Halfback
2000 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brad Fittler Sydney Roosters Five-eighth
2001 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Andrew Johns (2) Newcastle Knights Halfback
2002 Flag of New Zealand.svg Stacey Jones New Zealand Warriors Halfback
2003 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Darren Lockyer Brisbane Broncos Fullback
2004 Flag of England.svg Andy Farrell Wigan Warriors Loose forward
2005 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Anthony Minichiello Sydney Roosters Fullback
2006 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Darren Lockyer (2) Brisbane Broncos Five-eighth
2007 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Cameron Smith Melbourne Storm Hooker
2008 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Billy Slater Melbourne Storm Fullback
2009 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Greg Inglis Melbourne Storm Centre
2010 Flag of New Zealand.svg Benji Marshall Wests Tigers Five-eighth
2011 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Johnathan Thurston North Queensland Cowboys Halfback
2012 Flag of England.svg Kevin Sinfield Leeds Rhinos Five-eighth
2013 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Johnathan Thurston (2) North Queensland Cowboys Five-eighth
2014 Flag of New Zealand.svg Shaun Johnson New Zealand Warriors Halfback
2015 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Johnathan Thurston (3) North Queensland Cowboys Halfback
2016 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Cooper Cronk Melbourne Storm Halfback
2017 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Cameron Smith (2) Melbourne Storm Hooker
IRL Golden Boot
2018 Flag of England.svg Tommy Makinson St Helens Wing [3]
2019 Flag of New Zealand.svg Roger Tuivasa-Sheck New Zealand Warriors Fullback [4] [5]
2020–21No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Flag of New Zealand.svg Joseph Manu Sydney Roosters Fullback [6]
2023 Flag of New Zealand.svg James Fisher-Harris Penrith Panthers Prop [7] [8] [9]
2024 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Isaah Yeo Penrith Panthers Lock [10]
Additional references: [1]
Notes:
  1. ↑ The 1987 Golden Boot was shared by two winners
  2. ↑ Retrospective award made in 2011

By nationality

WinsNationality
20 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
7 Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
5 Flag of England.svg England

By position

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

By club

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

WinsClubYears
5 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017
4 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 1987, 2000, 2005, 2022
3 Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors 2002, 2014, 2019
Flag of Australia (converted).svg North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys 2011, 2013, 2015
Flag of England.svg Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 1985, 1988, 2004
2 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers 1986, 1988
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 2003, 2006
Flag of England.svg Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 1990, 2012
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 1999, 2001
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 1985, 1987
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 2023, 2024
1 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 1989
Flag of England.svg Saintscolours.svg St Helens 2018
Flag of England.svg Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity 1984
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers 2010
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wynnum-Manly Colours.svg Wynnum Manly Seagulls 1984

Multiple winners

NumberPlayerYearsNationality
3 Johnathan Thurston 2011, 2013, 2015Australia
2 Andrew Johns 1999, 2001Australia
Darren Lockyer 2003, 2006Australia
Cameron Smith 2007, 2017Australia

Winners - Women

YearNat.PlayerClub(s)PositionRef.
2018 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Isabelle Kelly Sydney Roosters Centre [3]
2019 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jessica Sergis St. George Illawarra Dragons Centre [4] [5]
2020–21No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Flag of New Zealand.svg Raecene McGregor Sydney Roosters Halfback [6]
2023 Flag of New Zealand.svg Georgia Hale Gold Coast Titans Lock [7] [8]
2024 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tarryn Aiken Sydney Roosters Five-eighth [11]
Additional references: [1] [9]

By nationality

WinsNationality
3 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
2 Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand

By position

WinsPosition
2 Centre
1 Halfback
Lock
Five-eighth

By club

WinsClubYears
3 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 2018, 2022, 2024
1 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans 2023
Flag of Australia (converted).svg St. George Illawarra colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons 2019

Winners - Wheelchair

YearNat.PlayerClub(s)Ref.
2019 Flag of England.svg Jack Brown Halifax [4] [5]
2020–21No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Flag of England.svg Seb Bechara Catalans Dragons [6]
2023 Flag of France.svg Jérémy Bourson Catalans Dragons [7] [8]
2024 Flag of England.svg Rob Hawkins Halifax [12]
Additional references: [1] [9]

By nationality

WinsNationality
3 Flag of England.svg England
1 Flag of France.svg France

By club

WinsClubYears
2 Flag of France.svg Catalanscolours.svg Catalans Dragons 2022, 2023
2 Flag of England.svg Faxcolours.svg Halifax 2019, 2024

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "International Rugby League Golden Boot Awards". Rugby League International Federation. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  2. ↑ "RLIF to present 2018 Golden Boot for both male and female players". RLIF. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  3. 1 2 "England's Makinson wins Golden Boot". 7 November 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 "Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Jessica Sergis win 2019 Golden Boot". 17 November 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 "Tuivasa-Sheck wins 2019 Golden Boot". 17 November 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 "Seb Bechara and Jack Brown have been shortlisted for the 2022 IRL Golden Boot award".
  7. 1 2 3 "Golden Boot: England internationals Harry Smith and Lewis King make men's and wheelchair shortlists".
  8. 1 2 3 "2023 IRL Golden Boot winners announced".
  9. 1 2 3 "Fisher-Harris, Hale and Bourson named 2023 Golden Boot winners". National Rugby League. 6 December 2023.
  10. ↑ "Leadership, skill, decision making: Yeo ends Aussie Golden Boot drought". National Rugby League. 11 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  11. ↑ "Tarryn Aiken Wins 2024 Golden Boot". Sydney Roosters. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  12. ↑ "Hawkins lands wheelchair Golden Boot award". BBC Sport. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
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