IRL Golden Boot Award

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.

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
YearNatPlayerClub(s)Position
Open Rugby Golden Boot
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
Rugby League World Golden Boot
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
IRL Golden Boot
2018
[3]		Tommy Makinson St HelensWing
2019
[4][5]		Roger Tuivasa-Sheck New Zealand WarriorsFullback
2020–21 No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022
[6]		Joseph Manu Sydney RoostersFullback
2023
[7][8]		James Fisher-Harris Penrith PanthersProp
Source:[1][9]
  • 1 The 1987 Golden Boot was shared by two winners
  • 2 Retrospective award made in 2011

By nationality
WinsNationality
19 Australia
7 New Zealand
5 England

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

By club

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

WinsClubYears
5 Melbourne Storm2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017
4 Sydney Roosters1987, 2000, 2005, 2022
3 New Zealand Warriors2002, 2014, 2019
North Queensland Cowboys2011, 2013, 2015
Wigan Warriors1985, 1988, 2004
2 Balmain Tigers1986, 1988
Brisbane Broncos2003, 2006
Leeds Rhinos1990, 2012
Newcastle Knights1999, 2001
Parramatta Eels1985, 1987
1 Canberra Raiders1989
Penrith Panthers2023
St Helens2018
Wakefield Trinity1984
Wests Tigers2010
Wynnum Manly Seagulls1984

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

Winners - Women
YearNatPlayerClub(s)Position
2018
[3]		Isabelle Kelly Sydney RoostersCentre
2019
[4][5]		Jessica Sergis St. George Illawarra DragonsCentre
2020–21No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022
[6]		Raecene McGregor Sydney RoostersHalfback
2023
[7][8]		Georgia Hale Gold Coast TitansLock
Source:[1][9]

By nationality
WinsNationality
2 Australia
New Zealand

By position
WinsPosition
2Centre
1Halfback
Lock

By club
WinsClubYears
2 Sydney Roosters2018, 2022
1 Gold Coast Titans2023
St. George Illawarra Dragons2019

Winners - Wheelchair
YearNatPlayerClub(s)
2019
[4][5]		Jack Brown Halifax
2020–21No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022
[6]		Sebastien Bechara Catalans Dragons
2023
[7][8]		Jérémy Bourson Catalans Dragons
Source:[1][9]

By nationality
WinsNationality
2 England
1 France

By club
WinsClubYears
2 Catalans Dragons2022, 2023
1 Halifax2019

See also

References
  1. "International Rugby League Golden Boot Awards". Rugby League International Federation. 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. "England's Makinson wins Golden Boot". 7 November 2018.
  4. "Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Jessica Sergis win 2019 Golden Boot". 17 November 2019.
  5. "Tuivasa-Sheck wins 2019 Golden Boot". 17 November 2019.
  6. "Seb Bechara and Jack Brown have been shortlisted for the 2022 IRL Golden Boot award".
  7. "Golden Boot: England internationals Harry Smith and Lewis King make men's and wheelchair shortlists".
  8. "2023 IRL Golden Boot winners announced".
  9. "Fisher-Harris, Hale and Bourson named 2023 Golden Boot winners". National Rugby League. 6 December 2023.
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