# IRL Golden Boot Award

The IRL Golden Boot Award (previously Open Rugby Golden Boot Award and Rugby League World Golden Boot Award) 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.
Upon purchase IRL introduced a women's category starting in 2018, 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.

## Winners - Men

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

### By nationality

| Wins | Nationality |
| 20 | Australia |
| 7 | New Zealand |
| 5 | England |

### By position

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

### By club

NOTE: Clubs shared the award in 1984, 1985 and 1988
| Wins | Club | Years |
| 5 | Melbourne Storm | 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017 |
| 4 | Sydney Roosters | 1987, 2000, 2005, 2022 |
| 3 | New Zealand Warriors | 2002, 2014, 2019 |
| 3 | North Queensland Cowboys | 2011, 2013, 2015 |
| 3 | Wigan Warriors | 1985, 1988, 2004 |
| 2 | Balmain Tigers | 1986, 1988 |
| 2 | Brisbane Broncos | 2003, 2006 |
| 2 | Leeds Rhinos | 1990, 2012 |
| 2 | Newcastle Knights | 1999, 2001 |
| 2 | Parramatta Eels | 1985, 1987 |
| 2 | Penrith Panthers | 2023, 2024 |
| 1 | Canberra Raiders | 1989 |
| 1 | St Helens | 2018 |
| 1 | Wakefield Trinity | 1984 |
| 1 | Wests Tigers | 2010 |
| 1 | Wynnum Manly Seagulls | 1984 |

### Multiple winners

| Number | Player | Years | Nationality |
| 3 | Johnathan Thurston | 2011, 2013, 2015 | Australia |
| 2 | Andrew Johns | 1999, 2001 | Australia |
| 2 | Darren Lockyer | 2003, 2006 | Australia |
| 2 | Cameron Smith | 2007, 2017 | Australia |

## Winners - Women

| Year | Nat. | Player | Club(s) | Position | Ref. |
| 2018 | | Isabelle Kelly | Sydney Roosters | Centre | |
| 2019 | | Jessica Sergis | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Centre | |
| 2020–21 | No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic | No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic | No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic | No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic | No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2022 | | Raecene McGregor | Sydney Roosters | Halfback | |
| 2023 | | Georgia Hale | Gold Coast Titans | Lock | |
| 2024 | | Tarryn Aiken | Sydney Roosters | Five-eighth | |
| Additional references: ||||||

### By nationality

| Wins | Nationality |
| 3 | Australia |
| 2 | New Zealand |

### By position

| Wins | Position |
| 2 | Centre |
| 1 | Halfback |
| 1 | Lock |
| 1 | Five-eighth |

### By club

| Wins | Club | Years |
| 3 | Sydney Roosters | 2018, 2022, 2024 |
| 1 | Gold Coast Titans | 2023 |
| 1 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 2019 |

## Winners - Wheelchair

| Year | Nat. | Player | Club(s) | Ref. |
| 2019 | | Jack Brown | Halifax | |
| 2020–21 | No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic | No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic | No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic | No award given due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2022 | | Seb Bechara | Catalans Dragons | |
| 2023 | | Jérémy Bourson | Catalans Dragons | |
| 2024 | | Rob Hawkins | Halifax | |
| Additional references: |||||

### By nationality

| Wins | Nationality |
| 3 | England |
| 1 | France |

### By club

| Wins | Club | Years |
| 2 | Catalans Dragons | 2022, 2023 |
| 2 | Halifax | 2019, 2024 |