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 Player Club(s) Position Open Rugby Golden Boot 1984 Wynnum-Manly Seagulls Wakefield Trinity 1985 Parramatta Eels 1986 Balmain Tigers 1987 Eastern Suburbs Roosters Parramatta Eels 1988 Wigan Balmain Tigers 1989 Canberra Raiders 1990 Leeds 1991–98No award givenRugby League World Golden Boot 1999 Newcastle Knights 2000 Sydney Roosters 2001 Newcastle Knights 2002 New Zealand Warriors 2003 Brisbane Broncos 2004 Wigan Warriors 2005 Sydney Roosters 2006 Brisbane Broncos 2007 Melbourne Storm 2008 Melbourne Storm 2009 Melbourne Storm 2010 Wests Tigers 2011 North Queensland Cowboys 2012 Leeds Rhinos 2013 North Queensland Cowboys 2014 New Zealand Warriors 2015 North Queensland Cowboys 2016 Melbourne Storm 2017 Melbourne Storm IRL Golden Boot 2018 St Helens 2019 New Zealand Warriors 2020–21 colspan="8" 2022 Sydney Roosters 2023 Penrith Panthers 2024 Penrith Panthers 2025 Melbourne Storm Additional references:
By nationality Wins Nationality 21 Australia 7 New Zealand 5 England
By position Wins Position 9 8 5 3 2 1
By club NOTE: Clubs shared the award in 1984, 1985 and 1988
Wins Club Years 6 Melbourne Storm 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2025 4 Sydney Roosters 1987, 2000, 2005, 20223 New Zealand Warriors 2002, 2014, 2019 North Queensland Cowboys 2011, 2013, 2015 Wigan Warriors 1985, 1988, 20042 Balmain Tigers 1986, 1988 Brisbane Broncos 2003, 2006 Leeds Rhinos 1990, 2012 Newcastle Knights 1999, 2001 Parramatta Eels 1985, 1987 Penrith Panthers 2023, 20241 Canberra Raiders 1989 St Helens 2018 Wakefield Trinity 1984 Wests Tigers 2010 Wynnum Manly Seagulls 1984
Multiple winners Number Player Years Nationality 3 Johnathan Thurston 2011, 2013, 2015 Australia 2 Andrew Johns 1999, 2001 Australia Darren Lockyer 2003, 2006 Australia Cameron Smith 2007, 2017 Australia
Winners - Women
Year Player Club(s) Position 2018 Sydney Roosters 2019 St. George Illawarra Dragons 2020–21 colspan="5" 2022 Sydney Roosters 2023 Gold Coast Titans 2024 2025 Additional references:
By nationality Wins Nationality 4 Australia 2 New Zealand
By position Wins Position 2 1
By club
Wins Club Years 3 Sydney Roosters 2018, 2022, 20241 Gold Coast Titans 2023 St. George Illawarra Dragons 2019 Brisbane Broncos 2025
Winners - Wheelchair
Year Player Club(s) 2019 Halifax 2020–21 colspan="4" 2022 Catalans Dragons 2023 Catalans Dragons 2024 Halifax 2025 Halifax Additional references:
By nationality
Wins Nationality 4 England 1 France
By club
Wins Club Years 3 Halifax 2019, 2024, 2025 2 Catalans Dragons 2022, 2023
See also International Rugby League RLIF Awards Rugby League World
References
External links Rugby League World Magazine