AUSTRALIAN star Greg Inglis has won the Golden Boot as the best player in the world in 2009.
The Golden Boot, presented annually by Rugby League World magazine, was decided after Saturdays Gillette Four Nations final at Elland Road.
The voting panel, which included Australian legend Wally Lewis, the first winner of the Golden Boot in 1985, completed their voting by text messaging Richard de la Rivière, the editor of Rugby League World, immediately after the final.
The shortlist for the award had included three Australians - Inglis, Billy Slater and Cameron Smith - two Englishmen - Gareth Ellis and Kevin Sinfield - and one New Zealander - Fuifui Moimoi.
Slater (2008) and Smith (2007) are the last two winners of the award. Inglis success means that the last three Golden Boot winners have all come from the Melbourne Storm.
Greg Inglis has enjoyed a magnificent year, firmly establishing himself as the best threequarter in the world. He won the Wally Lewis Medal as the best player in this year's State of Origin series, and scored 16 tries for the Storm, including a play-off hat-trick against Brisbane Broncos, as they won their second Premiership in three years.
He scored a crucial try for Australia in Saturdays final, and was voted the Player of the Gillette Four Nations tournament. And yet he still believes there is some improvement still to come in his game.
My aim is just to stay on top of my game. Previous form means nothing. You just have to keep improving. Im still learning and have a lot to contribute yet, he said.
League Publications Limited Chairman Martyn Sadler, whose company publishes Rugby League World, presented the Golden Boot to Inglis in the Australian dressing-room after Saturdays game, with Inglis Australian team-mates acclaiming his success.
Greg Inglis is a magnificent player who is a worthy addition to the list of wonderful players who have won the Golden Boot since the first one was awarded to Wally Lewis in 1985, said Sadler.
He was the almost unanimous choice among the voting panel, and it was a great privilege to present the Golden Boot to him. He is a credit to Melbourne, Queensland, Australia and to Rugby League in general, and is one of the finest sportsmen in the world.
Full list of Golden Boot winners:
1985 Wally Lewis (Australia)
1986 Brett Kenny (Australia)
1987 Garry Jack (Australia)
1988 Hugh McGahan (New Zealand) & Peter Sterling (Australia)
1989 Ellery Hanley (Great Britain)
1990 Mal Meninga (Australia)
1991-1998 No award given
1999 Andrew Johns (Australia)
2000 Brad Fittler (Australia)
2001 Andrew Johns (Australia)
2002 Stacey Jones (New Zealand)
2003 Darren Lockyer (Australia)
2004 Andrew Farrell (Great Britain)
2005 Anthony Minichiello (Australia)
2006 Darren Lockyer (Australia)
2007 Cameron Smith (Australia)
2008 Billy Slater (Australia)
2009 Greg Inglis (Australia)
