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Shaun Johnson named Golden Boot Winner

Joe's Magpies

Juniors
Messages
601
http://www.totalrl.com/magic-johnson-clinches-golden-boot/
New Zealand scrum half Shaun Johnson has capped a memorable year by winning the 2014 Rugby League World Golden Boot.
The Kiwis playmaker was man of the the match in the final as his side defeated Australia to lift the Four Nations title – a performance that impressed the 13-man Golden Boot voting panel.
For the second successive year, South Sydney’s English forward Sam Burgess came second in the voting. But whereas last year Burgess was within seven points of Johnathan Thurston, this time Johnson was a decisive winner, collecting almost twice as many points as his nearest rival.
Shaun-Johnson-nines
Johnson becomes only the fourth New Zealander to win the prestigious award, following fellow countrymen Hugh McGahan, Stacey Jones and Benji Marshall.
Johnson said: “Being a Rugby League fan growing up, I always knew about the Golden Boot award. I was pretty aware of the players who’d won it before, because they were players that I grew up watching like Stacey Jones and Andrew Johns. Then there was the current players that I admire like Thurston. To receive it is pretty unreal to be honest.
“I felt I finished the year really well and was able to take that into the Four Nations, and was really happy with how I played for the Kiwis.
“It was just made easy by the culture that we have there now and the group of players that we have around us. There’s no way I could have received this award without those boys playing their part, and I’ll accept it on their behalf.”
CLICK HERE TO READ AN INTERVIEW WITH THE GOLDEN BOOT WINNER IN THIS MONTH’S RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD
The panel of 13 judges included representatives from Australia, England, France and New Zealand. Among them were former Golden Boot winner Garry Schofield, ex-Great Britain coach Brian Noble and past Kiwi internationals Robbie Hunter-Paul and Daryl Halligan.
Each judge was asked to hand their leading contender five points, their second three and their third one, from a six-man shortlist. Johnson finished with 44 points, Burgess 23, with James Graham third on 18 and Greg Inglis fourth with 17. Double winner Thurston – who missed the Four Nations through injury – polled 13 points and Kiwi prop Jesse Bromwich two.
“As is always the case with the Rugby League World Golden Boot, we asked the judges to consider the performances on the international stage first and foremost, and it’s undeniable than Shaun Johnson had the biggest impact at that level in 2014,” RLW editor Gareth Walker said.
“Throughout the entire tournament he provided a devastating mix of organising the New Zealand side and producing moments of individual brilliance himself.
“When the Kiwis needed it most in the final against Australia in Wellington, Johnson came up with the play of the competition, scything through the Kangaroos defence and racing past Golden Boot winner Greg Inglis – a feat very few achieve.
“It was a moment that summed up everything good about Shaun Johnson and this current New Zealand side, which is enjoying a golden era itself, having now won four major tournaments in the last decade.”
CLICK HERE TO READ AN INTERVIEW WITH THE GOLDEN BOOT WINNER IN THIS MONTH’S RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD
The Kiwis’ success is further illustrated by the fact that Johnson is one of six New Zealanders in the World XIII – the first time in its history they have had that many – having had five in 1983, 1984 and 2010.
Threequarters Dean Whare and Manu Vatuvei, prop Bromwich and second rowers Kevin Procter and Simon Mannering are all named alongside Johnson, with Australia having just four inclusions this year – Inglis, Michael Jennings, Thurston and Cameron Smith – and England three, Burgess, Graham and Ryan Hall.
An interview with Johnson and the full World XIII voting details appear in the January edition of Rugby League World, available from Friday, December 19. You can download the digital version of that issue to your smartphone, tablet or computer – wherever you are in the world – by visiting http://totalrl.com/rlw
WORLD XIII 2014Greg-Inglis
1 Greg Inglis
2 Ryan Hall
3 Michael Jennings
4 Dean Whare
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Johnathan Thurston
7 Shaun Johnson
8 James GrahamCameron-Smith
9 Cameron Smith
10 Jesse Bromwich
11 Kevin Proctor
12 Simon Mannering
13 Sam Burgess
HOW IT WORKS
For both the Golden Boot and the World XIII, the 13 judges were asked to select a top three in each position, with their first choice earning five points, their second three, and their third one.
PAST GOLDEN BOOT WINNERS
1984: Wally Lewis
1985: Brett Kenny
1986: Garry Jack
1987: Hugh McGahan & Peter SterlingFarrel-Golden-boot
1988: Ellery Hanley
1989: Mal Meninga
1990: Garry Schofield
1999: Andrew Johns
2000: Brad Fittler
2001: Andrew Johns
2002: Stacey Jones
2003: Darren Lockyer
2004: Andrew Farrell
2005: Anthony MinichielloJohnathan Thurston
2006: Darren Lockyer
2007: Cameron Smith
2008: Billy Slater
2009: Greg Inglis
2010: Benji Marshall
2011: Johnathan Thurston
2012: Kevin Sinfield
2013: Johnathan Thurston
Enjoyed this? Get these!
League Express / Rugby League World / Rugby League Yearbook 2014/15
 
Messages
4,370
Johnson shouldn't have got the award, how did he get almost double the amount of points of anyone else?

Why were Proctor and Mannering voted the best backrowers in the world?

Vatuvei and Hall? RTS, Mansour, Tupou, Radradra, Nightingale and Morris all had a better season then these two.

I've never given these awards much thought but some of these selections are Tim Sheens-esque.
 

perverse

Referee
Messages
26,706
Johnson shouldn't have got the award, how did he get almost double the amount of points of anyone else?

Why were Proctor and Mannering voted the best backrowers in the world?

Vatuvei and Hall? RTS, Mansour, Tupou, Radradra, Nightingale and Morris all had a better season then these two.

I've never given these awards much thought but some of these selections are Tim Sheens-esque.

Presumably you didn't even read the article, nor do you know what the Golden Boot is actually for.

?As is always the case with the Rugby League World Golden Boot, we asked the judges to consider the performances on the international stage first and foremost, and it?s undeniable than Shaun Johnson had the biggest impact at that level in 2014,? RLW editor Gareth Walker said.
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
35,737
Johnson had a great year for the Warriors and obviously had a great four nations campaign. I am pleased to see him win the award, but Burgess should have got it.
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
35,737
Presumably you didn't even read the article, nor do you know what the Golden Boot is actually for.

?As is always the case with the Rugby League World Golden Boot, we asked the judges to consider the performances on the international stage first and foremost, and it?s undeniable than Shaun Johnson had the biggest impact at that level in 2014,? RLW editor Gareth Walker said.

oh ok- fair enough, I suppose
 
Messages
4,370
Presumably you didn't even read the article, nor do you know what the Golden Boot is actually for.

?As is always the case with the Rugby League World Golden Boot, we asked the judges to consider the performances on the international stage first and foremost, and it?s undeniable than Shaun Johnson had the biggest impact at that level in 2014,? RLW editor Gareth Walker said.
Then why is Burgess even considered?
 

Iafeta

Referee
Messages
24,357
Again son, you need to engage your eyes and read first. Critical words, first and foremost, it doesn't mean club performances are excluded it just means it is heavily weighted to internationals.
 

JJ

Immortal
Messages
32,725
Then why is Burgess even considered?

Yeah, that was my query - he should have won imo, but if international football was the criterion not sure how he could have come second...

Did you seriously suggest RTS and Tupou? :crazy:
 
Messages
15,565
Yeah, that was my query - he should have won imo, but if international football was the criterion not sure how he could have come second...

Did you seriously suggest RTS and Tupou? :crazy:

In terms of RTS and Tupou, I dare say he was looking solely at domestic form for those two. RTS didn't play in the Four Nations and Tupou only played one game, which he was not in good form during.

As to Johnson, based on his form at Test level alone it is well deserved.
 
Messages
14,139
The best players in the NRL didn't play in the four nations. The only one that did was inglis. On balance he probably could have got the boot. Glad he didn't though because he's a woman beating, salary cap cheating traitor to his state.

Johnson is an exciting and talented player and his growing reputation will only make him even more of a marketable commodity, especially in nz. He couls be the key to selling the game over there in the medium term, especially if he can lead the warriors to success. Basically he's the new Benji except he actually plays in nz. He's Benji and Stacey Jones in one. He may not have really been the best player in the world this year, save for a few weeks, but its a good result all round.
 

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
The best player in the world doesn't get owned by Jamie Soward in a match his team had to win to make the finals.

And while I'm here, Dean Whare in a World XIII? He was a bit fortunate to continue to make the Penrith first grade side towards the end of the season.
 
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insert.pause

First Grade
Messages
6,467
I don't have a problem with it but the award lost a lot of respect when it was awarded to Farrell over Lockyer in 2004, particularly when Lockyer produced one of the most dominant individual performances ever in the tri-nations final against GB.

OP: Thurston didn't win in 2005, just mini.
 
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DIMEAST

Juniors
Messages
334
The best player in the world doesn't get owned by Jamie Soward in a match his team had to win to make the finals.

And while I'm here, Dean Whare in a World XIII? He was a bit fortunate to continue to make the Penrith first grade side towards the end of the season.

Johnson was playing injured and the rest of the team were playing like crap by then, too many disruptions in the season. The only thing Jamie Soward owns is a punchable face.
 

rabbitohs95

Bench
Messages
4,711
Many people are complaning but honestly, who else this year played well in both NRL/Super League and International? Closest other players i can think of are Inglis, Graham and Smith, and even then Inglis was pretty average for Australia, Graham and Smith tried hard but never peaked throughout the year. Johnson did pretty well steering the Warriors around and killed it for the Kiwis. Well deserved.
 

POPEYE

Coach
Messages
11,397
If Shaun had two golden boots maybe he wouldn't have been so erratic, hard to steer with one deflating tyre
 

Danish

Referee
Messages
32,019
If Shaun had two golden boots maybe he wouldn't have been so erratic, hard to steer with one deflating tyre


If he was wearing 2 golden boots maybe fat merkin Inglis would have had a chance of catching him in the 4 Nations final (although still doubtful)
 

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