Harry Grant has been named this year’s Golden Boot winner, but question marks over the prestigious award have been raised once again.
The champion Storm hooker was a pivotal part of Australia’s 3-0 whitewash in the Ashes series against England and captained the side for the first time.
Grant has established himself as one of rugby league’s elite players in recent years, but the issue surrounding the Golden Boot aren’t based on his talent.
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Instead, the issue centres around performances of other players during the international window, which are the only matches that count towards the award.
Harry Grant Getty
In the same series Grant’s victory was based off, it was teammate Cameron Munster who took out player of the series honours for the Kangaroos.
In the year-end Pacific Championships, New Zealand five-eighth Dylan Brown was awarded man of the match honours in all three games as the Kiwis won the tournament for the second time after a clinical display against Samoa in the final.
Brown and Munster, along with Payne Haas and Joseph Tapine, were shortlisted for the top gong, but it was Grant who trumped them all to the surprise of many.
“I love Harry Grant but ain’t no way he deserved the Golden Boot award,” premiership winner Chad Townsend said via X.
“Dylan Brown robbed! We need more from the people who judge this award. It’s announced way too late and quite often they just get it all wrong.”
The judges in question, unlike the NRL’s Dally M Medal voting process in recent years, are not hidden or secret and were named as part of the announcement.
Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, Ruben Wiki, James Graham and Petero Civoniceva were all involved in the voting for the men’s award.
All five men are ‘Golden Cap’ recipients having played 50 games at Test level during their careers – but in the eyes of many, got the Grant decision wrong.
“He got one man of the match but Munster picked up player of the series,” former NRL player Joel Caine said on SEN Radio on Thursday afternoon.
Cameron Munster CameraSport via Getty Images
“So how do we get a player of the series – and that’s the only Test footy we play. Harry didn’t even win best player in that series.”
Former Manly forward Justin Horo echoed those sentiments and was surprised some of the game’s all-time greats were off the mark.
“They should be better than that,” he said.
“And I say that with all due respect because they are legends of the game … that’s a great gang and I’m so surprised that that’s the vibe.”
Jillaroos winger Julia Robinson took out the women’s Golden Boot award, while England player Rob Hawkins won the wheelchair award.
Julia Robinson Bradley Kanaris via Getty Images
How is the Golden Boot decided?
The rugby league Golden Boot is awarded annually to the best performing player during sanctioned international games in that calendar year.
Who votes on the Golden Boot?
The voting panel for the men’s Golden Boot consists of five former players – Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, Ruben Wiki, James Graham and Petero Civoniceva.
Golden Boot past winners2015 – Johnathan Thurston (Australia)2016 – Cooper Cronk (Australia)2017 – Cameron Smith (Australia)2018 – Tommy Makinson (England)2019 – Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New Zealand)2020-21 – No award given due to COVID2022 – Joey Manu (New Zealand)2023 – James Fisher-Harris (New Zealand)2024 – Isaah Yeo (Australia)2025 – Harry Grant (Australia)
Johnathan Thurston Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
Who has won the most Golden Boot awards?
Johnathan Thurston holds the record for most Golden Boot wins with three.
Andrew Johns, Darren Lockyer and Cameron Smith have all won the award twice.