Jonathan Thurston bags Golden Boot Award 2011 - Rugby League
On December 2, Jonathan Thurston, an Australian player in the National Rugby League (NRL) with the North Queensland Cowboys, has been awarded the 2011 Golden Boot award. The coveted acknowledgment is handed out by Rugby League World Magazine to the game's
top international player of the season.
The Brisbane-born player beat out other high profile players to clinch this year’s title, which is another addition to his collection. He has also won Dally M Medal twice and is a one-time Wally Lewis Medal winner. Thurston started his rugby league with
Bulldogs where he also won the 2004 NRL premiership. In 2005 he moved to North Queensland Cowboys and played the same year’s grand final. In 2008 he won the Australian Aboriginal rugby league team’s half back of the century’s award and this year with Golden
boot award his collection has just grown bigger.
The results of the RLW Golden boot Award revealed that Australian’s dominated the top positions which included Cameron Smith and Darren Lockyer, who scooped up second and third position respectively.
Meanwhile, the English side closely followed suit. From fourth to sixth spot it was all Englishmen. Wigans’ full-back Sam Tomkins was ranked fourth in the listings while National Rugby League’s St Helens prop James Graham booked the number fifth spot within
the rankings, whereas Ryan Hall Leeds’ winger bagged sixth place.
While speaking about the stiff competition for one of the prestigious honours of the year, John Drake, the Rugby League World editor said, “It was one of the closest races for the Golden Boot in years, which emphasises just how much fantastic talent there
is in our game at the highest level.The award recognises a whole year of performances at domestic and international level and Johnathan's match-winning performance in the biggest game of the season, the Four Nations final against England, proved he is a worthy
recipient.”
The 2011 Golden Boot Result enlisted the following on the mentioned positions;
1. Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys/Australia) – 175 points
2. Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm/Australia) – 170 points
3. Darren Lockyer (Brisbane Broncos/Australia) – 141 points
4. Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors/England) – 110 points
5. James Graham (St Helens/England) – 89 points
6. Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos/England) – 49 points
There were no positions taken by any other country which speaks a great deal about the competition England and Australia are posing for each other ahead of the Rugby League World Cup 2013. Both sides were also this year’s Four Nations finalists, which further
speaks a great deal about the tough clash they can offer to each other.
The World XIII team has also been announced where Ryan Hall is the only Englishman who could pass into the line-up. Another NRL based English forward, Gareth Ellis, has been called up and the remaining team of the year includes Billy Slater, Akuila Uate,
Greg Inglis, Jamie Lyon, Ryan Hall, Darren Lockyer, Jonathan Thurston, James Graham, Cameron Smith, Paul Gallen, Sam Thaiday, Gareth Ellis and Anthony Watmough.
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