Golden boot winners

[QUEENSLANDER]

Kiwi halfback Shaun Johnson has today reinforced his growing standing in the game by becoming just the fourth New Zealander and the second Vodafone Warrior to win rugby league’s coveted Golden Boot.

Read more: GOLDEN BOOT: Johnson?s landslide win | NRL | Zero Tackle
​

WORLD XIII 2014

1 Greg Inglis
2 Ryan Hall
3 Michael Jennings
4 Dean Whare
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Johnathan Thurston
7 Shaun Johnson
8 James Graham
9 Cameron Smith
10 Jesse Bromwich
11 Kevin Proctor
12 Simon Mannering
13 Sam Burgess

Read more: GOLDEN BOOT: Johnson?s landslide win | NRL | Zero Tackle
​

I don't know how they come up with the winners, but it seems that it is heavily weighted on 4 nations performances. How did they decide proctor, vatuvei and whare were in the best 13 otherwise?
If this is meant to be a best overall team of 2014 and not just the 4 nations then it is a joke, coz they have definitely just based it on the last game of the year.

Sam Burgess shouldve been the winner imo. He was a beast this year and performed arguably better than any forward ive ever seen, all year round

 

[Big Pete]

Oh happy days!

SJ was my pick for the award, not necessarily because he deserved it but because it does more for the game to give it to somebody who's actually going to benefit the code.

Burgess or Hayne were probably the right picks when it's all said and done...but what sense does that make for the game moving forward? Let the fans discuss their omissions while the rest celebrate the talents of an amazing halfback.

 

[Ari Gold]

Still room on the SJ bandwagon!

 

[Kimlo]

Still room on the SJ bandwagon!

Except if your old. And bald. And Dutch. Not targeting anyone specifically, but if you meet those 3 criteria you can't join.

 

[Anonymous person]

Burgess was robbed for sure, but I can't be angry at Johnson getting it. Most talented player in the competition IMO, and one of the most exciting to watch.

 

[Super Freak]

I think it's a bit of a farce that it's weighted more towards rep form.

Johnson was up and down in the NRL this season. He certainly wasn't the best player in 2014.

 

[broncos4life]

Johnson got the golden boot now Ari needs new pants

 

[Alec]

Johnson was great in the 4N, but I think Hayne, Thurston and Burger had much better seasons overall (even when not playing rep footy in the end).

Not giving it to Hayne/Burger because they left seems like something a huge beta would do. Appreciate what they gave us this season and move on.

 

[Big Pete]

The beta thing to do would be to give the award to a bunch of people who buggered off.

'H-here guys, clearly you're better than the rest of our guys, t-take this'

Clearly the award has an international bias towards it - I can't really remember any other time it hasn't.

 

[Broncoman]

Hayne or Burgess would be the best choices but they aren't playing Rugby League atm. Both of them had awesome seasons. I can live with Johnson winning it as he was outstanding for the Kiwis in the mid year test and 4 nations and is a super player.

 

[Cult]

Johnson isn't even the best halfback in the NRL. He doesn't deserve this award. Didn't they already give out the International Player of the Year award?

 

[Ari Gold]

SJ was awesome in the 9s, which outside of internationals is the most meaningless competition.

Given this is awarded based on useless competitions they have made the right decision!

Plus it went to SJ!

 

[bazza]

In my opinion, the Golden Boot award, should be based on who the best player in the world was during the whole season, not just who played well in a few international games. Johnson wasn't even close to being one of the best player's in the 2014 season.

There already is a separate award for being the best international player of the year, so why is the Golden Boot so heavily determined based on International form? SJ would of won the international player of the year award based on his four nations form, but to be crowned the world's best player, seems a bit far fetched.

The NRL's Dally M Medal winner/s and the ESL Man of Steel where the best players in their respective competitions, and in my opinion Thurston, Hayne or Burgess (if the latter two remained in the NRL) should have won the award.

As for the team of the year, Johnson wasn't even the best halfback in the NRL competition, let alone the world. I'd probably say Hunt was the best halfback (since he played the whole season at halfback, in comparison to Thurston who played a bit of five-eighth as well). As for Whare, Vatuvei, Proctor and Mannering...??? Hmmm...

 

[Cult]

Can't dispute Johnson winning this without the racism card being pulled. I hate people..

 

[Big Pete]

This isn't going to win me many fans on here, but Ben Hunt isn't a better halfback than SJ, at least not yet.

Hunt is a one dimensional player, he has a great show and go that's lethal down the blind but everything else about his game is merely average.

Long story short, he has some ways to go.

Meantime, SJ has proven he's capable of producing on the biggest of stages and capable of things that most can only achieve of dreaming. He's the fastest half in the competition, possess the best foot-work of any player and his kicking game is right up there with the best.

And the scary thing is, I don't think we've seen the best of him just yet.

I can see the argument for Hayne or Burgess, but as far as halfbacks go, Johnson's performance in the 4 Nations nailed him that spot.

 

[Socnorb]

Johnson def has the potential to be untouchable. Need a bit of thurston consistency.

 

[bazza]

This isn't going to win me many fans on here, but Ben Hunt isn't a better halfback than SJ, at least not yet.

Hunt is a one dimensional player, he has a great show and go that's lethal down the blind but everything else about his game is merely average.

Long story short, he has some ways to go.

Meantime, SJ has proven he's capable of producing on the biggest of stages and capable of things that most can only achieve of dreaming. He's the fastest half in the competition, possess the best foot-work of any player and his kicking game is right up there with the best.

And the scary thing is, I don't think we've seen the best of him just yet.

I can see the argument for Hayne or Burgess, but as far as halfbacks go, Johnson's performance in the 4 Nations nailed him that spot.

I agree with pretty much everything you said, but keep in mind Hunt's games hasn't had the time to be developed and perfected in comparison to SJ. In the 2014 NRL season, despite the obvious flaws to Hunt's game, he was perhaps the best halfback, and in my opinion was better than SJ.

It's no coincidence though that SJ plays his best footy for the Kiwi International side, rather than the Warriors, mainly due to the stability he get's from having Foran as his halves partner. He has lacked that at NRL level, hence he's slight inconsistency at times.

SJ is nowhere near a finished product yet, which is the exciting part, especially as an NRL fan. He is probably one of the few players, especially halves who are so naturally gifted with talent, footwork and speed and have the ability to produce something from nothing.

 

[Big Pete]

It's a matter of quantity vs quality.

I could see an argument for Hunt having more 'good' games but not 'great' games especially on the big stage. In fact, I thought outside of his cameo appearances off the bench, Hunt tended to get exposed in the big games.