League: Inglis awarded Golden Boot

Greg Inglis (R) is the third successive Melbourne player to win the Golden Boot award. Photo / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - Centre Greg Inglis has created history by being named the 2009 Golden Boot winner - the third successive year a Melbourne Storm player has received the coveted international rugby league award.

Inglis received the award, given to the world's best player, after being named player of the tournament in the Four Nations series won by Australia yesterday.

The 22-year-old was lauded ahead of five of the best players in the world, including fellow Storm stars and previous winners, skipper Cameron Smith (2007) and fullback Billy Slater (2008).

No team has ever before had three Golden Boot recipients on its playing list.

The Golden Boot is the long-running international player of the year award presented by Rugby League World magazine, and was first presented in 1985.

It's voted on by some of the best players to have ever laced a boot, including Wally Lewis, England's Garry Schofield and New Zealand's Hugh McGahan

- AAP