League: Benji wins Golden Boot award

Kiwis skipper Benji Marshall. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand Test captain Benji Marshall has capped a standout season by taking out the prestigious Rugby League Golden Boot Award.

The Wests Tigers playmaker, who led the Kiwis to the Four Nations title last month, beat fellow nominees Shaun Kenny Dowall (NZ), Paul Gallen (Australia), James Graham (England), Billy Slater (Australia) and Sam Thaiday (Australia).

"To win this award after coming back from three shoulder reconstructions, winning the Four Nations, and having my best-ever year since I've started in the NRL, is pretty overwhelming," said Marshall, who steered the Tigers into the NRL finals.

"I'm pretty excited. It is something I definitely won't take for granted."

Marshall produced a man-of-the-match performance to earn New Zealand a 16-12 win over Australian in the Four Nations final, to back up its World Cup final win in 2008.

He also put his injury woes behind him to play every game for the Tigers this season.

"I'm delighted for Benji and it is richly deserved," Tigers coach Tim Sheens said.

"Things were not always going his way.

"There was a time in the middle of the season when people were on his back and the pressure was really on him.

"To come through that and win this award is a credit to him and it exemplifies his determination and perseverance to get the job done."

The award, run by Rugby League World magazine, was decided on by a voting panel including three former Golden Boot winners in Wally Lewis, Hugh McGahan and Stacey Jones.

Former Great Britain international Garry Schofield, former England coach Phil Larder, ex-New South Wales coach turned broadcaster Phil Gould and journalists and supporters from both hemispheres also voted.

World team of the year
Billy Slater (Melbourne) Jason Nightingale (St George) Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters) Brent Tate (NZ Warriors) Manu Vatuvei (NZ Warriors) Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers) Nathan Fien (St George) Paul Gallen (Cronulla) Sam Burgess (South Sydney) Sam Thaiday (Brisbane) David Shillington (Canterbury) Cameron Smith (Melbourne) James Graham (St Helens).

Previous Golden Boot winners:
2009 Greg Inglis (Australia)
2008 Billy Slater (Australia)
2007 Cameron Smith (Australia)
2006 Darren Lockyer (Australia)
2005 Anthony Minichiello (Australia)
2004 Andrew Farrell (Great Britain)
2003 Darren Lockyer (Australia)
2002 Stacey Jones (New Zealand)
2001 Andrew Johns (Australia)
2000 Brad Fittler (Australia)
1999 Andrew Johns (Australia)
1990-1998 No award given
1989 Mal Meninga (Australia)
1988 Ellery Hanley (Great Britain)
1987 Hugh McGahan (New Zealand) & Peter Sterling (Australia)
1986 Garry Jack (Australia)
1985 Brett Kenny (Australia)
1984 Wally Lewis (Australia)

- AAP