Rugby League World Cup: Kangaroos skipper Cameron Smith wins Golden Boot

AUSTRALIA skipper Cameron Smith has set his sights on becoming the first man in history to play 400 NRL games after claiming his second Golden Boot award.

Is there actually anything Smith hasn’t won? (AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)

AUSTRALIA skipper Cameron Smith has set his sights on becoming the first man in history to play 400 NRL games after claiming his second Golden Boot award.

In the lead-up to Saturday night’s World Cup final against England, Smith capped a dream 2017 season, adding the Golden Boot to his Dally M Medal and premiership ring with Melbourne.

The champion rake won his first Golden Boot in 2007 and another victory yesterday _ a decade later _ catapulted him into the rarefied company of multiple winners.

Smith is just the fourth player in the award’s 33-year history to celebrate two or more Golden Boot triumphs, joining Andrew Johns (1999 and 2001), Darren Lockyer (2003 and 2006) and Johnathan Thurston (2011, 2013 and 2015).

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Is there actually anything Smith hasn’t won? (AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)

Now the Maroons captain is eyeing another milestone, with Smith outlining plans to conquer the NRL’s equivalent of Everest by reaching 400 first-grade games.

Smith surpassed Lockyer as the most-capped player in NRL history during the finals and has amassed 358 games, meaning he would have to play another two seasons to achieve the feat.

“Four hundred games is achievable, there’s no doubt,” he said in the wake of his Golden Boot triumph.

“I’m on 358 so it’s within reach.

“The important thing is that I don’t try and change what has worked for me in the past and that is training hard and preparing myself physically and mentally for games so that come the weekend you have done everything possible to get yourself right for those matches.”

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The Golden Boot winner was unveiled at a gala World Cup luncheon yesterday in Brisbane, with Smith holding off England’s Jermaine McGillvary, Tonga’s Jason Taumalolo and Fiji’s Suliasi Vunivalu.

Kangaroos prop Aaron Woods gathered the Australian team to applaud as Smith received the prestigious gong first won by Wally Lewis in 1984.

“It is certainly quite a prestigious award to be voted the Golden Boot winner,” he said.

“I’ve been lucky enough to win it once before, but that was 10 years ago. I am extremely humbled to receive the award, given I was up against some quality players.

“Jason Taumalolo has been in fantastic form for the past two years. He is a force of nature, he has helped carry the teams he has played in over the last two years and his nomination was well deserved.

“The other two boys on the wing, Suliasi and Jermaine, have played some wonderful football as well.

“It’s hard to say if it’s my greatest year but it would have to be close. You could have two or three that are standouts, but 2017 would be pretty close to my best or most consistent season.”