ENGLAND wheelchair star Rob Hawkins is going for a hat-trick of IRL Wheelchair Golden Boot awards, whilst Australia’s Reece Walsh and New Zealand’s Kalyn Ponga headline the men’s nominees.
Hawkins, Super League’s reigning Wheels of Steel, is one of two England nominees for the award alongside teammate Joe Coyd, with eight countries featuring throughout the shortlists.
The Halifax Panthers ace has lit up the World Cup, continuing the electric form that last year saw him become the first player in any form of the game to win the coveted Golden Boot in back-to-back years.
He is joined on the shortlist by Coyd, French trio Nicolas Clausells, Dany Denuwelaere and former winner Jeremy Bourson, Ireland captain Joe Calcott, and Wheelaroos pair Bayley McKenna and Adam Tannock.
Superstar fullbacks Walsh and Ponga, who will go up against each other in Sunday’s World Cup final, are the standout names from the men’s shortlist.
Ponga, who recently changed his eligibility from Australia to New Zealand, returned from a broken arm to spearhead the Kiwis into their first final since 2013, whilst Walsh’s hat-trick led the Kangaroos past Samoa to reach the decider.
Tonga’s Robert Toia, Samoa’a Francis Manuleleua and New Zealand’s Casey McLean are also vying for the award.
Favourites Australia dominate the nominees for the women’s Golden Boot, with Abbi Church, Olivia Kernick and Tamika Upton among the eight women shortlisted.
Kiwi Ferns halfback Raecene McGregor, who won the Golden Boot at the last World Cup, is also nominated, along with Apii Nicholls, Stacey Waaka, Samoa utility Evania Isa’ako and Fiji playmaker Luisa Yaranamua.
The winners of the awards will be revealed in Wollongong tomorrow evening.
2026 IRL Golden Boot Shortlist:
Men
Casey McLean (New Zealand)
Francis Manuleleua (Samoa)
Kalyn Ponga (New Zealand)
Rob Toia (Tonga)
Reece Walsh (Australia)
Women
Abbi Church (Australia)
Evania Isa’ako (Samoa)
Olivia Kernick (Australia)
Raecene McGregor (New Zealand)
Apii Nicholls (New Zealand)
Tamika Upton (Australia)
Stacey Waaka (New Zealand)
Luisa Yaranamua (Fiji)
Wheelchair
Jeremy Bourson (France)
Joseph Calcott (Ireland)
Nicolas Clausells (France)
Joe Coyd (England)
Dany Denuwelaere (France)
Rob Hawkins (England)
Bayley McKenna (Australia)
Adam Tannock (Australia)
