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IRL Golden Boot: Kiwi team-mates honour Ponga, Waaka; more history for Hawkins

Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns team-mates performed hakas in tribute to Kalyn Ponga and Stacey Waaka after the pair capped sensational World Cup debuts for New Zealand by taking out the Men’s and Women’s IRL 2026 Golden Boot awards.

Ponga and Waaka were presented with their awards at a special function in Brisbane on Thursday night during  which 42 of the greatest international rugby league players were inducted into the IRL Hall of Legends.

England’s Rob Hawkins – the only player in any form of the game to have won consecutive Golden Boots - created further history after receiving the Wheelchair award for a third consecutive year.

Players and coaching staff from both New Zealand teams who will face Australia in Sunday’s night’s IRL Rugby League World Cup finals at Suncorp Stadium were in attendance to support Ponga, Waaka and the six Kiwi Hall of Legends inductees.

Kiwis coach Stacey Jones was one of the six, along with his former captain Ruben Wiki, New Zealand great Mark Graham, dual code superstar Honey Hireme-Smiler and fellow Kiwi Ferns legends Luisa Avaiki and Trish Hina.

Kiwi Ferns players stood and performed a haka for Waaka after she received her Golden Boot from Hireme-Smiler, and the Kiwis did the same for Ponga, who received his award from his father Andre.

Both groups later performed a haka for the 13 Hall of Legends inductees in attendance, who included former Kangaroos captains Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith and Wally Lewis, playmaking greats Johnathan Thurston and Ali Brigginhsaw, Jillaroos trailblazers Karyn Murphy and Tahnee Norris and Pacific pioneer Petero Civoniceva, who played 45 Tests for Australia and five for Fiji.

Haka 261112_CD_0680Kiwis team-mates performed a haka in honour of Kalyn Ponga after he was awarded the IRL Golden Boot ahead of the World Cup final against Australia. Photo: Scott Davis/NRL Photos

“There is a bigger goal at the end of this  (winning the World Cup) but to win this award in these colours and for this country is special,” said Ponga, who successfully lobbied to change his eligibility from Australia to New Zealand earlier this year.

“I’m someone who is new into this space with the Kiwis and to see players I have idolised and get to rub shoulders with and learn off, for them to respect what I have achieved – thanks to them – it is pretty special.

“I definitely made the right choice, and I knew I made the right choice when I made the choice.”

After suffering a broken arm in the epic tournament opener against the Kangaroos and returning just 23 days later to spearhead to Kiwis into their first World Cup final since 2013, Ponga was asked what it would mean to win the Paul Barriere Trophy.

“I know what it means to all of the New Zealand playing group and people who have been a part of this playing group for a long time now. We have spoken about it throughout the camp and it will be really special,” he said.

“The feeling that I had in that first game, I knew I was a part of something special and I didn’t want to miss out on that.

“Good opportunities don’t come around too often and that’s why I wanted to be back so fast.

Waaka, a two-times New Zealand rugby union world cup winner and dual Olympic gold medallist, has been a revelation in her first World Cup for New Zealand after switching codes this year to join the Warriors.

The Kiwi Ferns centre, who has scored nine tries in four games.

“The haka being performed is special celebration for both of us and for them to honour and respect us with that, I got a little bit teary,” she said

“I’m usually the one performing it with them, so to be on the other side, it was just really special.

“And I guess it shows the love and respect that the girls have and the boys have for both of us.”

Haka 261112_CD_0399Cross-code superstar Stacey Waaka became teary after Kiwi Ferns team-mates paid tribute to her with a haka at the IRL Golden Boot presentation. Photo: Scott Davis/NRL Photos 

Ponga edged out Kiwis team-mates Casey McLean, Kangaroos fullback opposite Reece Walsh, Tonga centre Rob Toia and Samoa lock Francis Manuleleua – a Knights team-mate – to win the Golden Boot.

Waaka beat Jillaroos superstar fullback Tamika Upton, lock Olivia Kernick and winger Abbi Church, as well as Kiwi Ferns team-mates Raecene McGregor and Apii Nicholls, Samoa utility Evania Isaáko and Fiji Bulikula playmaker Luisa Yaranamua.

Hawkins won his third IRL Golden Boot from French trio Jeremy Bourson, Nicolas Clausells and Dany Denuwelaere, England team-mate Joe Coyd, Ireland captain Joe Calcott and Wheelaroos pair Bayley McKenna and Adam Tannock.

The IRL Golden Boot is awarded to the best player in sanctioned rugby league international matches each year.

About the judges

Golden Cap recipients Darren Lockyer (Australia), Ruben Wiki (New Zealand), James Graham (England), Petero Civoniceva (Australia/Fiji) and Adrian Morley (England), who are among just nine players to have played 50 or more internationals, will choose the men’s 2026 IRL Golden Boot winner.

The Women’s 2026 IRL Golden Boot winner will be judged by Australian Jillaroos greats Karyn Murphy, Tahnee Norris and Ali Brigginshaw, New Zealand dual code superstar Honey Hireme-Smiler and fellow Kiwi Ferns legends Trish Hina and Luisa Avaiki, who also played for Samoa. 

 The Wheelchair 2025 IRL Golden Boot is chosen by a judging panel which comprises of Malcolm Kielty MBE, who is one of Wheelchair Rugby League's founding fathers and a former Ireland team manager, World Cup winner and England heritage player #1 Wayne Boardman, ex-Wheelaroos captain Brad Grove, former France coach Sylvain Crismanovich and IRL Wheelchair Rugby League Advisory Group Secretary David Butler.

The IRL Golden Boot is awarded to the best player in sanctioned rugby league international matches each year.

IRL Golden Boot Winners

Men

 

  • 1984 Wally Lewis (Australia)
  • 1985 Brett Kenny (Australia)
  • 1986 Garry Jack (Australia)
  • 1987 Hugh McGahan (New Zealand) and Peter Sterling (Australia)
  • 1988 Ellery Hanley (England)
  • 1989 Mal Meninga (Australia)
  • 1990 Garry Schofield (England)
  • 1991-98 No award given
  • 1999 Andrew Johns (Australia)
  • 2000 Brad Fittler (Australia)
  • 2001 Andrew Johns (Australia)
  • 2002 Stacey Jones (New Zealand)
  • 2003 Darren Lockyer (Australia)
  • 2004 Andrew Farrell (England)
  • 2005 Anthony Minichiello (Australia)
  • 2006 Darren Lockyer (Australia)
  • 2007 Cameron Smith (Australia)
  • 2008 Billy Slater (Australia)
  • 2009 Greg Inglis (Australia)
  • 2010 Benji Marshall (New Zealand)
  • 2011 Johnathan Thurston (Australia)
  • 2012 Kevin Sinfield (England)
  • 2013 Johnathan Thurston (Australia)
  • 2014 Shaun Johnson (New Zealand)
  • 2015 Johnathan Thurston (Australia)
  • 2016 Cooper Cronk (Australia)
  • 2017 Cameron Smith (Australia)
  • 2018 Tommy Makinson (England)
  • 2019 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New Zealand)
  • 2020 No award given
  • 2021 No award given
  • 2022 Joey Manu (New Zealand)
  • 2023 James Fisher-Harris (New Zealand)
  • 2024 Isaah Yeo (Australia)
  • 2025 Harry Grant (Australia)
  • 2026 Kalyn Ponga

Women

 

  • 2018 Isabelle Kelly (Australia)
  • 2019 Jess Sergis (Australia)
  • 2020 No award given
  • 2021 No award given
  • 2022 Raecene McGregor (New Zealand)
  • 2023 Georgia Hale (New Zealand)
  • 2024 Tarryn Aiken (Australia)
  • 2025 Julia Robinson (Australia)
  • Stacey Waake (New Zealand)

Wheelchair

 

  • 2019 Jack Brown (England)
  • 2020-2021 No award
  • 2022 Seb Bechara (England)
  • 2023 Jeremy Bourson (France)
  • 2024 Rob Hawkins (England)
  • 2025 Rob Hawkins (England)
  • 2026 Rob Hawkins (England)