Golden Boot shortlists revealed as England star in with chance of historic double

Aaron Bower 20 Nov 2025 11:51 AM

Australia duo Harry Grant and Cameron Munster headline the men’s shortlist for the 2025 Golden Boot – with England wheelchair star Rob Hawkins in the running to become the first player win back-to-back awards.

The long lists for the best international players in rugby league were revealed earlier this month – but those lists have now been whittled down to five in the men’s and women’s disciplines, and six in the wheelchair category.

The men’s list features two of the Kangaroos’ standout players in their Ashes victory over England, with Melbourne Storm duo Grant and Munster among the five selected.

Samoa superstar Payne Haas is perhaps the favourite after his stunning displays in the Pacific Championships, while New Zealand duo Dylan Brown and Joseph Tapine also make the cut. None of that quintet have won the award before, meaning there will be a new winner of the men’s award.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the women’s list is dominated by the superstars of the Jillaroos, with three Australians on the five-woman shortlis: Yasmin Clydsdale, Julia Robinson and Tamika Upton. Cook Islands star Chantay Kiria-Ratu and Kiwi Ferns’ Apii Nicholls are the other two candidates.

But for English supporters, the real headline comes on the wheelchair list – with three players from the country listed including Halifax Panthers star Hawkins.

That means Hawkins is now closer to becoming the first player in the history of the Golden Boot to win it in successive years, a feat no player in the game has ever achieved.

There is another former winner on that list, with England star Jack Brown also shortlisted. England’s Nathan Collins is the third player from the nation on the six-player shortlist.

Australian duo Bayley McKenna and Zac Schumacher are on there, as is Ireland’s Joe Calcott.

Men