In the warm lamplight of a Brisbane stadium, two New Zealanders were honoured as the finest international players of a year thin on Test football, their awards rooted in debut tournaments that carried them into a new national identity. Kalyn Ponga, who chose the Kiwis to honour his Maori heritage, and Stacey Waaka, who arrived from a storied rugby union past, each stood at a turning point between who they were and who they are becoming. Their achievements, however, are only a prelude, for both teams now prepare to meet Australia on Sunday, where the larger story will be written.
Ponga and Waaka Take Rugby League's Golden Boot Honours for New Zealand
He played on for 20 minutes with a broken forearm
Mark
Two Golden Boots to New Zealand on one night. Why does Ponga's win stand out?
Mimi
Because of how it happened. He broke his forearm in the opener, played on for about 20 minutes, then came back 23 days later and was player of the match against Tonga.
Mark
And he's only in a Kiwi jersey because of an eligibility change?
Mimi
Yes. The rule change let him play for New Zealand and still play State of Origin for Queensland. He never played for Australia, and he's said he wanted to honour his Maori heritage.
Luke
Worth saying the award covers a thin year. The source notes there was a dearth of Test football, so these two were judged on debut tournaments, not a full season of internationals.
Mark
Does that undercut the award?
Luke
Not necessarily, but it frames it. Also, the finals on Sunday weren't counted, so the picture could still change.
Mimi
Waaka's numbers are concrete though: nine tries in four matches at centre.
Luke
Agreed, that's solid. What's less clear is how the voting worked. The report names the other nominees but not the margin or process.
Mark
And Waaka's haka reaction?
Mimi
She said she'd never stood in front of one and it nearly brought her to tears. That's her own account, and it's a good detail about how new she is to this team.
Il Polso
- Ponga returned from a broken forearm just 23 days after injury to dazzle against Tonga, turning a fragile comeback into a headline moment.
- Waaka's nine tries in four matches at centre pushed the Kiwi Ferns into the final, sending a jolt through a squad now chasing the title.
- Coach Stacey Jones, usually articulate, was left almost speechless by Ponga's recovery, a sign of how deeply the feat landed inside camp.
- Both New Zealand sides face Australia in Brisbane on Sunday, with men's and women's World Cup titles hanging in the balance.
- The awards ignore the finals entirely, so the real test of these two stars arrives only after the trophies have been handed out.
In the warm lamplight of a Brisbane stadium, two New Zealanders were honoured as the finest international players of a year thin on Test football, their awards rooted in debut tournaments that carried them into a new national identity. Kalyn Ponga, who chose the Kiwis to honour his Maori heritage, and Stacey Waaka, who arrived from a storied rugby union past, each stood at a turning point between who they were and who they are becoming. Their achievements, however, are only a prelude, for both teams now prepare to meet Australia on Sunday, where the larger story will be written.
On Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium, the haka rolled across the field while Kalyn Ponga and Stacey Waaka stood among their teammates, newly named the International Rugby League's Golden Boot winners for the men's and women's game. Ponga, 28, outpaced a strong field that included Reece Walsh, and his father Andre presented him with the trophy. The honours looked back at a year with little Test football, rewarding both players for their debut tournaments in national colours.
Ponga's journey to the Kiwis came through a rule change that let him represent New Zealand while still playing for Queensland in State of Origin. He never pulled on the Australian jersey, choosing New Zealand to honour his Maori heritage. He was quick to say he is not chasing individual prizes, since a bigger goal waits, but wearing these colours for his country and his people felt special.
His fullback displays at the World Cup have been remarkable. In the opening loss to Australia he broke his forearm while heading for player of the match, played on for around 20 minutes, and then came back 23 days later to win player of the match against Tonga. He credited the medical staff and said the memory of that first game stays with him every day in camp.
Waaka, a decorated sevens and fifteen-a-side star, has made a striking switch to the NRLW with the Warriors. Her nine tries in four matches at centre were a major reason the Ferns reached the final. The haka hit her hard: she said she is not an emotional person, yet the moment nearly moved her to tears. She dedicated her award to her teammates and sisters.
All eyes now turn to Brisbane on Sunday, when both Ponga's Kiwis and Waaka's Ferns face Australia with World Cup titles at stake.
On Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, two New Zealand players stood in front of their teammates while both the men's and women's sides performed hakas. Kalyn Ponga and Stacey Waaka had just been named the International Rugby League's Golden Boot winners, the men's and women's awards for the best international player of 2026.
Ponga, who is 28, beat out a field that included Reece Walsh, his counterpart in the Australian fullback jersey for Sunday's final, as well as Samoa's Francis Manuleleua, Tonga centre Robert Toia and Kiwi centre Casey McLean. His father, Andre, presented him with the trophy. The awards do not take into account anything from the World Cup finals this weekend, where New Zealand meets Australia in both the men's and women's deciders. With little Test football played this year, both winners were recognised largely for their debut tournaments in national colours.
Ponga's path to the Kiwis came through a change in international eligibility rules, which allowed him to represent New Zealand, a tier one nation, while still playing State of Origin for Queensland. He never played for Australia. He wanted to link with the Kiwis to honour his Maori heritage, having previously represented the Maori All Stars. "I definitely made the right choice and I knew that from the moment I made it," he said. He added that he is not in this environment to win individual awards, because a bigger goal lies ahead, but that doing it in these colours, for this country and his people, was special.
His two World Cup games at fullback have been remarkable. In the tournament opener, a 24-20 loss to Australia, he was heading for man of the match when he broke his forearm. He played on for about 20 more minutes and left the field in the 70th minute. Twenty-three days later he was back, and he was named player of the match in the 34-10 win over Tonga. He credited the physios and medical staff for the recovery, and said the feeling he had in that first game is something he carries every day in camp.
Coach Stacey Jones, a Kiwi great, struggled to put his fullback into words, grinning as he started and trailed off mid-sentence. He did say Ponga has had a huge impact, and called it unbelievable that he came back from a broken arm and slotted in as he did.
Waaka arrived in rugby league from a decorated rugby union career. She has won sevens gold medals at two Olympic Games, one Commonwealth Games and one World Cup, plus two World Cup titles in the 15-a-side game. Her move to the NRLW with the Warriors has been striking, and at this World Cup she scored nine tries in four matches playing centre, a major reason the Kiwi Ferns reached the final.
The haka clearly landed with her. "I have never been in front of that haka and it hit me. It got me good," she said, adding that she is not an emotional person but the team nearly brought her to tears. She dedicated the award to her friends and teammates, saying it was for her sisters and that she knows how prestigious it is.
Elsewhere in the awards, England's Rob Hawkins took the wheelchair Golden Boot, ahead of Friday night's wheelchair final in Wollongong between England and France. The main attention turns to Brisbane on Sunday, when Ponga's Kiwis and Waaka's Ferns each face Australia with World Cup titles at stake.
Citazioni salienti
I definitely made the right choice and I knew that from the moment I made it.— Kalyn Ponga
I have never been in front of that haka and it hit me. It got me good.— Stacey Waaka
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