The golden year of Brisbane Broncos star Reece Walsh has come to an end, with the 2025 Clive Churchill Medalist sensationally missing the shortlist for this year’s IRL Golden Boot Award.
When the finalists were announced on Thursday, five the NRL’s biggest stars were left standing—and Walsh wasn’t one of them.
Instead the men still in the running to be crowned the top international player of the year are Dylan Brown and Joseph Tapine from New Zealand, Samoan prop Payne Haas and the Kangaroos duo of Harry Grant and Cameron Munster.
The shortlist for the women’s Golden Boot was also announced featuring three members of the Australian Jillaroos—Yasmin Clydsdale, Julia Robinson and Tamika Upton—along with Cook Islands halfback Chantay Kiria-Ratu and Kiwi Ferns fullback Apii Nicholls.
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The men’s 2025 IRL Golden Boot winner will be chosen by a panel of rugby league greats made up of Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, Ruben Wiki, James Graham and Petero Civoniceva.
In the women’s, the 2025 IRL Golden Boot winner will be judged by Karyn Murphy, Honey Hireme-Smiler and Luisa Avaiki.
The winners are expected to be announced next month with Broncos premiership pair Payne Haas and Tamika Upton considered the favourites.
The IRL Golden Boot is awarded to the best player in sanctioned rugby league international matches each year.
2025 IRL Golden Boot shortlists
Men
- Dylan Brown (New Zealand)
- Harry Grant (Australia)
- Payne Haas (Samoa)
- Cameron Munster (Australia)
- Joseph Tapine (New Zealand)
Women
- Yasmin Clydesdale (Australia)
- Chantay Kiria-Ratu (Cook Islands)
- Apii Nichols (New Zealand)
- Julia Robinson (Australia)
- Tamika Upton (Australia)