Wheelaroos History in the Making: McKenna & Schumacher Short-listed for 2025 IRL Golden Boot

It’s a huge moment for Australian Wheelchair Rugby League – two Wheelaroos, Bayley McKenna and Zac Schumacher, have been named on the shortlist for the 2025 IRL Golden Boot, putting them in the running to become the first-ever Australian Wheelchair winners of this prestigious international honour.

For a sport built on grit, resilience and innovation, the news is more than an individual accolade. It’s a symbol of how far the Wheelaroos have risen on the world stage — and how bright their future burns.

The Gold Boot Shortlist caps off an extraordinary year for the Australian Wheelaroos. After a fiercely contested Ashes Series on home soil, where Australia pushed England to the brink in back-to-back battles, two standout performers repeatedly stole the spotlight: McKenna and Schumacher.

This backs up the duo’s 2024 Golden Boot nomination and shortlist and fellow teammate Diab Karim who was a finalist in 2021, proving the Wheelaroos are serious contenders on the international stage.

Both athletes are part of a new generation of players redefining what Wheelchair Rugby League looks like — faster, more tactical, more explosive. Their efforts didn’t just turn heads; they demanded recognition.

And now, the international stage has taken notice.

Bayley McKenna – Player of the Match

Bayley McKenna: The Playmaker With Purpose

If there was a moment that captured McKenna’s year, it came in the second Ashes Test, where the dynamic playmaker delivered one of the great individual performances in Wheelaroos history.

Two tries.
Seven from seven conversions.
Twenty-two points.
And a Player of the Match medal to match.

Zac Schumacher: Quiet Force, Big Moments

If McKenna is lightning, Schumacher is thunder — powerful, composed, and the definition of reliability.

In the opening Ashes Test, he crossed for three tries and added four goals, setting the tone for Australia’s high-intensity series start. His consistency, physicality and ability to deliver in clutch moments make him one of the most respected players in the squad.

Who Else Is In The Running

The 2025 Golden Boot shortlist is stacked. From England, Jack Brown, Nathan Collins, and Rob Hawkins make the list. Also shortlisted: Joseph Calcott from Ireland.

McKenna and Schumacher are up against some elite competition — but their inclusion alone is a massive recognition of their skill, impact, and contribution on the international stage.

2025 Wheelchair Shortlist

• Jack Brown (England)
• Joseph Calcott (Ireland)
• Nathan Collins (England)
• Rob Hawkins (England)
• Bayley McKenna (Australia)
• Zac Schumacher (Australia)

Judging & What’s Next

The Golden Boot winner for Wheelchair Rugby League will be chosen by a specialised judging panel, including pioneers and long-serving figures in the sport.

• Malcolm Kielty MBE – a founder of wheelchair rugby league
• Martin Meredith OAM – former Wheelchair Rugby League Australia Chair
• Niel Wood – Chair of the IRL Wheelchair Rugby League Advisory Group
• David Butler – Secretary of the same advisory group
• Darren Gocher – NRL Wheelchair Chair and Family of League CEO

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

The winners will be announced soon, and if McKenna or Schumacher takes it out, they’ll go down in history as Australia’s first Wheelchair Golden Boot winners.

Past Wheelaroos Shortlisted for the Golden Boot

• 2024 – Zac Schumacher
• 2024 – Bayley McKenna
• 2021 – Diab Karim

Watch the Ashes Test Game 2 Replay here