NRLCentral

Kalyn Ponga has been named the 2026 Golden Boot winner.
Kiwis honoured him

Dane Gagai is one win away from history as the first player to lift the World Cup for two different nations.

Gagai says doing it in the black and white of New Zealand would be incredible and something truly special. (Zerotackle)

The Golden Boot for rugby league's best international player gets handed out tonight. Before the final (weird)

In the running:
• Reece Walsh
• Kalyn Ponga
• Casey McLean
• Robert Toia
• Francis Manuleleua

Jack Bostock and Harry Grant have both opened up on their futures ahead of Sunday's World Cup final.

Bostock says the Dolphins are "still definitely in the equation", despite reports he's leaving: "I love it up here... I've seen a lot of people jump to the conclusion."

Grant says winning will decide his next move: "A lot of talk has been around surfboards and surfing, but... I want to win, I want to compete."

(via Nick Wright, Sydney Morning Herald)

Eels CEO Mike Rush says it's "unfair" that Spencer Leniu's two-match World Cup ban will rule him out of the Las Vegas opener.

Because the World Cup was in Australia, Leniu can't serve it in trials. In 2022, Angus Crichton served a ban in a trial because that World Cup was in England.

"It feels a little unfair on both the player and the club that the location of the World Cup dictates how you can serve your suspension," Rush said.

(via Adrian Proszenko, Sydney Morning Herald)