2024 IRL Golden Boot: Women's shortlist

Jillaroos stars Tarryn Aiken, Tiana Penitani and Tamika Upton are among the leading contenders for the 2024 IRL Golden Boot after helping Australia to victory in the Pacific Championships.

Aiken, Penitani and Upton have been named on a short-list of candidates for the prestigious award, which was last won by an Australian in 2019 when Jessica Sergis was voted International Player of the Year.

Kiwi Ferns second-rower Annessa Biddle has a chance to keep the Golden Boot in New Zealand hands after Raecene McGregor and Georgia Hale won the award in 2022 and 2023.

Hale, the Kiwi Ferns captain, had been named on a long list for the 2024 Golden Boot before last Sunday’s 24-4 Pacific Cup final defeat by the Jillaroos at CommBank Stadium, in which Aiken was named player-of-the-match.

The inspirational New Zealand forward's character and toughness was revealed after she underwent surgery on her neck just days after the final to repair a bulging disk sustained in Round 2 of the NRLW.

Fetu Samoa captain Annetta-Claudia Nu'uausala and her England counterpart Jodie Cunningham make up the short list, and with Biddle ensure an even split of forwards and backs in Golden Boot contention.

Nu’uausala led Samoa to victory in the Pacific Bowl and a berth in the 2026 World Cup after sudden-death wins against Tonga and Fiji.

The Fetu also qualified for next year’s Pacific Cup after beating Papua New Guinea in last Sunday’s promotion-relegation play-off. 

Cunningham starred in England’s defeats of France and Wales.

IRL Chair Troy Grant said: “Congratulations to the six players who have been shortlisted for the 2024 IRL Golden Boot from a very strong field of candidates.

“The growth of women’s rugby league in recent years has been phenomenal and continues to go from strength to strength.

“The skill level and physicality are unmatched in any other sport and when players pull on the jerseys of their national teams the passion is evident.

“In 2024 we have seen women’s World Cup qualifying tournaments played for the first time in each region, with Samoa, France and Wales winning berths at RLWC2026.

“There is so much to look forward to in 2025, with Australia to play England in an historic women’s international at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas before the first women’s Ashes series, the Pacific Championships, and the inaugural World Series featuring Canada (Americas), Fiji (Asia-Pacific), Ireland (Europe) and Nigeria (Africa) playing for the final spot at the 2026 World Cup.”

The women’s 2024 IRL Golden Boot winner will be judged by Australian Jillaroos great Karyn Murphy, New Zealand dual code superstar Honey Hireme-Smiler and England international Danika Priim.

Murphy, who made 27 international appearances and led the Jillaroos to their first World Cup triumph in 2013, was earlier this year among the first six female players inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame. She is a former NRL head of integrity and currently coaches the Gold Coast Titans in the NRLW.

Hireme-Smiler played in four World Cups for the Kiwi Ferns, including 2013 when she was captain and player of the tournament. She is now a leading commentator for Sky Sport NZ’s coverage of NRL, NRLW and rugby union.

Priim represented England at the 2017 World Cup and won Challenge Cup and Super League titles with Leeds before moving into commentary and media after her retirement in 2021. She was earlier this year appointed as a vice-president of the Rugby Football League.

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

A long list of women’s 2024 Golden Boot, chosen by members of the international media, was announced last week.
The 2023 IRL Golden Boot winners were New Zealand’s Georgia Hale and James Fisher-Harris, and French Wheelchair star Jeremy Bourson.

Nominations for the wheelchair 2024 IRL Golden Boot will be announced after the second international between France and England on Saturday, November 23.

The winners of the 2024 IRL Golden Boot awards will be announced in early December.

2024 IRL Golden Boot short list
Women

• Tarryn Aiken (Australia)
• Annessa Biddle (New Zealand)
• Jodie Cunningham (England)
• Annetta-Claudia Nu'uausala (Samoa)
• Tiana Penitani (Australia)
• Tamika Upton (Australia)

Previous IRL Golden Boot Winners
Women  

• 2018 Isabelle Kelly (Australia)
• 2019 Jess Sergis (Australia)
• 2020 No award given
• 2021 No award given
• 2022 Raecene McGregor (New Zealand)
• 2023 Georgia Hale (New Zealand)