Who Will Be the Top Try Scorer of the Rugby League World Cup 2026?

Eight tries each. One game to go.

After four games apiece, the race for the Rugby League World Cup 2026 top try scorer comes down to the same two teams contesting the trophy.

New Zealand's Casey Mclean (not McGuire Laurie) has been at another level throughout the tournament, racking up an average of two tries per game.

He’s equal on 8 tries for the tournament with the Northern Beaches’ very own Tommy Turbo.

Legs Bostock could also be one to back, an aerial threat who will be key to breaking down the Kiwis defence.

Reece Walsh's semi-final hat-trick has dragged him into the conversation as well, at good odds too if he can get over for another hatty.

So, who finishes on top?

For the latest leaderboard, analysis and top try scorer odds, check out our Rugby League World Cup 2026 top try scorer predictions below.

Rugby League World Cup 2026 Top Try Scorer Leaderboard

Here's how the men's try-scoring race stands after the semi-finals.

Casey McLean (New Zealand): 8 tries

Tom Trbojevic (Australia): 8 tries

Jack Bostock (Australia): 7 tries

Sua Fa'alogo (Samoa): 6 tries*

Reece Walsh (Australia): 5 tries

Dom Young (England): 5 tries*

Jojo Fifita (Tonga): 5 tries*

*Denotes a player whose team has been knocked out, so their tally is final.

Rugby League World Cup 2026 Top Try Scorer Predictions

Casey McLean

McLean has been the Kiwis' strike weapon from the opening minutes of the tournament. He scored the first try of the World Cup against Australia in Sydney.

He's crossed in all four of New Zealand's games, with two against the Cook Islands, four in the 78-0 thumping of Fiji and one more in the 34-10 semi-final win over Tonga.

He's level at the top, so outscoring Trbojevic by even one try on Sunday would make him the outright leader.

Tom Trbojevic

Turbo has found a home on the wing, scoring in every one of Australia’s four games.

That includes back-to-back hat-tricks against Fiji and the Cook Islands, then a try in the 44-12 semi-final win over Samoa to draw level with McLean.

He also scored against the Kiwis in the tournament opener, which is exactly the kind of form line you want heading into a rematch.

Jack Bostock

Bostock announced himself with a hat-trick on his Test debut in the 24-22 opener against New Zealand, then bagged another three against the Cook Islands.

He scored again late in the semi-final against Samoa to move to seven.

One try in the final draws him level with the leaders if they're kept quiet. Two would give him the outright lead in that scenario.

Reece Walsh

Walsh scored a hat-trick against Samoa in the semi-final to jump to five.

He needs three in the final just to draw level with the leaders and four to go past them if they don't score. A big ask, but he's already shown he can do three in a night.

Who Will Be the Rugby League World Cup 2026 Top Try Scorer?

Here's the thing. It's almost impossible to split McLean and Trbojevic on the numbers. Same tally, and both have scored in every game.

But the Kangaroos have run in 31 tries across their four games and they outscored the Kiwis five tries to three when these two sides met in the opener.

We reckon Australia's edge out wide gives Trbojevic a slightly better shot at adding to his tally on Sunday night, though McLean has done nothing to suggest he'll go quietly.

Betting tip: Tom Trbojevic.

Value tip: Reece Walsh.

What About the Women's World Cup?

Over in the women's tournament, the Jillaroos' Jaime Chapman takes 10 tries into the final against the Kiwi Ferns, one clear of New Zealand's Stacey Waaka on nine. That final kicks off at 4:15pm AEDT on the same day at Suncorp Stadium and our money’s on El’ Chappo.

Who Has Been the Rugby League World Cup Top Try Scorer?

The record for most tries at a single men's World Cup is 12, so the leaders would need four more to match it.

·       2013: Brett Morris and Jarryd Hayne (Australia), 9 tries

·       2017: Valentine Holmes (Australia), 12 tries

·       2021 (played in 2022): Josh Addo-Carr (Australia), 12 tries

This looks like further evidence that an Aussie will be crowned the RLWC’s top try scorer once again.