Top 5 players of 2025: Australia Women

Some may argue Australia did not have the best year in 2025. The Wallaroos managed to make it through to the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup, however other than a dominant win over Samoa in their opener, the team did not win another match, drawing with pool rivals the USA and losing heavily to eventual finalists England and Canada.

Other heavy losses to New Zealand came in the O’Reilly Cup and Canada in the Pacific Four, with the highlight of the Pac Four Series being a promising win over the USA. The Wallaroos then lost to Wales in a World Cup warm up, before recovering to win the second Test before flying to England.

Losing esteemed head coach Jo Yapp after the World Cup, put the cherry on top of a deflated cake.

However, despite not always performing to their potential, there were some stand out moments of remarkable skill and plenty of entertaining moments throughout the year, led by a handful of players who will look to continue their form into an exciting 2026 for the team.

As we approach the end of 2025, here are Australia’s top 5 players of the year:

Tabua Tuinakauvadra (back row)
Tabua Tuinakauvadra became a first-time recipient of ‘Wallaroos Player of the Year’ at the annual Rugby Australia Awards in October. That accolade capped off a breakout campaign in gold for the back rower, who starred during the team’s run at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Tuinakauvadra made 11 appearances for the Wallaroos in 2025, including a couple of starts at a record-breaking World Cup. The number eight scored a try in both warm-up Tests against Wales on Australian soil before the Wallaroos departed for Manchester.

In the absence of injured skipper Siokapesi Palu, Tuinakauvadra formed a highly-rated loose forwards trio with Emily Chancellor and Piper Duck. The lively talent shifted to the bench for Australia’s pool-stage finale against tournament hosts England.

Tuinakauvadra won three turnovers in a 34-minute shift during that match, standing out for the Wallaroos throughout and the World Cup as a whole.

The 22-year-old has re-signed with Rugby Australia and is expected to play a key role in the national team’s run to their home World Cup in 2029.

Kaitlan Leaney (second row)
Australia versus the USA during the World Cup pool stage was a match that certainly lived up to the hype, in what was effectively a knockout match. It finished 31-all at York Community Stadium, with a crucial play by Kaitlan Leaney keeping the Wallaroos in the fight.

As the USA looked to march their way into a match-winning position, Leaney swam through a well-set maul for a tournament-defining play.

That stands out as the most important moment of the Wallaroos’ season. Australia went on to qualify for the quarter-finals, with the 25-year-old playing a significant role in the team’s other matches against Samoa and England to get them there.

Leaney was handed the co-captaincy for the first time ahead of the Wallaroos’ tournament-opener against Samoa at Salford Community Stadium, tackling the house down and bringing invaluable physicality during the record-setting 73-0 triumph.

The lock completed 61 tackles at the World Cup, which was more than double the team’s average. While that turnover against the USA stands out considering the determination shown and the magnitude of the occasion, Leaney was consistently a menace for opposing teams.

Desiree Miller (wing)
It’s hard to believe that Desiree Miller’s rugby journey began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Miller picked up the sport as a way to socialise, and she has since emerged as one of the most exciting wingers in the international women’s game.

Wallaroos coach Yapp watched on from the sidelines as the NSW Waratahs went back-to-back as Super Rugby Women’s champions in April. Yapp presented Miller with Player of the Final honours after the flyer stole the show with a game-changing performance.

Miller was electric throughout the entire 43-21 win over the Queensland Reds, with the outing leaving the speedster primed for the Test campaign. But some tough matches against the Black Ferns before the World Cup had an impact.

The Wallaroo spoke with RugbyPass and Rugby.com.au during the World Cup about overthinking as an athlete and the importance of confidence. It took Miller some time to find her groove again, and she did exactly that, just in time for the World Cup.

Miller couldn’t have started the tournament any better, scoring a hat-trick in a record World Cup win for the Wallaroos. The 23-year-old finished the World Cup with six tries, including a double against the USA and an early score in the quarter-final defeat to Canada.

With Miller forming a regular outside backs combination with Maya Stewart and Caitlyn Halse, the Wallaroos are well placed as they prepare to begin their new World Cup cycle. Miller has spent time training with Australia sevens since the World Cup.

Piper Duck (back row)
Piper Duck was all set to become the youngest Wallaroos captain ever, after being announced as the team’s leader as a 22-year-old in 2023. But a vicious run of injuries put that dream on hold.

In the 843 days between Duck’s leadership announcement and the Wallaroos’ captain’s run at Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium earlier this year, a lot happened. Duck was struck down with injury after injury, but continued to fight for a return to the international rugby arena.

Duck spent some of the Super Rugby Women’s season on the sideline, including the Grand Final win for the Waratahs over the Reds. In a bid to play at the World Cup, Duck was a headline-grabbing inclusion in the Australia A side to take on Samoa in June.

With usual skipper and flanker Siokapesi Palu out injured, Duck became a regular starter once again for the national team. The back rower made more tackles than anyone else through the first two rounds of pool play at the World Cup and continued to impress in other fixtures.

Whenever ‘Advance Australia Fair’ echoed throughout various stadiums in England, Duck was always smiling. It’d been a long road to get back to that point, but Duck proved to be an invaluable member of the Wallaroos in 2025, as a difference-maker who led with her actions.

Caitlyn Halse (full back)
Caitlyn Halse became the youngest Wallaroo to play at a Rugby World Cup, with the teenager starring at fullback against Samoa in Salford. Halse scored two tries in that opening-round fixture, before completing another double in the team’s biggest match of 2025 against the USA.

In an all-time classic 31-draw between Australia and the USA, Halse put the Wallaroos in a strong position with a try just before the half-time break. There was a sense of déjà vu midway through the second half when Halse crossed with 22 minutes remaining.

When Halse celebrated that first-half score, one of the more iconic images from the World Cup was taken. The Australian stood tall, facing the crowd in a way that showed the supreme confidence of a young talent who had well and truly arrived on the international sporting stage.

At just 18, Halse became an automatic starter for the Wallaroos. The record-breaking Wallaroo offers a reliable kicking game in general play and elite skills in attack – all the ingredients needed to take the rugby world by storm for many years to come.

After becoming the youngest player ever in Wallaroos history with a debut against the USA in 2024, Halse was recognised as a World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year nominee, only to take her game to an all new level in 2025, with career-defining World Cup performances.