Rugby League World Cup 2026 - Men's and Women's final network diagrams

I'm posting them together mostly for timing reasons as I'm away for part of the weekend. 

First, a word on the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup. I really wanted to make similar diagrams for the Wheelchair World Cup and it's so nearly there. 

This time, full squad information was available but club team information wasn't, not even when I checked on nrl.com, whose pages are more useful that the official website. This is a move forward, last World Cup, full squad information wasn't available. Three World Cups ago (so 2017), that was the position the women's event was in, and now the information is easily available. Hopefully in 2030 I can make the diagrams for the wheelchair event as well. 

The Women's World Cup final: 

Australia vs New Zealand but at least they were in different groups in the group stage. Brisbane Broncos are the club team closest to the centre, but they're not the team with the most representatives. That would be the Sydney Roosters, who have 9 representatives, all playing for Australia. 

The Broncos are one of four clubs with five representatives each. They are the Broncos, Wests Tigers, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and NZ Warriors. Interestingly, all except for NZ Warriors have players representing both national teams. 

The Men's Final: 

One thing that interests me is that, given it's the same national teams, and the same squad sizes, the shape of the diagrams is different. Where the women's diagram is on a diagonal line, the men's is on a horizontal line, but again New Zealand on the left and Australia on the right. You'll notice I deliberately inverted the colours. I think the black/dark grey for small and red for bigger colourway used for the women's works slightly better. 

Penrith Panthers are the central club team, and are linked to both national teams, although they have slightly more links to New Zealand. 

Penrith are also the club team with the most representatives left, with 9. They are shared between both national teams. The club team with the next highest number of representatives left are New Zealand Warriors with 7, all playing for New Zealand, which again reflects the more diffuse club representation in the Australian squad. 

We started with New Zealand vs Australia, and we're going to end with it, so at least there is symmetry.  Hopefully New Zealand will keep Kalyn Ponga for the full match. 

If it's even half as good as that opening match, it's going to be a cracker.