For Wheelaroos veteran Zac Schumacher, the road to Rugby League World Cup 2026 in Wollongong is about far more than tactics and training sessions.

Pulling on the green and gold means the world to him.

The World Cup is the culmination of a journey that has taken him from the Australian Defence Force, through life-changing injury and rehabilitation, to representing his country once again.

As the Wheelaroos gathered for camp at the Gold Coast ahead of the World Cup in October, Schumacher focused on the importance of building connections with a squad determined to challenge the world's best.

It was the first opportunity for players and staff to come together to develop combinations and fine-tune the structures they hope to lead them to success on home soil later this year.

“It’s good to get the guys together and get the first roll out of the way,” Schumacher said.

“It’s quite crucial to get the guys gelling well and work on what we want to do.

“It’s definitely a good squad. Everyone is putting in the effort and working hard.

“We’ve got the group and we’ve got the staff to go all the way. That’s what we’re planning to do, and that’s what the focus is for the next three or four months.”

Photo: Zac Schumacher believes the Wheelaroos can challenge England and France to win RLWC2026. @NRL Photos

The camp followed an the LCA NRL Wheelchair Championships, where Schumacher, who was North Queensland captain, was impressed by the quality of competition and the continued growth of wheelchair rugby league.

“It was a good three days of competition,” Schumacher said.

“Just seeing the growth of the sport Australia-wide was a big bonus. For a lot of players, it had been our first game time in a while, so it good to get game time in before we headed into the Wheelaroos camp.”

Australia’s path to World Cup glory will not be straightforward.

Schumacher said a pivotal clash with France could determine the Wheelaroos’ fortunes in Pool B. With England and France ranked among the world’s elite, every result will matter as Australia looks to secure the strongest possible route through the tournament.

The 35-year-old will play a key leadership role for the Wheelaroos. He is focused on ensuring players remain disciplined and committed to the strategies developed by coach Brett Clark and the coaching staff.

“My role is managing the team on the court, making sure we stick to our game plan and organising our structures,” he said.

That leadership has been earned through years of experience. Schumacher first discovered wheelchair rugby in 2016 after a difficult period following his medical discharge from Defence.

Having served nine years as a cargo specialist, leaving Defence was an unwanted challenge.

“I was in a pretty bad space after my initial injuries and getting medically discharged,” Schumacher said.

“I represented the country in a different style, where it’s all about mateship and camaraderie, and then getting discharged, and at that point, I couldn’t walk properly, I lost that.

“Then got involved in wheelchair sport and found that mateship and camaraderie again.”

For Schumacher, wheelchair sport filled the void he felt after being discharged; he has been playing wheelchair sport of some description with Jeff Wright, Peter Arbuckle, Bayley McKenna and Adam Tannock since 2016.

“It’s like a brotherhood,” he said.

“We’re family.”

Since making his Wheelaroos debut in 2019, Schumacher has not missed a game.

What keeps him coming back is simple: the combination of physical competition, mental wellbeing and the thrill of representing Australia.

“That’s what keeps driving me,” he said.

“And obviously, being able to pull on the green and gold jersey is a reward for all of the effort we’ve put in.”

Nothing, Schumacher said, compared to pulling on the Australian jersey.

“It’s goosebumps… every time,” Schumacher said with a smile.

“When you wheel out onto a big stage, with the lights, cameras and the national anthem playing, you get butterflies and you get nervous. Being able to go out there and represent all Australians is a great feeling.”

The Townsville dad-of-two is preparing for another opportunity to experience that feeling on the sport’s biggest stage. He cannot wait to rip in with teammates he now calls family.