Bayley McKenna was introduced to wheelchair rugby league by his father, Darren, who became an amputee in 2006, when McKenna was six.
Now 26, McKenna was named captain of the Wheelaroos last month, becoming the first player without a disability to lead Australia's team.
He says World Cup spectators should expect finger, wrist and shoulder dislocations, exploding tyres, big impacts and the skill of propelling a chair, catching the ball, placing it on a lap and balancing on one wheel.
McKenna summed up the sport: "It is brutal."
Australia starts its campaign against New Zealand in Wollongong on Saturday, seeking to improve on its best previous finish: runner-up at the inaugural tournament in 2008.