Bowen back in the saddle in Auckland

The North Queensland Cowboys squad for the Auckland Nines will welcome back to the field Matty Bowen along with 13 players from the 2015 NRL Telstra Premiership-winning team.

Bowen, 33, has returned to work at the Cowboys in a community role after two years in England where he helped Wigan to consecutive Super League grand finals. The Nines will be a playing farewell appearance for the 270 game veteran.

National Youth Competition single-season try-scoring record-holder Gideon Gela-Mosby – who scored 39 four-pointers in the Cowboys’ 2015 under-20s campaign – and his NYC teammate Coen Hess are also in the 18-man squad.

The Cowboys’ Nines team is playing in the Rangitoto Pool against the Knights, West Tigers and the Panthers.

2016 NRL Auckland Nines squad:

1. Matthew Bowen
2. Kyle Feldt
3. Justin O’Neill
4. Kane Linnett
5. Antonio Winterstein
6. Lachlan Coote
7. Ray Thompson
8. John Asiata
9. Jake Granville
10. James Tamou
11. Gavin Cooper (c)
12. Ethan Lowe
13. Jason Taumalolo
14. Michael Morgan
15. Rory Kostjasyn
16. Coen Hess
17. Matthew Wright
18. Gideon Gela-Mosby

Photo: Matty Bowen makes his return to the Cowboys for the Nines (nrlphotos.com)