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:
- Matthew Bowen
- Kyle Feldt
- Justin O’Neill
- Kane Linnett
- Antonio Winterstein
- Lachlan Coote
- Ray Thompson
- John Asiata
- Jake Granville
- James Tamou
- Gavin Cooper (c)
- Ethan Lowe
- Jason Taumalolo
- Michael Morgan
- Rory Kostjasyn
- Coen Hess
- Matthew Wright
- Gideon Gela-Mosby
Photo: Matty Bowen makes his return to the Cowboys for the Nines (nrlphotos.com)