RLPA reveals Fossils squad for 2026 Nines Premier League
The Rugby League Players Association is proud to announce its squad for next weekend’s Nines Premier League (9PL) tournament on the Gold Coast, as the team looks to improve on last year’s semi-final appearance.
The RLPA squad, nicknamed ‘The Fossils’, has nine players returning from the 2025 team, including Chris McQueen, Mitch Rein and Blake Leary who also played in 2024. The Fossils team is organised and coached by the RLPA’s Past Player and Transition Program team, led by Tom Symonds.
The nine new players to the squad are a mix of youth and experience, but all players have NRL first grade appearances to their name. Todd Carney, the 2010 Dally M Medal winners, joins The Fossils for the first time, as well as 27-year-old Jirah Momoisea who has played NRL for the Newcastle Knights and Parramatta Eels.
After going winless in 2024, The Fossils were the surprise packet of the 2025 Nines Premier League tournament. The Fossils won all three of their group games before taking out the two-time defending champions the Southern Sharks in the quarter final.
In a tense affair in the semi-final, The Fossils were bundled out by Victor Radley’s Salty Pigs.
RLPA coach Tom Symonds says The Fossils will build on the confidence of last year to go all the way in 2026.
“The Fossils’ form last season confirmed that while the glory days may be behind most of our squad, there’s still enough bite left in our jaws to cause a few problems,” said Tom Symonds.
“We have added some great new talent for 2026 and, amazingly, the squad even features multiples players below the age of 30 thanks to Tyronne and Jirah.
“The one area we haven’t made any improvements is training and we will bravely begin the competition without a single team training session under our belts.”
“The Dawgs might have won it all in 2025, but 2026 is the year of the Dinosaurs!”
All 9PL games will be held at Runaway Bay Seagulls Rugby League Club on January 24th & 25th.
RETURNING RLPA FOSSILS
Blake Leary Ricky Leutele Chris Lewis Chris McQueen Matt Moylan Mitch Rein Tyrone Peachey Korbin Sims Frank Winterstein
DEBUTING RLPA FOSSILS
Todd Carney Michael Chee-Kam Anthony Gelling Martin Taupau James Segeyaro Tyronne Roberts-Davis Jordan Rapana Jirah Momoisea Jacob Miller
RLPA FOSSILS COACHING STAFF
Chris Houston Dale Finucane Joe Galuvao Andrew Lowndes Tom Symonds Morgan Te Oka
2026 RLPA FOSSILS DRAW (QLD TIME)
RLPA Fossils vs North Coast Marlins (Saturday 24th January, 9:15am) RLPA Fossils vs FTA (Saturday 24th January, 12:10pm) RLPA Fossils vs United SC (Saturday 24th January, 3:55pm)
Knockout games will be held on Sunday 25th January, with the tournament split in two (Shield and Trophy) and every team guaranteed a quarter final.
