Wests Tigers Head Coach Michael Maguire has named a strong 18-man squad for the 2020 NRL Perth Nines on February 14-15, headlined by co-captain Moses Mbye.

Mbye is joined in the squad by a number of high-profile NRL outside backs, including Corey Thompson, David Nofoaluma and Robert Jennings, as well as several up-and-coming talents in Tommy Talau, Jock Madden and Alex Seyfarth.

Wests Tigers 2005 Premiership Winner Pat Richards will also return in the tournament, having played 82 games for Wests Tigers in a rugby league career spanning well over a decade.

New recruit Luciano Leilua headlines a mobile and strong forward pack named by Maguire — with regular NRL forwards Luke Garner, Michael Chee Kam and Thomas Mikaele all listed — while train-and-trialists Joseph Ratuvakacereivalu and Matheson Johns will also have their chance to impress after being included in the squad.

Richards returns in Wests Tigers colours for Nines

Former Auckland Nines winners Chris McQueen (2015, South Sydney) and Paul Momirovski (2017, Sydney Roosters) round off an experienced side, with Maguire also boasting a good history in the tournament having won the title in 2015.

Wests Tigers’ first game of the tournament will take place at 6:40pm local time on Friday against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, with their second group stage match kicking off at 1:20pm local time the following day against the Gold Coast Titans.

Wests Tigers 2020 Perth Nines Squad

1. Corey Thompson

2. David Nofoaluma

3. Robert Jennings

4. Moses Mbye (capt.)

5. Michael Chee Kam

6. Billy Walters

7. Jock Madden

8. Thomas Mikaele

9. Tommy Talau

10. Joseph Ratuvakacereivalu

11. Luciano Leilua

12. Luke Garner

13. Chris McQueen

14. Sam McIntyre

15. Paul Momirovski

16. Alex Seyfarth

17. Pat Richards

18. Matheson Johns

Coach: Michael Maguire