Raiders forward Matt McIlwrick has been rewarded for his strong finish to the season, by being named in the Kiwis train on squad for the upcoming four nations tournament.
McIlwrick played in all three of the Raiders final three wins of the season and has become a great back row proispect after shifting from hooker on his return to the NRL squad.
Eleven potential debutants have been named in the NZ Kiwis train-on squad for next month’s Four Nations tournament in New Zealand and Australia.
The first round of candidates also includes 10 Vodafone Warriors players.
Coach Stephen Kearney has released the names of 21 athletes whose clubs have missed the NRL playoffs, due to start this week. Further names will be added as more teams are eliminated.
The wider squad will consist of about 40 players and the Four Nations roster will be named the week after the NRL Grand Final on October 5.
The only players so far missing from the Kiwis’ most recent outing – the Anzac Test against Australia in May – are Warriors utility Ben Henry, who has elected to have off-season knee surgery, and five-eighth Isaac John, after tearing an Achilles tendon in May.
The squad is:
Gerard Beale (St George Dragons), Adam Blair (Wests Tigers), Fa’amanu Brown (Cronulla Sharks), Sosaia Feki (Cronulla Sharks), David Fusitua (Vodafone Warriors), Siliva Havili (Vodafone Warriors), Valentine Holmes (Cronulla Sharks), Konrad Hurrell (Vodafone Warriors), Shaun Johnson (Vodafone Warriors), Ngani Laumape (Vodafone Warriors), Thomas Leuluai (Vodafone Warriors), Simon Mannering (Vodafone Warriors), Suaia Matagi (Vodafone Warriors), Ben Matulino (Vodafone Warriors), Matt McIlwrick (Canberra Raiders), Jason Nightingale (St George Dragons), Sauaso Sue (Wests Tigers), Brad Takairangi (Wests Tigers), Martin Taupau (Wests Tigers), Bodene Thompson (Wests Tigers), Manu Vatuvei (Vodafone Warriors)
The Four Nations kicks off on October 25, with an England v Samoa/NZ v Australia doubleheader at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
