The Sharks have named a squad featuring grand final heroes Luke Lewis, Wade Graham and Jack Bird, along with a number of inexperienced youngsters for the Downer NRL Auckland Nines.
Graham will lead a strong Sharks group at the tournament which kicks off at Eden Park on February 4, with the team looking to go one better than their runners-up performance of 2015.
Along with Lewis and Bird, Graham will have fellow grand final winning teammates Ricky Leutele, Gerard Beale, Chris Heighington and Matt Prior by his side, with Kurt Capewell and Joseph Paulo, two integral members of the Sharks NRL squad in 2016, also making the trip across the ditch next weekend.
Newcomer Manaia Cherrington and youngsters Jayden Walker, Jesse Ramien, Malakai Houma, Kyle Flanagan and Will Kennedy will also be a part of the travelling party. Ramien, Flanagan and Kennedy are still NYC eligible however the trio have been training with the full time NRL squad during the summer.
Sharks 2017 Auckland Nines squad
Wade Graham (c), Luke Lewis, Matt Prior, Chris Heighington, Gerard Beale, Kurt Capewell, Joseph Paulo, Jack Bird, Ricky Leutele, Manaia Cherrington, Jesse Ramien, Will Kennedy, Jayden Walker, Kyle Flanagan, Sione Katoa, Billy Magoulias, Malakai Houma, Kurt Kara.
