Wests Tigers players named in New Zealand train-on squad

Wests Tigers players Adam Blair, Martin Taupau, Sauaso Sue and Bodene Thompson have been selected in the initial New Zealand Kiwis train-on squad for the upcoming Four Nations tournament in New Zealand and Australia.

Both Blair and Taupau played for the Kiwis in the ANZAC Test against Australia earlier in the 2014 year — Blair playing his 25th game for his country while Taupau was on debut. They are joined in the team by Sue, who has not played for New Zealand but did play four games for Samoa at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, and Thompson, who has played just a single international game for the New Zealand Maori in 2010.

The four players are joined in the initial team by noted NRL stars such as Shaun Johnson, Konrad Hurrell, Simon Mannering, Manu Vatuvei and Jason Nightingale plus up-and-coming players such as Valentine Holmes, Sosaia Feki and David Fusitua.

Each week, players will be added to the train-on squad after NRL teams are eliminated from the finals. A wider squad will consist of about 40 players, and the Four Nations roster will be finalised the week after the NRL Grand Final on October 5.

The Four Nations kicks off on October 25, with an England-Samoa and New Zealand-Australia double-header at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

Earlier, Wests Tigers' representative stars Aaron Woods and Robbie Farah were both named in the Australian Kangaroos train-on squad. Click here to see that team in full.

Tim Simona,  James Gavet, Ava Seumanufagai and Sauaso Sue were all named in the Toa Samoa train-on squad. Click here to see that team in full. 

Below is the initial New Zealand Kiwis train-on squad.