Kiwis utility Elijah Taylor will join four other Wests Tigers in an unprecedented joint captaincy venture.
The former Kaitaia College pupil has been named alongside new recruits Russell Packer, Benji Marshall and Josh Reynolds as well as Tigers stalwart Chris Lawrence .
Coach Ivan Cleary had indicated in November that a co-captaincy model was on the cards after the departure of last year's leader Aaron Woods, though many assumed it would be shared by Taylor and Lawrence.
Instead the returning Marshall, standoff Reynolds and the controversial Packer will add their qualities to the leadership group.
Packer is an interesting choice given his history. The Kiwi front rower was nearly turned away by the game altogether after being jailed for a year following an alcohol-fuelled assault.