NRL: Wests Tigers name five players as captain for 2018 season

All of these Wests Tigers players are probably now captains. Photo / Getty

Not one but five Wests Tigers captains have been named for the 2018 NRL season.

Returning great Benji Marshall will hold the reins along with fellow recruits Russell Packer and Josh Reynolds.

Tigers stalwart Chris Lawrence and New Zealand international forward Elijah Taylor complete the leadership group hand-picked by coach Ivan Cleary.

Lawrence - vice-captain last season - had been tipped to vie for the sole Tigers captaincy with Taylor this year but Cleary had other ideas.

"When we started this pre-season it was pretty obvious straight away that there was no real pecking order," Cleary said.

"There was no set culture to adhere to. It was all new.

"With this particular team at this time I think it's going to work best to spread that role and allow those blokes to develop in their own way."

It marks a triumphant return for Tigers premiership winning half Marshall who links with the joint venture for the first time since leaving for rugby in 2013.

Former NSW half Reynolds slots into the leadership group after arriving from Canterbury while forward Packer has been acknowledged since his off-season move from St George Illawarra.

It is believed the captaincy group will share week to week duties such as leading the team out onto the field, press conferences and other off-field responsibilities.

Wests Tigers take on North Queensland in their opening NRL trial in Cairns on Saturday night.

Marshall is the only squad member who will not attend, remaining in Sydney alongside wife Zoe ahead of the expected birth of their first child.

The Tigers' final trial is against Cronulla at Campbelltown on February 24.