Whitehead to captain Raiders at NRL Nines

Canberra have named international second-rower Elliott Whitehead as captain of a rookie-filled squad for the NRL Nines in Perth this week.

Veteran Sia Soliola and Dunamis Lui are the only other Raiders to have played in last year's NRL grand final who will make the trip west.

Former Bulldogs halfback and Super League recruit Matt Frawley joins Sam Williams, Ryan Sutton, Siliva Havili and Michael Oldfield as the remaining first-graders in the squad.

Raiders: Harley Smith-Shield, Semi Valemei, Matthew Timoko, Michael Oldfield, Daine Spencer, Matthew Frawley, Sam Williams, Dunamis Lui, Siliva Havili, Sia Soliola, Jack Murchie, Elliott Whitehead, Ryan Sutton, Tom Starling, Duwanye Mariner, Dan Keir, Kai O'Donnell, Darby Medlyn.