Seawolves Players, Coaches Discuss American Rugby at Preseason Town Hall
SEATTLE, Wash. - One of rugby's most enduring traditions is that, when all is said and done and the 80 minutes are played, the sides mingle with each other over beer and pizza. The Seawolves' usual post-match stomping ground is Watershed FC, a pizza bar within the Starfire Sports complex where players can be found after a match, win or loss, chatting with each other and with the fans.
That same kind of environment existed in the Hall on Occidental on Wednesday evening as the Seawolves hosted their season ticket member town hall. Doors opened at 6:00 pm and it was not long before the fans began to stream through into bench seats beside wooden tables. The chats were cordial as always between the Seawolves and their fans to begin the evening as they waited for the main festivities to begin - those being, of course, a series of Q&A sessions emceed by Seawolves chief operating officer Drew Dambreville and some surrounding announcements.
Among all the festivities ran a through-line: that of developing the game of rugby in the United States.
Seawolves Announce Full 2026 Roster; How Does Depth Chart Look Going Into Season?
The Seattle Seawolves announced their full roster on Monday, March 2, with a total of 31 players set to compete in 10 matches across the 2026 Major League Rugby season. Of these 31 players, 12 are returners from the 2025 roster while 19 are newcomers from elsewhere in the rugby-playing world, both from other MLR teams and clubs around the world.
Some of these players figured out a deal with Seattle soon after the offseason started, while others were reportedly more last-minute. But with the number of sides and games reduced from 2025, so too is the number of players reduced, down from 38 to begin the 2025 season and 39 once the mid-season signing of Nick Boyer is taken into account. This new sizing is consistent with other rosters around the MLR this year, and these players have the benefit of greater protections thanks to the MLR’s first collective bargaining agreement being signed earlier this offseason between the MLR Player’s Association and the MLR.
With all that in mind, who are all the players that will don green and blue in Starfire Sports this season, and how might the Seawolves be looking at utilizing them?
MLR Original Loosehead LaRome White Joins Seawolves Front Row for 2026
Both of the 2025 Seawolves minute-eaters at number one - Cam Orr and Chance Wenglewski - announced their retirements during this past offseason. While the Seawolves tapped capped USA Eagle Ezekiel Lindenmuth for the top of the loosehead depth chart and brought back versatile front rower Dewald Donald, they still needed a secondary loosehead to come on during the second half of matches and cover for injury.
Seawolves Pick up Welshman Dorian Jones as Secondary Flyhalf for 2026
The Seattle Seawolves have picked up their second flyhalf of the offseason, tapping former NOLA Gold number 10 Dorian Jones. How might Seattle use Jones during the 2026 season?
Seawolves Sign Uruguayan Tighthead Ignacio Péculo
The Seattle Seawolves are bringing internationally capped Uruguayan tighthead prop Ignacio Péculo onto the squad for 2026. How might the Seawolves incorporate Péculo’s skillset in the upcoming season?
Seawolves’ Callum Botchar Signing Marks Seventh Confirmed International for 2026 Roster, Joins Forward Pack Alongside Kalisi Moli
Two forwards have joined the Seawolves in the past three days as more than two-thirds of the 2026 roster - and most or all of the international players - becomes known ahead of the 10-game MLR season. How do Callum Botchar and Kalisi Moli impact the team?
Powerhouse Seawolves Flanker Devin Short Retires from Rugby after Eight-Year MLR Career
Seawolves flanker and MLR original Devin Short announced his retirement on Monday, bringing an end to the career of one of Seattle’s more relied upon impact players in 2025.
Seawolves Offseason Tracker: Keep Up to Date with Arrivals and Departures for 2026 MLR Season
Despite an offseason to be forgotten around Major League Rugby, with the league shrinking from 11 teams to six, there is still a 10-game season ahead of the Seattle Seawolves and the five other remaining sides for 2026. Domestic talent has consolidated around MLR from the contractions as well as a new seven-player gameday limit for international players, though the decision - controversial, to put it mildly - to exclude Canadian players from domestic status has decreased that pool of players.
Seattle has a total of 30 confirmed signings for the 2026 season, 11 international and 19 domestic. 11 are returning players from last year’s Seawolves team while 19 are new additions, mostly from now-defunct MLR clubs.
Seawolves to Sign South African Scrumhalf André Warner, Fifth Former SaberCat to Join 2026 Seattle Roster
Former Houston SaberCat André Warner will be on the Seawolves’ 2026 roster, the team has informed Emerald City Spectrum. Warner’s addition gives some insight into the way the team will structure their offense for upcoming competition.
Seawolves Sign Longtime Domestic MLR Hooker Sean McNulty
The Seattle Seawolves announced the signing of former Miami Sharks hooker Sean McNulty, bringing in their second hooker as the team begins to officially fill out its front row for the 2026 MLR season.
Seawolves Prop Chance Wenglewski Announces Retirement from Rugby
Seawolves prop Chance Wenglewski announced his retirement Saturday morning after two years with the team and seven years in the MLR. The departure continues pressure on Seattle to find additions to the front row.
Seawolves Bring Domestic Prop Ezekiel Lindenmuth into 2026 Fold
The Seattle Seawolves have found their top loosehead prop for 2026, and it’s none other than capped USA Eagle Ezekiel Lindenmuth, the third Seawolves acquisition from the now-defunct SaberCats.
Lock Harison Mataele Signs with Seawolves as 2026 Forward Picture Looks More Clear
The Seattle Seawolves announced the addition of Harison Mataele to the second row for 2026, clearing up who will likely be the top three in the engine room depth chart in the upcoming season.
Capped USA Eagle Back Rower Paddy Ryan Joins Seawolves for 2026
The Seattle Seawolves announced their fourth free agent addition of the offseason on Monday, bringing back rower and USA Eagle Paddy Ryan onto the team for 2026.
Kerron van Vuuren Joins Pro D2’s Carcassonne, Leaves Seawolves with Uncertain Hooker Depth
Seawolves hooker Kerron van Vuuren is moving to other pastures for 2026, as French Pro D2 club US Carcassonne announced his addition to their side for the remainder of the 2025-26 Pro D2 season.
Seawolves Sign Versatile Forward Marno Redelinghuys
The Seawolves announced a big signing on Tuesday as another former SaberCat joined their ranks, this time lock and back rower Marno Redelinghuys.
Seawolves Sign Former SaberCat Davy Coetzer to Fill 2026 Flyhalf Role
The Seattle Seawolves have announced their second new addition for 2026, bringing on flyhalf Davy Coetzer from the defunct SaberCats and plugging an accuracy gap that dogged the team in 2025.
Seawolves Sign Capped Scottish Center Mark Bennett, Indicating Backfield Shakeup for 2026
The Seattle Seawolves have made their first splash in the MLR offseason with the acquisition of veteran Edinburgh center and Scottish international Mark Bennett.
Seattle-Born Magic All-Star Forward Paolo Banchero Joins Seawolves Ownership Group
Amid the tumult of the MLR’s 2025 offseason, the Seattle Seawolves have produced some good news of their own with the addition of Paolo Banchero, a Seattle-born NBA All-Star, to their ownership group.
Esdale Signs with Anthem, Seawolves Still Without Official Return Signings as MLR Down to Six
The Seattle Seawolves’ Malacchi Esdale is off to Anthem Rugby Carolina, but the biggest departure in MLR on Tuesday was the Utah Warriors team itself as just six teams remain for the 2026 competition.
ALL SEATTLE SPORTS, ALL THE TIME
Explore our latest Seattle sports content by clicking on your favorite team(s) below!
