> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Red Card’s Impact: Seawolves Eke Out Two Points in 37-30 Loss to Free Jacks - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/seattle-seawolves-red-card-37-30-loss-new-england-free-jacks/ - Published: 2025-06-02T04:01:52.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:20:09.000Z - Author: Callaghan Bluechel - Tags: Analysis, Seawolves, Rhyno Herbst, Dewald Kotze, Toni Pulu, Rodney Iona, Malembe Mpofu, Eddie Fouché \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5647"\] ![ Seawolves flanker Huw Taylor is tackled during a win against the Free Jacks on March 8, 2025. Today, the Seawolves suffered a 37-30 loss to the Jacks – but still got into 4th place in the standings. Credit: Punkus Arnett/Seattle Seawolves. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/image002--285-29-format-original.jpg) Seawolves flanker Huw Taylor is tackled during a win against the Free Jacks on March 8, 2025\. Today, the Seawolves suffered a 37-30 loss to the Jacks – but still got into 4th place in the standings. Credit: Punkus Arnett/Seattle Seawolves. \[/caption\] QUINCY, Mass. – It’s rare that any team is happy about a loss, but the Seattle Seawolves’ performance today netted the team two bonus points on the table, enough to slide into the fourth place spot with one week to go in MLR regular season play. The game was a lesson in how much a red card changes a game. The Seawolves started well, with two early tries, but Rhyno Herbst was sent off with a red card in the middle of the first half. After that, New England kept Seattle on the back foot for most of the rest of the game, with explosive drives and successful scrambles forcing the Seawall back further and further, time and time again. Meanwhile, Seattle began to commit knock-ons and have bad lineouts, with nothing going right for the visitors. By the time the Seawolves regained their composure, they were down by 16 points and only had 20 minutes left to play. But the team grinded out two more tries and made a last-minute kick to reach within seven points, an exciting finish in enemy territory to allow the Seawolves to finally control their own destiny as the 16th game approaches. ### Seawolves Get Early Lead in First Half, Red Card Changes Pace The first half was a story of what a card can do in this game. The Seawolves notched a first minute try and doubled down with another before the water break, but lock Rhyno Herbst was given a 20-minute red for dangerous head contact and no mitigation in the 27th minute. New England used their man advantage to rapidly tie the game. But Seattle also showed their fight, and Iona landed a penalty goal in the last minute of the half to regain Seattle’s lead going into the sheds. The Seawolves opened the scoring in the first minute. After eightman OJ Noa recovered the opening kickoff, the team went through brief phases before fullback Divan Rossouw broke the line and charged past the 22\. He passed to outside center Mika Kruse, who nearly made it to the try line but was stopped by a last-second tackle from Free Jack loosehead Malakai Hala-Ngatai. But Kruse offloaded to Pulu, who dotted down the try. Iona missed the conversion, so it was 5-0 Seattle. New England started an attacking phase soon after, getting to Seattle territory on a run by Paula Balekana. The Seawall held about ten meters past midfield before flanker Jed Melvin pushed to the 22 in the fourth minute. New England lost meters on a bad pass, but Seattle finally conceded a penalty in the fifth minute and Potroz kicked to the corner. Quattrin’s lineout throw was good and the Free Jacks mauled, but Seattle stopped the New England maul and won the ball back as the set piece broke down. Brief injury subs were made by both teams as play resumed, with Foster DeWitt coming in for Quattrin and Boyer for Smith. Soon after, Pulu broke away from the line once more in the eighth minute after taking a pass from Kriel and worked his way up the touchline, but was knocked into touch and play quickly came back into Seattle’s half. The Seawolves had a lineout but lost it on a knock-on, and so New England had a tenth minute scrum and then won a scrum penalty and kicked for corner. DeWitt’s lineout throw, however, was errant, and so Seattle had a scrum. Play remained in the Seattle half and New England threatened as Malan found Webster on the touchline, who sent a box kick upfield for his team, but Iona called mark and caught the ball before sending a kick upfield. A New England knock-on gave Seattle a midfield scrum in the 14th minute, which became a scrum penalty and then a lineout at the 22 meter line. The Seawolves won another penalty and had another lineout closer to the goal, sending it through a beautiful 17th minute driving maul that barreled into the try zone, where Seattle hooker Dewald Kotze dotted it down. Iona made the extra two points and the Seawolves had an early 12-0 lead. The Seawolves quickly won the ball back soon after the kickoff due to a Free Jack knock-on and got the scrum penalty. Both injury subs were able to return as the kick went to midfield and the sides got their first hydration break. After the rest, Clarke tapped some substitutes, bringing in Malacchi Esdale and Eddie Fouché for Mika Kruse and Toni Pulu. New England had a brief spell of possession in Seattle territory once more, but it once again ended due to a knock-on. The visitors won the scrum and drove a kick into touch around New England’s 22\. The home side had a brief run of phases before kicking back to Seattle and then committing a not rolling penalty. The Seawolves kicked to touch around the 22 but Kotze’s 24th minute lineout throw was stolen away. Immediately after, Paula Balekana got the ball from scrumhalf Cam Nordli-Kelemeti on the touchline and broke free on the wing, making it past the 22 but attempting to kick it to himself and losing it to Rossouw. But the Jacks kept up the pressure, winning the ball back before Malan sent it to the openside for right wing Simon-Peter Toleafoa – but Toleafoa’s momentum carried him to touch. Seattle took a lineout but remained under high pressure, with Smith’s box kick flying into the crowd and going to New England. Then the tables rapidly turned in New England’s favor, as Rhyno Herbst was shown the red card for a dangerous tackle. The Free Jacks immediately pounced with their man advantage, driving a maul forward and making it to the try line before Jone Koroiduadua landed the ball. Potroz converted, so Seattle’s lead was down to five. But the Seawolves charged forward once more, winning the ball off a penalty around midfield and getting a corner lineout. Kotze took the lineout short and regained the ball, trying to go up the touchline, but was knocked into touch. After some positioning, Seattle had another lineout around midfield, but lost it. The teams traded kicks before Baulekana broke forward again and gave the home crew another run of play in Seattle territory. The Jacks won a scrum penalty and took it to the corner once more. They took it onto maul and crashed forward at the try line, both teams scrambling on the blindside. The Seawall held up on that end of the field, so the Free Jacks whipped it to the openside for Balekana, who easily sunk his 11th try of the season. Potroz missed the kick, so the game was tied at 12 apiece. Seattle won a penalty soon after the kickoff and Iona went for the penalty in the 40th minute. The kick went right between the uprights and the Seawolves regained the lead going into halftime at 15-12. ### Free Jacks’ Momentum Continues, Seattle Scrapes Two Bonus Points With the Seawolves still down a man from the 20-minute red, New England continued its strong run of play from the end of the first half. Whereas much of the luck seemed to go Seattle’s way early on in the first half, now, the luck swung to the home side. There were a few times when Seattle got the ball and had a chance to get back within distance of tying or winning the game, but until the end of the half, they all ended with knock-ons or takeaways by New England. New England scored early in the back 40\. They had a drive to begin the half, pushing the short-manned Seawall over the 22 meter line and then beyond. The home side won a penalty and Potroz gave them a corner lineout in the 43rd. The lineout maul was stopped and the Free Jacks went to the openside for right wing Simon-Peter Toleafoa, who was stopped by the Seawolf backs. But Nordli-Kelemeti quickly got it out of the ruck and flipped it to Balekana, who notched himself a brace and brought New England up 17-15\. Luckily for Seattle, the conversion was missed, and the score remained a two-point New England lead. The Seawolves won a penalty in New England territory and Iona went for the posts, but missed and the ball remained in play. Toleafoa got the ball off a kick, thundered down the field past the 22 meter line, and the Jacks kept the momentum long enough for outside center Ben LeSage to rush into the try zone in the 47th minute. This time, Webster – now doing the conversions in place of Potroz – sent it through the uprights to make it 24-15 New England. The 20-minute red finally ended and CC Mahoni came on for Herbst, but New England kept up the pressure with another lineout in Seattle territory. The Seawall was more coordinated than they had been while shorthanded, and the team regained the ball briefly. JP Smith attempted some quick kicks, but the Jacks recovered the ball and then won a scrum off a knock-on by Iona. New England won another scrum in the Seattle half that became a scrum penalty and a quick restart from Nordli-Kelemeti. Phases began around the 22 meter line, with the Free Jacks going from side to side, looking for an opening in the 55th minute. But the Seawall held firm and flanker Devin Short recovered the ball. Rossouw sent a kick to touch in New England territory, and the lineout became a scrum due to a Free Jack knock-on. Smith took the ball out of the lineout, but the Jacks won the ball soon after and kicked to Seattle’s half. The visitors struggled with some phases before Smith attempted a box kick. But Free Jack fullback Brock Webster got the ball and weaved past the line for a breakaway. He sent a kick up in the air. It looked like Rossouw would be able to recover – but the ball slipped through his fingers and Nordli-Kelemeti dotted it down. Webster made the conversion and it was 31-15 going into the second hydration break. The Seawolves own a lineout soon after and mauled it forward in the 62nd. Phases began, but Fouché knocked it on while receiving an offload from Short, and the Free Jacks had a scrum in their territory. Seattle regained the ball soon after and then won a penalty on Jack not rolling away. As the 65th minute began, the Seawolves took the corner lineout into maul. The drive pushed to the try line, where pick and go phases began. After a couple of attempts, lock Malembe Mpofu dotted it down. Fouché sent it through the uprights to make the score 31-22. But the Free Jacks immediately returned fire, starting a run of phases around the 22 meter line and winning a penalty. Webster went through the posts in the 69th minute to bring New England’s lead to 12 points. Then the Seawolves had phases off the kickoff. New England held firm for a minute and Seattle knocked the ball off the ref and so play restarted with a scrum. Divan Rossouw ran down in the 71st to begin a powerful drive, first going down the blindside before play whipped around and Fouché sent a kick to wing Ina Futi on the openside, who ran forward well within the 22 meter line. New England flanker Jerónimo Gómez Vara was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Futi, and play resumed with a Seawolf lineout. The ball went back and forth, with Seattle nearly scoring with a Boyer ball to Esdale on the side. New England was hit with a not rolling penalty and the Seawolves had another five meter lineout. The driving maul pushed into the try zone in the 73rd minute. Kotze landed the ball for his own brace. Fouché’s kick was carried away by the wind, so the score was 34-27\. The Seawolves got the ball in their own half briefly before a kicking battle began. New England won a lineout in the 76th minute that became a maul, but the Seawall held the set piece up and ruck phases began. The Free Jacks began pushing forward and won a penalty due to Mpofu being offside. Webster sent it through the uprights to bring the New England lead to 37-27. With a win all but out of the picture, Seattle’s goal was now to pull within seven to get the second bonus point and pull ahead of San Diego in the standings. The Seawolves won a scrum penalty and Fouché placed the tee on the field. Potentially one of the most important kicks of the season loomed for the South African back. The ball went up straight, but the wind began to pull it to the left. For a brief moment, despair set in – but the ball straightened out at the last moment and went through the uprights. The game finished 37-30 for the Free Jacks, but the four tries and the close score gave Seattle two table points to leapfrog the Legion. ### One Herbst Tackle Sometimes there really is one moment that changes a game completely. Today, it was Rhyno Herbst’s tackle on Jerónimo Gómez Vara in the 27th minute. TMO ruled that there was head contact, there was a high degree of danger, and there was no mitigation. Ergo, 20-minute red card. New England’s style of play is especially suited for playing with the man advantage, as they make good use of long passes from side to side and rely on being faster in chaotic scrambles. The home crew also largely limited their own disciplinary errors even when the game was going in Seattle’s favor, and after the Herbst tackle, it just seemed as if every break went New England’s way up until the second water break. Before the red card, Seattle was very clinical with the ball and very cohesive on defense, but between the card and the 60 minute mark, the Seawolves had trouble with knocking the ball on, bad lineout throws, and they were noticeably less confident in the few ruck phases they did have. But they were mostly on the defending side of the ball for almost all of that time, despite a couple opportunities to strike within the 22. But even after going into a pretty big rut, the Seawolves had a little bit of a comeback towards the end. There were still errors in their play, and it was not enough to win, but it was enough to get within seven. Maybe that has more than a little applicability to this season. Seattle has been down for almost all of the season, but they have never been out, even with their backs to the wall for four straight games in May. ### The Playoff Hunt After a disconcerting tie against RFCLA on May 2, it looked like the Seawolves were essentially out of contention. They essentially needed to sweep their remaining Western opponents – Utah, San Diego, and Houston – and hope that RFCLA or San Diego dropped down enough to allow the team to leapfrog into fourth or third place. That happened. Though RFCLA has won four straight since that game, the Legion have gone 1-3 since the beginning of May, dropping three close matches to Houston, Seattle, and Miami. After Seattle’s close 4-try loss today, the team is now 7-7-1 with 44 points, a single point into fourth place. Next week, the Legion play Old Glory DC at home on June 7 and the Seawolves play the Miami Sharks on June 8\. A bonus point win for Seattle seals a playoff appearance, as does a San Diego loss without any bonus points. If Seattle gets a win without the 4 try bonus point and San Diego gets a bonus point win, then the teams would be tied. If Seattle loses with one less bonus point than San Diego gets, then the teams would be tied. The tiebreaking system in MLR goes as follows, with each step taking precedence over the next: 1. Most wins 2. Highest total point difference 3. Most total tries 4. Highest difference in tries scored versus tries against 5. Head-to-head record If the teams are still tied after these steps, it is decided following a coin toss. In our case, any tie scenario would involve both teams having either seven wins or eight wins, so it would then depend on point difference. San Diego currently has a point difference of 16 whereas Seattle has a point difference of 13\. So if Seattle gains four or more in the point difference race, then Seattle gets the tiebreaker, whereas if Seattle gains two or less in the point difference race, then San Diego gets the tiebreaker. If the table is tied after the final match and Seattle gains exactly three points in the table, then it would go down to total tries, where the Legion currently have 67 and the Seawolves have 57\. So if it comes down to tries, the Legion take the tiebreaker.