Day: March 2, 2024

2024 – RD 1: Seattle Seawolves v San Diego Legion

The San Diego Legion travel up the west coast to face long-time rivals, the Seattle Seawolves in the first game of the 2024 season for both sides.

The game proved to be a battle of attrition. both teams trading penalties for the first half, with Mack Mason scoring the first points of the campaign for Seattle, and Josh Henderson doing the same for the Legion. The hosts led 12-9 at the half, with the scoring coming entirely from the boots of Mason and Henderson.

The Seawolves stretched their lead to 18-9 through 2 more penalties, before the Legion fought their way back into the game as Henderson dotted down for a try which he them converted himself. Shortly afterwards, the Seawolves conceded a penalty just inside the Legion half and Henderosn stepped up once again, just about slotting it and shushed the crowd having given the Legion a late 18-19 lead. Fortunately for the hosts, they struck back with the clock winding down, and Tavite Lopeti broke through a gap to score Seattle’s first try of the season and snatching the victory for the Seawolves. Mason added the conversion to bring his total to 20pts on the night as the Seawolves defeat the San Diego Legion 25-19 in front of a home crowd.

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2024 – RD 1: Houston SaberCats v Utah Warriors

The first game of the Western Conference in the 2024 season saw the Utah Warriors travel to Texas to face the SaberCats. Both teams finished with the same 10-6 record in 2023, but Utah missed out on the post-season while Houston did not. The Warriors won both 2023 match-ups in the growing rivalry.

The action didn’t take long to start, with a fearsome SaberCats maul bundling over to score just 4 minutes in, Ronan Murphy scoring for the first points and first try of 2024 for the ‘Cats. Despite Joel Hodgson slotting a pen for the Warriors’ first points of 2024, Houston dominated the first half and led 15-3 at the break. Utah managed to get back into the game thanks in part to a yellow card to Johan Momsen, allowing Spencer Jones to exploit a gap for the first Warriors’ try of the season, and the first try by a Canadian in 2024.

The Warriors were on top for much of the 2nd half but a beautiful Tautalatasi Tasi interception allowed Houston to extend their lead to 22-8. The ‘Cats continued to absorb the pressure but could not hold, with Bailey Wilson dotting down for another try and Hodgson nailing the conversion to bring the Warriors within 7 and secure the losing Bonus Point, final score 22-15 to the hosts.

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2024 – RD 1: NOLA Gold v Old Glory DC

The 2024 MLR season started with a growing rivalry, as Old Glory DC travelled to Louisiana to take on the NOLA Gold at the Gold Mine.

It was the visitors who won the first half, with Jason Robertson slotting 2 penalties to score the first points of the MLR season to give the Flags a 0-6 lead and weathering a Gold storm early. By the 2nd water break the score remained the same and the first try of the season was desperately needed by both sides, and it came not long after play resumed. A yellow card to Cory Daniel created an overlap and Jordan Jackson-Hope had an easy finish to score the Gold’s first points of the season and the league’s first try!

The Gold were in the ascendency for much of the 2nd half and dominated the final 20. Not long after Jackson-Hope’s try, a beautiful chip over the top from Reece Botha was collected by Taniela Filimone to extend the Gold’s lead and cement the victory in front of a home crowd. The Gold take the first game of 2024 by a score of 18-6. Old Glory DC still await their first try of the campaign.

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