Rodney Iona

Australian born Samoan fly-half Rodney Esekia Iona played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025. He represented the NOLA Gold (2023-2024) and the Seattle Seawolves (2025).

Rodney Iona played rugby all through high school and played with the Tuggeranong Vikings between 2011-2016, while also a member of the Brumbies Academy system, with whom he won the World Club Sevens Championship and attended the World Club Tens in 2013. Iona earned 15 appearances with the Canberra Vikings in Australia’s NRC competition, earning a Super Rugby debut for the Brumbies in 2014, and signing with them for the 2015 Super Rugby season. Following his time in Super Rugby, Iona headed to France to play in the Pro D2 with Béziers, earning 22 appearances but suffering a neck injury during the 2016/17 season. Upon his recovery he spent a few years in Spain with UE Santboiana in the División de Honor de Rugby. Iona then checked England off his list, spending the 2019/20 Championship season with the Jersey Reds before returning to Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic, playing with the Melbourne Rising and rejoining the Brumbies.

Iona is a capped Samoan international, earning his debut against Fiji in 2018 and earning 7 caps to date.

Rodney Iona was initially signed by the Utah Warriors ahead of the 2021 MLR season, but instead opted to play with the Brumbies in Super Rugby. He finally joined MLR with the NOLA Gold ahead of the 2022 season, in which Iona scored 3 tries in 12 games (all starts), and 80 pts total to finish 7th in MLR scoring. He returned with the Gold for the 2024 season, adding another 10 appearances (also all starts) and 2 tries with 42pts total as the Gold finally qualified for the post-season on their 7th attempt. Iona started NOLA’s first ever MLR Playoff game against the Chicago Hounds, adding 6pts in a 21-45 home defeat that was a much tighter game than the scoreline may suggest.

On 7th October, the NOLA Gold announced the departure of Iona ahead of the 2025 MLR season amongst a swathe of departures. However on October 23rd, the Seattle Seawolves announced the signing of Iona for their 2025 season, where he signed as a free agent.

achievements

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 17
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 10
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 6
  • 7th in MLR Scoring: 2023 (80pts)

Tom Florence

Kiwi back row Tom Florence played in Major League Rugby during the 2023 season. He joined the NOLA Gold on a 2yr contract for the 2023 & 2024 seasons.

The New Plymouth native has played in Super Rugby for the Chiefs, Highlanders, and Hurricanes, as well as the Taranaki Bulls since 2017. He quickly established himself as a strong tackler and fearsome ball carrier, scoring 5 tries in 11 games for the Gold during his debut MLR season. He was named as NOLA’s 2023 Golden Hammer award recipient.

Florence was included on the Taranaki Bulls roster for their 2023 NPC season, and was included in the Chiefs squad for their 2024 Super Rugby campaign, ruling him out of the 2nd year of his MLR contract with the Gold. However, on 10th June 2024 the Gold announced the retrun of Florence for the remaining 3 games of the regular season and through the playoffs.

His NPC side, Taranaki, released Florence from his contract early so that he could pursue a contract in Japan for the 2024/25 season.

Achievements:

  • 2023 NOLA Gold Golden Hammer Award
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Week 18
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Week 7

Liam Hallam-Eames

New Zealander Liam Hallam-Eames represented the NOLA Gold during the 2023 Major League Rugby Season.

The 6’6 lock joined the Gold from Northland in New Zealand’s NPC competition, where he had played since 2021 bar a brief stint with the Crusaders where he earned his Super Rugby debut. Prior to Northland, he spent the 2020 NPC season with Auckland following a stint with the Jersey Reds in the English Championship’s 2019/2020 season. He made his NPC debut with Manawatu, where he played between 2015-2018.

Hallam-Eames earned 11 MLR caps (all starts) during his debut season in North America, earning a Team of the Week selection for his performance.

On July 23rd 2023, Hallam-Eames was included in the Northland squad for their 2023 NPC season. He is signed with the Gold through 2024 so will be returning to MLR.

Achievements:

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Week 4

Jarred Adams

New Zealand prop Jarred Adams played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He represented the NOLA Gold for his entire MLR career.

Adams was announced by NOLA Gold in November 2022, joining from the Northland Taniwha. The Auckland-born prop is a journeyman of New Zealand’s NPC Competition, having represented Counties Manukau, Auckland, Manawatu and Northland since 2016. He also played with the Sunwolves in 2020, their final season in Super Rugby, and the Munakata Sanix Blues in Japan’s League One.

Adams appeared in all 16 of NOLA‘s games in his debut MLR season, earning over 500m gained as a prop. On July 23rd, 2023, Adams was announced as part of Northland’s squad for the 2023 NPC season, and on 5th December 2023, the NOLA Gold announced that they had re-signed Jarred Adams on a long term contract through the 2026 season. In his first season on his new contract with the Gold, Adams added another try and 10 starts in 13 games, helping the NOLA Gold qualify for the post-season for the first time in team history. Adams did not feature in the team’s first ever MLR playoff game.

Before the 2024 MLR season had even begun, on 21st February 2024, Northland announced that Adams would be returning for their 2024 NPC season. As mentioned, Adams’ contract with NOLA runs through 2026 and on December 17th 2024, the Gold confirmed his return for the 2025 season.

Achievements

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 11
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 11
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 10

Reece MacDonald

New Zealand fullback/fly-half Reece MacDonald played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He represented the New England Free Jacks (2023-2024) and Rugby FC LA (2025-2026).

A Mount Maunganui, Tauranga native, MacDonald played club rugby with Arataka and Te Puna before representing the Bay of Plenty provincial side in 2018. He moved to Australia in 2019 and represented Gordon in the Shute Shield competition until 2022, when he finished as the competition’s top scorer.

MacDonald joined the New England Free Jacks ahead of the 2023 MLR season, scoring 2 tries and 29pts in 14 games (12 starts) as the Free Jacks finished at the top of the Eastern Conference with a record of 14-2, advancing to the Championship Game where they defeated the San Diego Legion 24-25 in Chicago to lift the Shield. For his efforts in 2023, MacDonald was named as Free Jacks Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on MLR’s Honorable Mention XV. Macdonald returned for the 2024 MLR season and was a stand-out, improving on his 2023 performance in almost every category. He scored 10 tries in 16 games (all starts) and gained 1,535m, setting a new Free Jacks single season record and finishing as the top ‘Meter Eater’ in MLR for 2024. The Free Jacks finished the regular season atop the Eastern Conference once again, with a record of 11-5. MacDonald scored a try as the Free Jacks defeated local rivals Old Glory DC to advance to the Eastern Conference Final, where MacDonald scored another 2 tries to help defeated the Chicago Hounds to advance to the Championship Game in back-to-back seasons, facing the Champions of the Western Conference, the Seattle Seawolves. With a 11-20 victory in San Diego which MacDonald started, the Free Jacks joined Seattle in becoming back-to-back MLR Champions. MacDonald was named to the All-MLR First XV for his excellent 2024 season, and most notably, was named as the MLR Back of the Year for 2024.

On January 6th, 2025, Rugby FC LA announced the signing of Reece MacDonald on a 2yr deal through the 2026 season. As the reigning MLR Back of the Year at the time, this was one of the biggest moves of the 2024/25 offseason. Despite missing much of the early season recovering from an injury, MacDonald made a huge impact in the 10 games he played for RFCLA in 2025. He started 6 times, scoring 3 tries and 33pts while also finishing 9th League-wide with 848m gained in possession in relatively little game time compared to the rest of the top 10. His efforts helped RFCLA qualify for their first postseason appearance, where they fell to the Houston SaberCats in the Western Conference Semifinal. On 31st July 2025, the NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu in Division 2 of Japan’s Rugby League One announced the signing of MacDonald for their 2025/26 season.

achievements

  • 9th in MLR Meters Gained: 2025 (848m)
  • 2024 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
  • 2024 MLR Back of the Year
  • 2024 All-MLR First XV
  • 1st in MLR Meters Gained: 2024 (1,535m)
  • T-5th in MLR Try Scoring: 2024 (10)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 6
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 3
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 1
  • 2023 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
  • 2023 Free Jacks Rookie of the Year
  • 2023 All-MLR Honorable Mention XV

Taniela Filimone

Tongan utility back Taniela Filimone played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented the New England Free Jacks (2023) and the NOLA Gold (2024).

Filimone played rugby growing up in Tonga on the island of Lofanga, earning a scholarship to Rotorua in New Zealand where he honed his game. He played with the Bay of Plenty U19 side, winning a National Championship in 2018, and has represented Tonga at U20 level. At senior level he has represented Bay of Plenty and Manawatu Turbos in New Zealand’s NPC competition, and has spent time with the Chiefs in Super Rugby as a replacement player.

Filimone signed with the New England Free Jacks ahead of the 2023 MLR season, starting 8 of his  caps in his debut season and scoring 3 tries en route to the Free Jacks’ first ever MLR Shield, defeating the San Diego Legion 24-25 in Chicago. In February 2024, shortly before the start of the 2024 MLR season, Filimone was traded by New England to the NOLA Gold in exchange for 2024 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown). He enjoyed a stand-out season in New Orleans, spending almost the entire season in the league’s Top 10 try scorers with 11 tries in 16 regular season games (all starts), finishing T-3rd for Tries Scored and 9th in MLR with 1071m gained in possession. For his efforts in this stand-out season, Filimone was named as the 2024 NOLA Gold Back of the Year as well as earning a spot in the All-MLR First XV that season.

On 22nd May 2024, mid-way through that year’s regular season, the Gold announced that they had signed Filimone to a long-term contract through the 2027 MLR season. on June 30th, the Manawatu Turbos announced that Filimone would be returning for their 2024 Bunnings NPC season, where many players ply their trade during the MLR offseason. Although intending to return to MLR for 2025, Filimone was included in the extended squad for the Highlanders in Super Rugby. His contract runs through 2027 so assuming it’s not void, there’s a possibility of Filimone returning to MLR in the future.

achievements

  • 2024 All-MLR First XV
  • T-3rd in MLR Try Scoring: 2024 (11)
  • 9th in MLR Meters Gained: 2024 (1,071m)
  • 2024 NOLA Gold Back of the Year
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 16
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 9
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 4
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 1
  • 2023 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks

Jayson Potroz

Veteran Taranaki Bulls fly-half Jayson Potroz played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

Potroz had enormous shoes to fill coming into the 2023 MLR season, as he was filling the void left by 2022 MLR Player of the Year Beaudein Waaka during Waaka’s stint with the Kobelco Steelers in Japan. Potroz proved he was up to the challenge, finishing the 2023 regular season as the highest points scorer in the league, with 128pts in his debut MLR season including 1 try and a 74.35% success rate from the tee. He added a further 8pts in the Free Jacks’ Eastern Conference Final victory, and played a masterful game in the MLR Championship Final, carrying the Free Jacks to their first ever MLR Championship and earning Man of the Match in the final as the Free Jacks edged a 24-25 victory over the San Diego Legion. To prove he was up to filling Waaka’s absence, Potroz was named as the 2023 MLR Player of the Season and finished as the league’s top Points Scorer, on 146pts.

Potroz has represented the Taranaki Bulls since 2018 and when the Bulls announced their 2023 NPC roster, Potroz was included. He returned for the Free Jacks’ title defence in 2024 and scored another 140pts in 14 regular season games (all starts), including 6 tries as New England qualified for the MLR playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2nd year running. He would add 41pts in the playoffs including 15 of the Free Jacks’ 20pts in the Championship Game as the Free Jacks would secure back-to-back Shields, finishing as MLR’s Top Points Scorer for the 2nd year in a row and earning a spot in the All-MLR First XV, also for the 2nd year in a row.

On 8th July 2024, Potroz was again included in the Taranaki Bulls squad for their 2024 NPC season, and on October 16th 2024, the Free Jacks announced the return of Potroz for the 2025 MLR Season. His 2025 was plagued with injuries, and he only managed 4 appearances (all starts) all year but still put up 26pts scored. He was still a key part of the Free Jacks team that secured the Threepeat with a 3rd successive Shield following their Championship victory over the Houston SaberCats in the 2025 Championship game. On 19th November 2025, the Free Jacks announced the departure of 3x MLR Champion Jayson Potroz, having scored an impressive 8 tries and 353pts in 37 games (all starts) across 3 seasons with New England.

Achievements

Mitch Jacobson

New Zealand flanker Mitch Jacobson played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

A 26yo Jacobson was announced by the Free Jacks in October 2022 and joined from Waikato in NZ’s NPC competition, where he was Captain. Jacobson has been a standout with Waikato since 2015 and has played over 70 games with them. He also represented the Sunwolves in the shortened 2020 Super Rugby season that proved to be the Japanese outfit’s last.

His experience as Waikato skipper made him a strong choice to take over the armband after New England club captain Josh Larsen suffered a season-ending injury early into the 2023 campaign, and Jacobson steered the Free Jacks to their first ever MLR Shield victory when they defeated the San Diego Legion 24-25 in Chicago, with Jacobson himself scoring the first points of the game. He earned a selection in the 2023 All-MLR 2nd XV for his performance in his debut MLR season, scoring 3 tries (including 1 on the final) in 15 games (13 starts), while gaining over 500m in possession and completing 184 tackles (10th in MLR).

On July 17th, 2023, Jacobson was named as part of Waikato’s squad for their 2023 NPC season. Jacobson returned to MLR to help defend the New England Free Jacks’ title. He earned 7 more appearances (4 starts) in an injury-affected season, but still captained the Free Jacks a number of times as they finished the regular season as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Following the MLR season he once again returned to Waikato’s NPC squad.

Achievements

Sam Fischli

New Zealand back row Sam Fischli represented the New England Free Jacks in the 2023 Major League Rugby Season.

Fischli joined the Free Jacks from Otago in New Zealand’s NPC competition. He has represented Otago since 2020 and was awarded Forward of the Year with them in 2021. He has also been a member of the Highlanders wider training squad. Fischli earned 11 MLR caps in his debut season, starting 7 games and scoring 1 try. His game time was limited among the very deep Free Jacks squad that went all the way to the MLR final to claim the club’s first MLR shield in 2023.

Fischli was included on the Otago roster for their 2023 NPC season, and it is unknown if he will return to MLR for 2024.

Achievements:

  • 2023 MLR Champion – NE Free Jacks
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Week 17

Semisi Paea

Versatile Tongan forward Semisi Paea played in Major League Rugby during the 2023 season. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career. He is a test-capped flanker and represented Tonga at the Rugby World Cup in France in 2023.

Paea is a capped Tongan International, earning his first cap for his country in 2019. Paea is a regular in New Zealand’s NPC, having played with the Bay of Plenty Steamers where Free Jacks’ head coach Mike Rogers served as an assistant. Paea appeared in 13 of New England’s 18 games in 2023, scoring 1 try and recording 85 successful tackles. Paea finished his debut MLR season as a Champion, lifting the shield with the Free Jacks following a 24-25 victory over the San Diego Legion in Chicago.

On July 20th, 2023, Paea was included in the Bay of Plenty Steamers squad once more for their 2023 NPC Campaign, and on 8th November 2023 was announced as a part of the Moana Pasifika squad for their 2024 Super Rugby Campaign, ruling him out of that year’s MLR season.

Achievements:

  • 2023 MLR Champion – NE Free Jacks