MLR 2025: Seattle Seawolves vs Chicago Hounds

The Seawolves will be desperate to breathe life back into their campaign when they host the Hounds at Starfire Stadium on Friday night. It’s been a disappointing first half of the season for the 2024 finalists, with Seattle now 9 points back of LA for the final playoff spot in the West. Chicago meanwhile have catapulted to the top of the Eastern Conference with 6 wins in succession.

CURRENT STANDINGS

2-5-0 (L1) West 5th

7-1-0 (W6) East 1st

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

	IN	OUT
3	Mason Pedersen	Juan Pablo Zeiss
6	Huw Taylor	Malembe Mpofu
14	Lauina Futi	Jade Stighling
15	Duncan Matthews	Eddie Fouché

	IN	OUT
2	Janus Venter	Dylan Fawsitt
3	Charlie Abel	Ignacio Péculo
6	Luke White	Mason Flesch
8	Matthew Oworu	Maclean Jones
9	Michael Baska	Mitch Short
12	Noah Flesch	Ollie Devoto
14	Noah Brown	Julián Domínguez

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(9) – Noa, Iona (Samoa), Hattingh, Smith, Futi, Wenglewski (USA), Rossouw (Namibia), Kotze, Gallagher (Canada)

(12) – Pifeleti, White, Baska, O’Keeffe, Campbell, Brown (USA), Rumball, Oworu, Flesch, Higgins (Canada), Péculo (Uruguay), Hilsenbeck (Germany)

CLUB DEBUTS

(0) – none

(1) – Kinneeveauk*

* – MLR debut

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Juan Pablo Zeiss (TH), Mika Kruse (CE/WI)

– Dylan Fawsitt (HO), Mason Flesch (FL), Ollie Devoto (CE)

PREDICTION

The two sides have taken different approaches in selection. It’s all hands on deck for the Seawolves, though regular No3 JP Zeiss is left out and Mika Kruse remains sidelined. The bye week will have helped preparation and given the likes of Dan Kriel a chance to rest. On the flipside Chris Latham, who knows the Seattle camp well, has handed several fringe Hounds a chance to make an impression heading into the upcoming ‘storm week’ fixtures. Don’t give up on the Seawolves just yet, but a loss on Friday would leave their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Chicago are slight favorites on the road.

LINEUPS

SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Cameron Orr, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 3 Mason Pedersen, 4 OJ Noa, 5 Rhyno Herbst, 6 Huw Taylor, 7 Charles Elton, 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith, 10 Rodney Iona, 11 Toni Pulu, 12 Dan Kriel, 13 Divan Rossouw, 14 Lauina Futi, 15 Duncan Matthews

Replacements: 16 Dewald Kotze, 17 Chance Wenglewski, 18 Njabulo Gumede, 19 Isaia Lotawa, 20 Devin Short, 21 Brock Gallagher, 22 Eddie Fouché, 23 Malacchi Esdale

CHICAGO HOUNDS
1 Faka’osi Pifeleti, 2 Janus Venter, 3 Charlie Abel, 4 James Scott, 5 Hamish Bain, 6 Luke White, 7 Lucas Rumball (capt.), 8 Matthew Oworu, 9 Michael Baska, 10 Tim Swiel, 11 Mark O’Keeffe, 12 Noah Flesch, 13 Bryce Campbell, 14 Noah Brown, 15 Michael Hand

Replacements: 16 Jackson Zabierek, 17 Liam Fletcher, 18 Ignacio Péculo, 19 Brad Tucker, 20 Conall Boomer, 21 Jake Kinneeveauk, 22 Jason Higgins, 23 Christopher Hilsenbeck

MATCH INFO

Date: Friday, April 18
Venue: Starfire Stadium, Tukwila
Kickoff: 19:30 local (21:30 Central, 22:30 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: partly cloudy, 60°F (15°C), SW 6-9mph (10-14km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN+, Fox 13+ Seattle, Fox Chicago+, Sky Sports NZ, The Rugby Network