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Major League Rugby has completed a dispersal draft for players signed by the Dallas Jackals. The club recently withdrew from the 2025 season after they were unable to secure needed investment. Unlike the previous dispersal draft involving players signed for New York and Toronto – which occurred much later in the off-season – players signed following the Dallas dispersal process receive no exemptions from the salary cap or match day international player limit and count as normal signings.
Three rounds of selections were undertaken with a total of 22 players selected. All 11 returning franchises took part though Chicago did not select any players, trading their first-round pick to Anthem. ARC was also acquired the second overall pick in a three-team exchange that saw LA receiving salary cap considerations and DC’s first round pick, and further cap considerations going to Old Glory.
It should be noted that the dispersal process assigns only player rights and does not guarantee that players will sign for the drafting team. Juan Pablo Zeiss was drafted by DC but immediately traded to Seattle in exchange for cap considerations. Lucas Bur was drafted by LA but is currently playing for Italian club Lyons Piacenza, and it’s not yet clear if he will return to MLR in 2025.
Darius Law was the only player chosen by Dallas in the recent College Draft. His rights have now gone to San Diego. Nic Benn was involved in his second dispersal process in a matter of months, haven been acquired by the Jackals from Toronto in December. Canadian internationals Liam Murray and Mitch Richardson notably opted out of the process, while Kyle Breytenbach, Daemon Torres, and Ben Fry recently announced their retirements from professional rugby.
Others who appeared for the Jackals in 2024 campaign but either opted out or were not selected include: Connor Grindal (LH), Joaquín Horcada (LH), Franco Palillo (HO/TH), Ronnie McElligott (FL), Cameron Nelson (FL), Pedro Imhoff (SH), Nazareno Valentini (FH/FB), Connor Winchester (FH/CE), Manuel Covella (CE), Tomás Cubilla (CE), Marcell Muller (CE/WI), Tomás Malanos (CE/WI), and Joeli Tikoisuva (WI).
| ## | TEAM | PLAYER | POS | CAPS |
ROUND 1
| 1 |  |
SAM GOLLA (D-US) | LO/FL | 26 |
| 2 | |
MAKEEN ALIKHAN (D-US) | FL | 13 |
| 3 |  |
MARQUES FUALA’AU (D-US) | FL/N8 | 16 |
| 4 |  |
NIC BENN (D-CA) | CE/WI | 16 |
| 5 |  |
VAUGHEN ISAACS (I) | FH/FB | 8 |
| 6 |  |
KYLE STEEVES (D-CA) | TH | 28 |
| 7 |  |
DARIUS LAW (D-US) | CE | 0 |
| 8 |  |
SAM TUIFUA (I) | N8 | 10 |
| 9 | |
JASON TIDWELL (D-US) | WI/FB | 19 |
| 10 |  |
DEWALD KOTZE (D-CA) | HO | 36 |
| 11 |  |
JERONIMO GOMEZ VARA (I) | FL | 30 |
ROUND 2
| 12 | |
TOMAS BEKERMAN (D-US) | HO | 14 |
| 13 | |
LUCAS BUR (I) | LO | 28 |
| 14 | |
RONAN FOLEY (I) | FL/N8 | 15 |
| 15 | |
PASS | — | — |
| 16 |  |
JUAN PABLO ZEISS (I) | TH | 32 |
| 17 | |
JAVON CAMP (D-US) | LO | 3 |
| 18 | |
JONAH AUVA’A (D-US) | HO | 0 |
| 19 | |
EVAN CONLON (D-US) | SH | 1 |
| 20 |  |
PASS | — | — |
| 21 | |
BROCK GALLAGHER (D-CA) | SH | 15 |
| 22 | |
PASS | — | — |
ROUND 3
| 23 | |
PASS | — | — |
| 24 | |
PASS | — | — |
| 25 | |
MARTIN ELIAS (I) | FH | 23 |
| 26 | |
PASS | — | — |
| 27 | |
KIERAN FARMER (D-US) | FH/FB | 0 |
| 28 | |
PASS | — | — |
| 29 | |
PASS | — | — |
| 30 | |
JUAN-DEE OLIVER (I) | SH | 13 |
| 31 | |
PASS | — | — |
| 32 | |
PASS | — | — |
| 33 | |
PASS | — | — |
(D) = domestic, (I) = international, CAPS = Dallas Jackals appearances only
