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The Seattle Seawolves have secured four of their top players for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. Brad Tucker, Vili Toluta’u, Mat Turner, and Brock Staller have put pen to paper for another campaign at Starfire Stadium. Having claimed back-to-back titles in the first two seasons of the new American professional league, the news is most welcome for the devoted Seawolves fans.
Tucker was a new addition to the team in 2019 and made an immediate impact. Splitting his time between lock and flanker, the New Zealand native was a unanimous pick in year-end XVs and officially named the league’s outstanding player. His ferocity in the contact area and all-around ability made him invaluable on both sides of the pitch.
It was a frustrating season for Toluta’u. After a breakout 2018, the dynamic openside flanker was injured in just the second game of the 2019 season and would not return until the playoffs. He will look to put himself back into Eagles contention in 2020 having missed out on the World Cup.
Also back for a third season is fullback Turner. Fast approaching his 32nd birthday, he remains among the best counter-attackers in the league and is a key member of Seattle’s vaunted ‘sea-wall’ defense. Off the field, Turner is the team’s Director of Operations and also aids in coaching the backs.
Staller is MLR’s all-time points scoring leader and set a league mark of 223 this past season. Despite his outstanding performance, the Canadian winger was left out of Canada’s training squad for the World Cup. At 27 years old he is in the prime of his career and should continue where he left off in 2019.
