Last Updated on April 20, 2026 9:41 am by ZUWP Automation
A second-half surge of 24 unanswered points swung a tight contest decisively in the Legion’s favor in MLR Week 4.
The California Legion overturned a halftime deficit to defeat the Seattle Seawolves 38-29 at Wallis Annenberg Stadium on April 20, completing one of the more compelling reversals of the MLR 2026 Season’s opening weeks. Seattle led 15-14 at the break and nudged ahead to 22-21 early in the second half, but California scored four tries between the 68th and 78th minutes to seal a nine-point victory. The win lifts the Legion to four games played in Week 4, while the Seawolves drop to 1-2 through three outings.
Match Summary
Seattle controlled the opening exchanges, with Davy Coetzer crossing for a try and converting his own score in the 13th minute before Calvin Liulamaga extended the Seawolves’ advantage to 12-0 at the 18-minute mark. California responded through tries from Oscar Treacy and Corbin Smith, both converted by Coby Miln, but a Coetzer penalty kept Seattle ahead entering the break at 15-14.
The second half opened with California taking the lead immediately through a Ben Houston try converted by Miln, only for Coetzer to score again and convert to put Seattle back in front at 22-21 by the 51st minute. From that point, the Legion pulled clear. Gonzalo Bertranou and Joey Mano crossed in the 68th and 72nd minutes respectively, both converted by Miln, and although Liki Chan Tung scored for Seattle in the 75th minute, a late Miln penalty in the 78th closed the scoring at 38-29.
Scoring Timeline
| Minute | Event | Player | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13′ | Try | Davy Coetzer | Seattle Seawolves | 0-5 |
| 13′ | Conversion | Davy Coetzer | Seattle Seawolves | 0-7 |
| 18′ | Try | Calvin Liulamaga | Seattle Seawolves | 0-12 |
| 25′ | Try | Oscar Treacy | California Legion | 5-12 |
| 26′ | Conversion | Coby Miln | California Legion | 7-12 |
| 29′ | Penalty | Davy Coetzer | Seattle Seawolves | 7-15 |
| 36′ | Try | Corbin Smith | California Legion | 12-15 |
| 36′ | Conversion | Coby Miln | California Legion | 14-15 |
| 44′ | Try | Ben Houston | California Legion | 19-15 |
| 44′ | Conversion | Coby Miln | California Legion | 21-15 |
| 50′ | Try | Davy Coetzer | Seattle Seawolves | 21-20 |
| 51′ | Conversion | Davy Coetzer | Seattle Seawolves | 21-22 |
| 68′ | Try | Gonzalo Bertranou | California Legion | 26-22 |
| 68′ | Conversion | Coby Miln | California Legion | 28-22 |
| 72′ | Try | Joey Mano | California Legion | 33-22 |
| 74′ | Conversion | Coby Miln | California Legion | 35-22 |
| 75′ | Try | Liki Chan Tung | Seattle Seawolves | 35-27 |
| 76′ | Conversion | Davy Coetzer | Seattle Seawolves | 35-29 |
| 78′ | Penalty | Coby Miln | California Legion | 38-29 |
Standout Performances
Coetzer was the game’s most impactful individual contributor, finishing with 19 points from two tries, three conversions, and a penalty. He also added 74 metres from 10 carries and 173 kick metres, and completed 7 of 8 tackles while generating a turnover. His second try in the 50th minute, which put Seattle ahead 22-21, represented the match’s pivotal moment of tension before California’s late surge.
Duncan Matthews provided consistent ball-carrying threat for the Seawolves, amassing 123 metres from 17 carries, the highest individual carry total in the match. He also contributed four offloads, sustaining Seattle’s attack through phases even as the scoreboard tilted away from his side.
For the Legion, Cassh Maluia delivered a commanding defensive performance, completing 12 from 14 tackles while also making 9 carries for 78 metres and recording an offload. His combination of carry volume and defensive reliability made him one of the more complete contributors on the park.
Ben Houston was influential at both ends across his 80 minutes, scoring the try that put California ahead at 21-15 while also completing 9 of 10 tackles and making 2 dominant carries from 10 carries for 80 metres. Bertranou, who played the full 80 minutes, added a try, 64 kick metres, and a turnover to go alongside 11 carries for 61 metres, providing both forward momentum and territorial control for the home side.
Player Statistics
The tables below detail key individual contributions for both squads, sorted by metres gained.
California Legion
| Player | Min | Tries | Carries | Metres | CB | Tackles | TOW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corbin Smith | 71 | 1 | 14 | 110 | 1 | 3/5 | 0 |
| Ben Houston | 80 | 1 | 10 | 80 | 2 | 9/10 | 0 |
| Cassh Maluia | 80 | 0 | 9 | 78 | 2 | 12/14 | 0 |
| Gonzalo Bertranou | 80 | 1 | 11 | 61 | 2 | 3/5 | 1 |
| Ed Timpson | 80 | 0 | 8 | 51 | 1 | 5/6 | 1 |
| Lance Williams | 73 | 0 | 15 | 42 | 0 | 10/12 | 1 |
Seattle Seawolves
| Player | Min | Tries | Carries | Metres | CB | Tackles | TOW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duncan Matthews | 80 | 0 | 17 | 123 | 0 | 6/9 | 0 |
| Davy Coetzer | 80 | 2 | 10 | 74 | 1 | 7/8 | 1 |
| JP Smith | 80 | 0 | 8 | 39 | 0 | 4/6 | 0 |
| Divan Rossouw | 80 | 0 | 6 | 30 | 0 | 12/18 | 0 |
| Nolan Tuamoheloa | 80 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 1 | 8/15 | 0 |
| Paddy Ryan | 80 | 0 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 17/19 | 2 |
Standings Impact
The victory moves California to 2 wins and 2 losses from 4 games, sitting second in the standings on 131 points, level with league leaders Chicago Hounds who hold a perfect 3-0 record through three games. The Legion’s points-for tally of 131 matches Chicago’s exactly, but the Hounds have played one fewer game, keeping them at the top of the table.
Seattle’s defeat leaves the Seawolves at 1-2 through three games, fourth in the standings on 87 points, trailing Old Glory DC in fifth on 68 points. The table below reflects the standings after Week 4.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | TF | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago Hounds | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 131 | 69 | 21 | 131 |
| 2 | California Legion | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 131 | 121 | 19 | 131 |
| 3 | Anthem RC | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 106 | 115 | 15 | 106 |
| 4 | Seattle Seawolves | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 87 | 88 | 10 | 87 |
| 5 | Old Glory DC | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 68 | 66 | 9 | 68 |
| 6 | New England Free Jacks | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 50 | 114 | 8 | 50 |
Coby Miln converted all five California tries and added a penalty, finishing with a perfect kicking display that proved central to the Legion’s second-half control. Seattle’s Davy Coetzer scored 19 points in a losing effort, a reminder of how close the contest remained until California’s decisive 10-minute spell from the 68th minute.
