Chicago Hounds Rout New England Free Jacks 50-26 at Geodis Park

Last Updated on April 20, 2026 9:41 am by ZUWP Automation

Eight tries and a dominant first-half display powered Chicago to a third straight win of the MLR 2026 season.

The Chicago Hounds delivered a commanding performance at Geodis Park on April 19, running in eight tries to defeat the New England Free Jacks 50-26 in Week 4 of the MLR 2026 season. Chicago built a 21-point cushion by half-time and, despite a brief Free Jacks response early in the second period, never looked in serious danger of relinquishing control. The result keeps the Hounds the only unbeaten side in the competition through three matches played.

Match Summary

Chicago led 33-12 at the break after a five-try first half that turned a precarious 7-12 deficit into a commanding advantage. The Hounds opened the scoring through Theo Fourie in the seventh minute, only for New England to strike back twice in quick succession via Wayne van der Bank and Nate Sylvia to move 12-7 ahead. From that point, Chicago responded emphatically, crossing four more times before the interval through Charlie Abel, Ruben de Haas, Mark O’Keeffe, and Ollie Devoto.

New England threatened briefly after the restart when Sione Tupou crossed in the 51st minute to trim the deficit to 14 points, but Chicago reasserted control decisively. Three more tries from Nathan den Hoedt, Abel’s second, and Emmanuel Albert stretched the lead to 50-19 before late efforts from Ethan McVeigh and a Joel Hodgson conversion gave the final scoreline a mildly more respectable appearance for the visitors.

Scoring Timeline

Standout Performances

Charlie Abel was Chicago’s standout with a brace of tries, 7 carries for 36 metres, and 7 tackles from 8 attempts. He also contributed a turnover won, reflecting a complete shift performance across 64 minutes on the field.

Brock Webster covered the full 80 minutes and led all Chicago players with 12 carries for 81 metres, adding 2 clean breaks and 99 kick metres. His carrying volume and territorial contribution formed the backbone of Chicago’s attacking structure throughout the afternoon.

Ollie Devoto crossed for a try before departing in the 57th minute, finishing with 12 carries for 32 metres and a flawless tackling record of 7 from 7. His 99 kick metres further underlined his influence in the territorial battle during the first half.

For New England, Wayne van der Bank provided bright spots on both sides of the ball. He scored his side’s opening try, carried 9 times for 37 metres, and led a defensive effort that included 12 tackles from 13 attempts across the full 80 minutes. Hodgson managed New England’s kicking game with 233 kick metres and converted all three of his attempts, though the Hounds’ dominance left him with limited opportunity to influence the contest at the other end.

Player Statistics

The tables below reflect all players with meaningful contributions, sorted by metres carried.

Chicago Hounds

New England Free Jacks

Standings Impact

The victory moves Chicago to three wins from three matches, sitting atop the MLR 2026 standings with 131 points and 21 tries scored. They share the top points tally with California Legion, also on 131 points, though the Legion have played one more game and carry two losses. For New England, the defeat extends a difficult start to the season: three matches played, three defeats, 50 points scored against 114 conceded, leaving them sixth in the table.

Chicago’s perfect record through three weeks, combined with a points difference of plus-62, places them as the clear frontrunner in the early MLR 2026 standings. New England’s task grows more urgent with each passing week: a points-against tally of 114 from just three outings signals defensive frailties that must be addressed before the gap to the playoff positions widens further.