The Wasa Royals (2-0) return home Thursday to face the Tampere Saints (0-4) in a Finnish Maple League matchup as the Royals begin a demanding stretch of eight straight games to close out the regular season.
Although Wasa has opened with back-to-back victories, the performances have left room for improvement. Tampere, meanwhile, is still searching for its first win but pushed the Royals in a narrow 14-7 loss when the teams met earlier this season.
Fresh faces arrive
The biggest news for Wasa comes under center. American quarterback Alexander Abbott is back on the active roster after suffering an injury in the season opener, giving the offense a significant boost heading into a busy second half of the schedule.
The Royals also strengthened their roster during the bye week by adding French running back Loris Savalle and Italian defensive lineman Francesco Rivelli. Canadian defensive back Rory Kelly, who recently completed his season with the Carlstad Crusaders in Sweden, also returns to Wasa, where he previously played in 2024.
The offense has totaled 426 yards through two games, with Andrew McElroy accounting for exactly half of that production as both a runner and receiver while filling in at quarterback. Abbott’s return should allow McElroy and Anthony Henriquez to settle back into more familiar roles.
Another boost comes with the return of running back Nico Barrow, adding even more experience to the Royals lineup.
Saints seek breakthrough
For the Saints, protecting quarterback Christopher Howard will be critical.
Howard was sacked six times in the first meeting, and avoiding that kind of pressure will be essential if Tampere hopes to reverse its fortunes. Logan Collier remains the offense’s biggest home-run threat whenever he gets the ball in space.
The Saints have also added linebacker Arthur True from the Lohja Crusaders through a farm agreement. True has recorded 19.5 tackles in six Division 1 games this season and joins Chase McCoy to strengthen the defense.
On paper, the unbeaten Royals deserve to be favored. But with Tampere showing signs of improvement and Wasa still looking for its best football, Thursday’s matchup may be closer than the records suggest.