The NLL season is almost here!

By Olivia Lawrence

RP Show Intern

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) has concluded their training camps and the season begins this weekend! Lacrosse players and fans are especially eager after a cancelled season last year. This weekend’s games includes one game on Friday night (Dec. 3)—the Vancouver Warriors take on the San Diego Seals. Then a series of games follows on Saturday including the Saskatchewan Rush at the Halifax Thunderbirds. 

Rod Pedersen invited Rush forward Mark Mathews on Tuesday’s episode of The Rod Pedersen Show to discuss the start of this season. 

“Couldn’t be more ready, having done three weeks of training camp with the guys, and kind of getting back into the swing of things, it’s been great,” said Mathews. “Great time getting to see everybody again and getting back on the floor, and I know everybody’s kind of chomping at the bit to get going.”

Mathews and the Rush have not played the Thunderbirds team for two years. The Thunderbirds are a newer NLL team only founded in 2019, but the atmosphere in Halifax is similar to a Rush home game—loud and exciting. 

The Rush are going into this season with one big change however, and that is their new head coach. Jeff McComb has taken over the position from Derek Keenan. Keenan is still very much a part of the team as general manager, but has been the head coach since the team was founded in 2015. He coached Mathews through his entire professional career up to this point. 

“Not an unfamiliar face, but definitely a little different,” said Mathews. “The dynamic of practice and everything has been a little different from the years past, but it’s pretty much the same faces from the last few years for most of the guys. Jimmy Quinlan is back and running the offense so that has been great.”

Jeff McComb was formally the assistant coach for the Rush so he is certainly a familiar face. Rod Pedersen asked Mathews if McComb had brought in a different style of play at all compared to Keenan.  

“No not at all I don’t think, maybe a little bit different defensively with a couple new guys, different goalie,” said Mathews. “But offensively, a few new faces, but the same structure, same offense that we’ve been running since I got here. So it’ll be fun to see some of these newer guys step in and see how they make out.”

As for Rush Nation, they do not have to wait much longer until they can go cheer at a game. The Rush home opener is scheduled for Dec. 11 at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon against the Calgary Roughnecks.

“Hopefully we’ll get a really good turnout for that home opener and having Calgary in town, it’s always kind of an added bonus with our group,” said Mathews. “So hopefully we can get a big win this weekend and carry it over into our home opener in front of our amazing fans.”