Collin Grosse Re-Signs for 2026 Season

By Alistair Kirsch-Poole
Nov 7, 2025 - 1:00pm

Back rower Colin Grosse has re-signed for a fourth season with Old Glory. The 26-year-old from Spokane, Washington, took up rugby while at Army West Point, winning a D1A championship with the team. He was picked in by the USA U23s in 2021 and 2022, and also played for the USA Falcons in Uruguay in 2022.

He was drafted in the second-round by Old Glory in the 2022 MLR Draft and immediately made an impact in his rookie season. Less than a minute into the season opener, he scored a try off of a fumbled kickoff. He would go on to play in all 18 of OGDC matches in 2023, starting 11 of them, for 1050 minutes played.

However, the starting opportunity in 2023 had opened up because of a season-ending injury to Cory Daniel, who returned to full duty in 2024. As such, Grosse transitioned into more of a backup role, appearing in 13 matches with 7 starts and 663 minutes played. It was a similar story this past season, with 16 caps, 6 starts, and 649 minutes played.

Though a lock in college, he switched to flanker as a professional. This has led to him being stuck behind two Eagles, Cory Daniel and Jamason Fa'anana-Schultz, for his whole career so far. Now the latter of that pair has left the team, but any opportunity that might have given Grosse was cut off by the signing of Eagle Ben Bonasso. That makes it likely that he will continue to be the first choice off the bench rather than a starting prospect, unless injury strikes again.

He did develop an interesting new facet to his game last season, though. While still primarily a flanker, he played a few times in the eight role, including one time starting. This makes him a more flexible option in the back row and should help him maximize the opportunities available. If he can really prove himself, his domestic status could give him a leg up on the presumed starting eightman Lautaro Bavaro, assuming he returns.

While we can be confident that the first-choice backrow will be Bonasso, Daniel, and Bavaro, we don't yet know who will be competing with Grosse to be the man on the bench. Last season Logan Weidner filled that role, but it's unclear whether he will be returning. We could also see 2024 draftees Aaron Juma or Ray Santiago, or 2025 draftee Merlin M'Cloud join the team officially. While all of those players could give Grosse a challenge, he would likely remain the first choice reserve.

However, there is also a selection of players from teams that have collapsed who would be able to him a run for his money. An established Eagle Paddy Ryan would be a real challenge for Grosse, as would a young player like Aidan King, who impressed in his rookie season last year.