Canterbury Rams 2026 Sal’s NBL Season Preview

Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams 2026 Season Preview

Rams retain a strong core of development around a key returning jigsaw piece as championship expectations remain high in Canterbury

Quick Facts:

Head Coach: Quinn Clinton (2nd season)

Home Venue: Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre, Christchurch

2025 Finish: 15-5 (2nd), 0-1 semi-final

Key Returnee: Taylor Britt

Key Signing: Jack Andrew

Player to Watch: Todd Withers

At a Glance:

The Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams head into the 2026 Sal’s NBL season with massive turnover in the starting ranks but still retain much of the identity from previous seasons thanks to a flourishing junior programme. While others are rebuilding or heavily retooling, the Rams have retained enough key personnel from the group that produced a top-two finish in the regular season and one of the strongest overall statistical profiles in the competition. Canterbury was efficient, balanced and disciplined in 2025, with high-level scoring, strong rebounding and excellent ball security all helping drive a top-tier campaign. With the floor general back, the expectation will not be to rebuild, but to push back into the postseason where they hope to chase their third title in four years. With two imports still in the chamber, and rumours of a key local signing or two to come, the Rams just might have enough to catch what they are chasing.

Canterbury Rams 2026 Roster as announced (New additions in bold):

Jack Andrew
Taylor Britt
Walter Brown

Mana Martin

Brody Cooper

Ihaka Cate

Walter Brown

Jake Holmes

Tawhiri Cate
Marco Sula

Tony Worthington

Todd Withers

2025 Rams Stats Snapshot:

Canterbury brings back a healthy slice of last season’s production from a team that won 15 of 21 games. From the announced group, Taylor Britt is the headline returner after averaging 15.6 points and 5.9 assists per game in 2025. Ihaka Cate, Tawhiri Cate, Mana Martin, Brody Cooper, Jake Holmes and Tony Worthington also return in varying roles, giving the Rams far more continuity than most teams heading into 2026.

Team-wise, the Rams were one of the league’s best and most complete teams. They finished 15-6, were among the competition leaders in scoring, assists, rebounding, three-point shooting and defensive control, and had one of the best overall statistical profiles in the league. Even with some of the pieces still missing from a season ago, the Rams bring back a strong platform to build off of.

Category | 2025 Team Leader | Top Returning Ram | 2025 Team / League Rank
Scoring | Sean MacDonald, 21.6 ppg | Taylor Britt, 15.6 ppg | 94.9 ppg, 2nd
Rebounding | Kyle Bowen, 8.2 rpg | Tony Worthington, 1.0 rpg | 42.8 rpg, 3rd
Assists | Taylor Britt, 5.9 apg | Taylor Britt, 5.9 apg | 20.0 apg, 2nd
Steals | Kyle Bowen, 2.5 spg | Ihaka Cate, 0.3 spg | 9.0 spg, 1st
Blocks | Kyle Bowen, 1.1 bpg | Ihaka Cate / Jake Holmes, 0.1 bpg | 3.9 bpg, 4th
Field Goal % | Tony Worthington, 100% | Tony Worthington, 100% | 48%, 2nd
3-Point % | Samuel Smith, 67% | Ihaka Cate, 33% | 40%, 2nd
Free Throw % | Taylor Britt, 82% | Taylor Britt, 82% | 73%,4th

2025 Stats League Rankings

Team Stat | 2025 Numbers | League Rank
Scoring offense | 94.90 ppg | 2nd
Scoring defense | 77.80 ppg allowed | 1st
Scoring margin | +17.10 | 1st
Rebounding margin | +3.80 | 3rd
Field goal percentage | 48% | 2nd
3-point percentage | 40% | 2nd
Free throw percentage | 73% | 4th
Assists per game | 20.00 | 2nd
Steals per game | 9.00 | 1st
Blocks per game | 3.90 | 4th
Offensive rebounds per game | 11.10 | 2nd
Defensive rebounds per game | 31.70 | 3rd
Turnover margin | +4.10 | 1st

Projected Identity:

The 2026 Rams still project as one of the most stable teams in the league, but the shape of that stability matters. Last season’s group was balanced across the board. They could score inside and out, share the ball, force turnovers and defend at a high level. That profile should remain largely intact because of how much continuity Canterbury has held onto around the perimeter and in its supporting roles. Taylor Britt gives them a proven organiser and playmaker, while the additions of Jack Andrew and Todd Withers bring significant frontcourt quality. The Rams may not look exactly the same as last year’s version, but the ingredients of a top-four side are clearly still there.

Departed:

Even with a strong retained group, Canterbury still has meaningful production to replace. Sean McDonald was enormous in 2025, averaging 21.6 points per game while also ranking among the league leaders in three-pointers made and assist-to-turnover ratio. Kyle Bowen gave them 10.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game, and Tohi Smith-Milner added 12.1 points and 7.3 rebounds. C.J. Penha also contributed with 15.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in 14 games. Max Darling had been a stalwart in red, and his departure as possibly the best 6th man in the league will leave a hole that desperately needs filling. That is a lot of production walking out the door, even for a team with continuity.

Arrived:

The Rams have moved aggressively to replace a vast amount of talent, both local and international. Jack Andrew returns closer to his Southern roots after a big year with the Airs, where he averaged 13.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks while shooting 63 percent from the field. He ranked 2nd in the league in blocks and was also among the league leaders in rebounding and field goal percentage. Todd Withers brings another proven scoring and stretch-forward dimension, giving Canterbury a frontcourt addition with real offensive punch. As good as he can be on the offensive end, his biggest value is on the defensive side, where he uses his size to smother opponents inside and out. Those two arrivals go a long way toward helping the Rams replace lost interior production while maintaining their physical profile, which is so important to the brand of basketball the Rams play. There is still more to come in this area, with two import spots left to fill and rumours of key local signings to come.

Returning:

Most importantly, Taylor Britt returns as the lead backcourt piece who will imprint his identity on the team. Tenacious at all times, with a few less options to dish to he may look to call his own number with more regularity. Mana Martin, Brody Cooper, Ihaka Cate, Jake Holmes, Tawhiri Cate and Tony Worthington all return as well, giving Canterbury role stability and lineup continuity off the bench, but expect one or two of these players to step into a greater role, especially early in the season as the squad awaits its final overseas arrivals . That kind of carryover matters, especially early in the season.

X-Factors:

Taylor Britt

Britt is the steady hand in the backcourt. He averaged 15.6 points and 5.9 assists, ranked among the league’s best playmakers, and helps define the Rams’ ability to play organised, winning basketball. With much of the key performers from a season ago not returning he may need to lift up his aggressiveness with the ball in hand, which should lead to a jump in points scored and assists dished at the expense of his notable high end efficiency.

Jack Andrew

Andrew could be the arrival that changes everything. He was elite defensively last season, ranking 2nd in the league in blocks at 2.20 per game, while also offering highly efficient finishing and strong rebounding. If that form carries across to Canterbury, he maintains his spot one of the most important two-way bigs in the league, but he may need to lift the aggressiveness on the offensive end to move from finisher at the rim to creator at the post and off the pick and pop for the Rams to reach their ceiling.

Todd Withers

Withers could be the piece that keeps Canterbury near the top. The Rams needed to replace scoring punch and switchy length, and Withers offers both. Defensively, he is on the short list of game changers with his ability to protect the rim, lock down ball handlers and harass passing lanes all while playing within the confines of the scheme. When his shot is falling the offense can come in waves that overwhelm the opposition. If he lands quickly, the Rams may not lose much firepower at all.

Biggest Question: Can the Rams replace their top-end scoring without losing their balance that has made them so dangerous?

Canterbury was one of the league’s most complete teams statistically in 2025, but Sean McDonald in particular gave them a high-end scoring punch that is hard to replace. The good news is the Rams do not need one player to do all of that by himself. Their strength last year was balance, and they still have plenty of that. The question is whether the returning group, plus Andrew and Withers, can replace enough shot creation and scoring volume to keep Canterbury operating at the same level.

What Success Looks Like:

Success for the Rams in 2026 means being firmly in the postseason conversation with a championship upside if the final pieces are able to fit perfectly. The continuity of the wider group is strong, the returning quality is real, Coach Clinton comes in with a bit more experience under his belt and the additions are meaningful. Anything less than another serious playoff push would feel like an underachievement for a roster with this much pride and this much proven production.

Final Word:

The Rams are not starting over. They are reloading from a position of strength. Canterbury still has one of the better foundations in the league, and the additions of Jack Andrew and Todd Withers only add to the intrigue. There is lost production to replace, but compared with most teams, the Rams look far more prepared to handle that challenge. That should keep them right near the top of the Sal’s NBL picture in 2026.