Franklin Bulls 2026 Sal’s NBL Preview

Franklin Bulls 2026 Season Preview

Headline:

A new-look Bulls squad charges into 2026 with Carter and Freeman at the centre of the reset.

Quick Facts

Head Coach: Dan Ryan (1st season)

Home Venue: Franklin Pool and Leisure Centre, Pukekohe

2025 Finish: 9-11 (7th)

Key Returnee: KC Nwafor

Key Signing: Matt Freeman

Player to Watch: Jace Carter

Snapshot:

The Franklin Bulls head into the 2026 Sal’s NBL season with plenty of change after a 2025 campaign that ended in frustration despite finishing 9-11 and staying in the finals race until the dying moments of the season. A new head coach is in place, a large share of last season’s main production has moved on, and the roster has been reshaped around a younger, more local core. That makes Franklin one of the harder teams in the league to pin down heading into the new season. The Bulls were competitive a year ago, but this version looks built differently, with fresh imports, new frontcourt pieces and a stronger emphasis on upside, athleticism and internal growth.

2026 Roster (new additions in bold)

Ellis Biggar

KC Nwafor

Matt Freeman

Zion Anderson

Derrin Boyd

Jace Carter

Harry Kelso

Payton Hughes

2025 Bulls Stats Snapshot

Franklin brings back only a small slice of last season’s Sal’s NBL production, with KC Nwafor, Payton Hughes, Zion Anderson and Harry Kelso the key returning statistical pieces from the announced roster. Nwafor is the standout returner but will be looking to lift his impact-fulness in 26, while Hughes will also look to pry his way into the lineup.. Almost the entirety of 2025 production is gone, with Tae Hardy, Till Gloger, David Okwera, Tobias Cameron, Ethan Rusbatch and Flynn Cameron all moving on.

Category | 2025 Team Leader | Top Returning Bull | 2025 Team / League Rank
Scoring | Tae Hardy, 19.9 ppg | KC Nwafor, 2.1 ppg | 87.4 ppg, 8th
Rebounding | David Okwera, 7.9 rpg | KC Nwafor, 3.3 rpg | 41.9 rpg, 4th
Assists | Tae Hardy, 5.6 apg | Zion Anderson, 0.4 apg | 18.7 apg, 6th
Steals | Tobias Cameron, 1.8 spg | KC Nwafor, 0.5 spg | 8.0 spg, 4th
Blocks | David Okwera, 1.5 bpg | KC Nwafor, 0.7 bpg | 3.4 bpg, 7th
Field Goal % | Till Gloger, 59% | KC Nwafor, 58% | 45%, T-6th
3-Point % | Marcel Jones, 40% | Payton Hughes, 21% | 32%, 8th
Free Throw % | Ethan Rusbatch, 82% | Payton Hughes, 100% | 73%, T-5th

2025 Stats League Rankings

Team Stat | 2025 Numbers | League Rank
Scoring offense | 87.40 ppg | 8th
Scoring defense | 87.70 ppg allowed | 3rd
Scoring margin | -0.30 | 6th
Rebounding margin | +0.70 | 4th
Field goal percentage | 45% | T-6th
3-point percentage | 32% | 8th
Free throw percentage | 73% | T-5th
Assists per game | 18.65 | 6th
Steals per game | 8.00 | 4th
Blocks per game | 3.35 | 7th
Offensive rebounds per game | 10.65 | 4th
Defensive rebounds per game | 28.05 | T-4th

Projected Identity:

This looks like a Franklin side that will lean into versatility, wing depth and a more modern inside-out blend than last season’s group. The 2025 Bulls were statistically respectable at both ends without being dominant, and now the roster appears set to pivot toward switchy length on the perimeter, athleticism across multiple positions and more frontcourt flexibility. With Dan Ryan taking over and Jace Carter arriving as the headline import, expect the Bulls to try to build an identity around defensive competitiveness, pace, and lineups that can switch, run and stretch the floor. There is plenty of opportunity for the new arrivals and holdovers from a season ago, the question remains, who will take the most advantage of this opportunity.

Key Offseason Moves:

Departed:

This is where the scale of the reset becomes clear. Franklin has lost most of the players who drove last season’s numbers, including top scorer Tae Hardy at 19.9 points per game, key interior contributors Till Gloger and David Okwera, and major perimeter pieces like Tobias Cameron, Ethan Rusbatch and Flynn Cameron. Hardy also led the Bulls in assists, Okwera led the team in rebounding and blocks, and Gloger gave them efficient frontcourt scoring. Replacing that kind of production is no simple task.

Arrived:

Everything looks to start with Jace Carter. The American guard-forward is the key signing and looks central to the Bulls’ 2026 hopes. He reunites with Dan Ryan after their time together at University, and his profile suggests he can impact the game in all the ways Franklin now needs most. He brings athleticism, perimeter shooting, wing rebounding, defensive versatility and high-level experience from both major college basketball and professional stops since. If Franklin is going to replace lost scoring and maintain competitiveness, Carter feels like the player most likely to set the tone.

Derrin Boyd gives the Bulls another scoring option with G League experience and should help shoulder the offensive burden in the backcourt while taking the reins as the pg. If he can balance providing opportunities for teammates with his own looks Matt Freeman returns to the club after a 1 year hiatus and adds valuable size, skill and experience on the wing that also provides pinpoint accuracy from dep, while Ellis Biggar will carry the load for the the interior as a local-eligible big who be depended on for big minutes and big rebounds all season long.

Returning:

The returning Bulls are lighter on proven Sal’s NBL production than last year’s departing core, but there are still pathways for growth. KC Nwafor looks primed for a bigger role after contributing for stretches last season, while Payton Hughes returns for another year as a genuine homegrown shooter that is looking to break into the rotation. Zion Anderson is back for a second season with the Bulls and may be the perimeter player most likely to soak up available minutes, and Harry Kelso remains one of the more interesting long-term local prospects in the programme. With the announced roster still with a few holes to fill, that local group will need to provide a meaningful portion of the Bulls’ continuity.

X-Factors:

Jace Carter

Carter is the biggest piece of the puzzle. Franklin needs someone who can score, defend, rebound from the wing and help give the team a distinct identity. Carter’s background and versatility suggest he can do all of that. If he hits, the Bulls become a far tougher team to scout and a far more dangerous one to play.

Matt Freeman

Freeman could be one of the most important additions on the roster. Franklin lost a lot of production in the offseason, and Freeman brings experience, size, shooting touch and poise while being able to play both inside and out. On an inexperienced team that is looking for leadership, that matters. If he is healthy and productive this time around the track, he could steady the group in an even bigger way than expected.

KC Nwafor

Nwafor feels like the returning Bull most likely to make a meaningful jump. He showed flashes as a backup big, and with more opportunity now available, 2026 shapes as a real chance for him to establish himself in the main rotation. His rebounding, shot blocking and finishing could make him one of the more important internal growth stories on the roster.

Biggest Question: How quickly can the Bulls get the new puzzle pieces to fit?

Franklin was close last season because it had a fairly balanced, experienced group. The advanced numbers reflect that. A net rating of zero is not glamorous, but it does show a team that was in the mix most nights. The issue now is that much of the production that created that balance is gone. The Bulls are asking a lot of newcomers, while asking returning role players to become something more. That is possible, but it usually takes time. Whether Franklin can accelerate that process will go a long way toward determining whether they are a playoff threat or a team still laying foundations.

What Success Looks Like:

Success for Franklin in 2026 looks like establishing a clear identity under Dan Ryan, getting immediate impact from Carter, and proving the roster has the talent to stay in the finals race despite all the change. If the Bulls can defend at a solid level again, tighten up on the ball handling front, and get enough scoring punch from their fresh faces, they should be capable of staying in the hunt. More broadly, success would also mean seeing players like Nwafor, Hughes, Anderson and Kelso grow into bigger roles within the club’s local framework.

Final Word:

The Bulls enter 2026 with a new coach, a new core and a very different feel. This is not a roster built to simply replicate last year. It is a group that looks younger, more athletic and more flexible, but also one that carries more uncertainty. That makes Jace Carter and Matt Freeman the critical pieces. If they can land as the kind of impactful players that Franklin hopes they will be, and the core take the next step around the duo, the Bulls could again find themselves in the finals conversation, if not it could be a long season at the stockyard.