Nordmen lock down imports for 2026 season
Continuing the club’s long history of welcoming foreign, import players to the club, the Rovaniemi Nordmen have signed three players to join their squad for the 2026 season. Filling areas of need, the Warriors of the Four Winds have addressed issues on the offensive line, signing offensive linemen Smith Ojiguo and Aleksejs Grinevics, while also addressing needs within their linebacker corps with the addition of Evan Delfosse. With two massive additions to the offensive line and a proven, hard-hitting linebacker on defense, the Nordmen are seeking to make a loud statement once the 2nd Division season kicks off in Hämeenlinna on June 7th.
L-R: Smith Ojiguo, Aleksejs Grinevics, Evan Delfosse
Offensive line gets the TLC it needs
When heading into the off-season planning it was decided early on that the area of greatest need for the Nordmen was on the O-line. The 2025 Nordmen were thin up front and the 2026 version of the team would need to beef up if they were going to be able to turn the corner and get back to the level that they had played at during the club’s last championship run in 2023. Enter into the conversation Smith Ojiguo and Aleksejs Grinevics, two imposing offensive linemen with experience playing in the college divisions of Great Britain’s BAFA organization. Both players bring experience and desire to not only contribute to the Nordmen efforts on the field, but also to grow as individuals.
Having played most recently for the Edinburgh Napier Knights in Scotland, Ojiguo brings surprising athleticism for a young man of his size (193cm & 143 kilos). Praised by his coaches and teammates, Smith is a domineering figure that will fill an important need along the Nordmen O-line.
His offensive line counter part, Grinevics, comes to Rovaniemi with an established reputation for outstanding O-line play. Having most recently suited up for the Royal Holloway Bears, Grinevics has twice been awarded divisional lineman of the year honors in 2022 & 2025. Originally from Latvia, Aleks brings with him the mix of power and awareness that you look for in a lineman, to complement the existing pieces already in place.
The French Connection: Rovaniemi edition
Then we come to the defensive side of the ball. The last time the Nordmen signed a French player was in 2021 when Geoffrey Pinsson starred at the same position that Delfosse will be playing for the upcoming summer.
The most experienced of the Nordmen trio of imports, Delfosse has been strapping on his helmet for ten years already and comes to Rovaniemi with impressive experience earned during his time with Les Cougars de Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône, one of the FFFA Elite D1’s most prestigious and top-tier clubs in France. With a ferocious and feral playing style, Evan may very well end up being the worst nightmare for opposing offenses in 2026.
How far will the 2026 Nordmen go?
This is obviously a slippery slope. To speculate prior to the first snap of the season is always risky and can open you up to a barrage of emotions and opinions, not only from opponents but sometimes from within. We could take the Dallas Cowboys approach – “It’s our year! We dem boys!” – but we all know how that has worked out for them for over 30 years. Instead, with the addition of HC Jussi Taipalmaa, the Nordmen are taking a more muted approach to the season.
Yes, there are mumbles and rumors of how the team looks right now. Certainly the addition of these imports and the return of several key players will play a tremendous role in how the Nordmen will stack up against our competition for the 2026 season. If you were to ask any of the players on the roster, you’d likely get a common feel from them, but they’d all probably say it a bit differently.
So how do we sum it up in one sentence what our hopes and goals are for the season? Well, let’s answer that question with another question:
We’re not playing to come in second, are we?
