​Flesch re-signed with the Hounds for 2026, locking in his third season in Chicago and sixth in MLR. What followed was the best year of his career.

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The Hounds were nothing short of dominant, going a perfect 10-0 in the regular season before sweeping through the playoffs to claim their first MLR Championship in front of a home crowd. That's a 12-0 season from start to finish, and Flesch was right in the middle of it. He started 9 of the 10 regular season matches and both playoff games, moving seamlessly between lock and flanker and delivering every time the Hounds needed him most.

 

The numbers back it up. Since Forward of the Year is decided on regular season form, that's where Flesch made his case: 8 tries, 78 carries for 161 meters, 77 tackles, 24 lineout takes, and 144 ruck arrivals across his 9 starts. He then carried that form straight into the playoffs, adding 2 more tries, 43 meters, and 23 tackles as the Hounds closed out a perfect season, giving him 10 tries in 11 games overall, one in each of the semifinal win over Old Glory DC and the Championship against California Legion. Along with teammate Theo Fourie, he was one of just two players in the league to hit double-digit tries in 2026.

 

It's no surprise the honors kept coming. Flesch was named both Chicago Hounds' Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year, and now adds MLR Forward of the Year to the list, a fitting recognition for a season that had it all: consistency, physicality, and a habit of showing up on the biggest stages.