Six Nations Chiefs capture fourth consecutive national Mann Cup championship

Moments after winning a franchise record fourth straight Canadian Mann Cup lacrosse championship on Sept. 15, some players from the Six Nations Chiefs were already looking ahead to capturing another title next year.

But it remains to be seen if the main architect of the Chiefs’ success will be along for the ride.

Duane Jacobs, who is nicknamed Dewey, has held managerial and coaching roles for the Chiefs for more than two decades now. He’s been the team’s general manager and assistant coach during its current dynasty.

“It never gets old,” Jacobs said of the Chiefs’ winning ways at the national level, minutes after his squad swept the British Columbia-based Coquitlam Adanacs in a best-of-seven series thanks to a 10-2 triumph in Game 4. 

“You win one and you want another one and then you want another one. I’m just so grateful right now and really happy for the organization.”

All of the matches in this year’s Mann Cup series were staged at the Chiefs’ home rink, the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario.

Jacobs was asked when work begins for the Chiefs’ quest to win five straight titles.

“Maybe we'll sit down in a month or so and see what we're going to do,” he said.

Jacobs, who is 60, did not commit to coming back.

“I’m getting old,” he said.

But Jacobs, who also played for the Chiefs when they won three straight Mann Cup titles from 1994 through 1996, said he’s not ready to say whether he will be leaving the franchise.

“I've been with this organization now for about 23 years,” he said. “And sooner or later, somebody has got to take over. But we want to celebrate this tonight and we'll talk about all that in a couple months.”

Jacobs said the 2026 Chiefs’ squad is one of the best he’s ever assembled. The club was stacked with players, many Six Nations members, who are also stars in the professional National Lacrosse League (NLL).

“I still have a lot of respect for last year's club going into New Westminster,” he said. Then the Six Nations side beat the British Columbia-based host Salmonbellies in a best-of-seven series that went the maximum seven matches. 

“But we put on a dominant performance this series. And all the players bought in and they did everything we asked. I couldn't be more proud of them.”

Chiefs’ assistant captain Brendan Bomberry is one of the Six Nations members who has been part of all four recent national championship squads.

“You chase this every single summer,” Bomberry said. “And it never gets old. You're already ready for next one.”

While celebrating with teammates and family members and friends on home turf following the Chiefs’ triumph, Bomberry was also thinking ahead to the 2027 campaign.

“The drive for five starts right now,” he said. “That’s one thing that we were chasing was four (straight titles). Now it’s five. That's a winner's mentality, always wanting the next win. And that's what we're chasing.”

Bomberry felt the Chiefs’ 2026 roster might have possibly been the best one in franchise history.

“I think it is,” he said. “With the players that we have assembled here and everyone putting their egos aside, it's something that is pretty special. And everyone kind of bought into what we were trying to do here. We just wanted to finish the job and do whatever it took to get this job done.”

Bomberry also singled out Chiefs’ netminder Warren Hill, who limited the Adanacs to just two goals in the series finale.

“He was stellar,” Bomberry said. “He was awesome.”

In recent years, Hill, who stars professionally in the NLL with the Halifax Thunderbirds, has been pretty much alternating starts with Doug Jamieson, a member of the NLL’s Oshawa FireWolves.

Both Hill and Jamieson are Six Nations members and they’ve both been members of the Chiefs’ four straight national championships.

“Our goalies have been our backbone all year,” Bomberry said. “They showed it again today.”

Hill saved all the shots the Adanacs directed at him in the first two periods of the series-clinching win. By that point the Chiefs had built up a comfortable 7-0 lead.

While Coquitlam only managed to score two goals in the final 20 minutes, the Chiefs coasted to victory by adding three unanswered markers in the third period.

Randy Staats, another Six Nations member who is also a Chiefs’ assistant captain, was relishing his club’s latest accomplishment.

Teams from the Ontario-based Major Series Lacrosse and B.C.’s Western Lacrosse Association host the Mann Cup series in alternating years.

Staats said Six Nations’ latest Canadian championship was special.

“Especially at home, you can't really beat winning here,” he said. “And with it being the fourth in a row, it's incredible.”

Staats also offered his opinion on the quality of the Chiefs’ club.

“I kind of say that every year, that this is the best team I've ever played on,” he said. “But we've been a part of four great teams that were able to win four straight Mann Cups. And I'm just grateful for that.”

Staats is also a Six Nations member. And his mother Sherri-Lyn Hill is chief of Six Nations, Canada’s largest First Nation by population.

Staats also praised Warren Hill’s Game 4 efforts. 

“He was unbelievable,” he said.  “Warren really deserved that. I've been playing with him since I was four years old. So, it's nice to see him win this. My hat is off to him. He played amazing.”

The Chiefs, who were founded in 1993, have now won the Mann Cup 10 times. Besides capturing back-to-back-to-back titles in 1994, ’95 and ’96, their other championship seasons were in 2013, ’14 and ’16.