‘It means so much’: Wilson brothers excited to join forces for Halifax Thunderbirds

Brothers Max and Casey Wilson are ready to play box lacrosse together again.

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is known for family ties.

The Dawsons, the Staats, the Robinsons and the Thompsons, to name a few – all brothers who have played for or against each other.

For the Halifax Thunderbirds, it’s now a family affair for the Wilson brothers.

“Super pumped up. Obviously, this is a team I’ve had my eyes on for a long time, and for that to happen in the way that did for me, I’m super excited to be here, for sure,” Casey Wilson told CTV News Atlantic.

Casey joined the team at the trade deadline this season, after being drafted fourth overall by the Las Vegas Desert Dogs this past draft.

At 24 years old, he’s the younger brother of Max Wilson, who has been with the Thunderbirds for four seasons.

“It means so much because it just really comes full circle and the overall sense of community that we’re able to build here,” said Max about having his brother play in Halifax.

“It’s just all coming into one big community in the city. My brother coming here is a small part of that. But we want to keep just growing this family together.”

However, they will have to wait another season to play together, as Max is recovering from surgery.

“Honestly, surgery went really well. I’ve battled a couple of injuries here over the past four seasons,” he said. “But I keep telling myself I’m going to be playing until I’m 40, right? And so, I got a long road ahead of me. I’m working extremely hard to get back as soon as I can. And I’m thankful for the medical team here.”

Casey played his first game with the team and in the league against the Vancouver Warriors last week, recording his first goal with the franchise, and the NLL.

“Maybe would have liked it to happen a little sooner there, maybe you get another one, because we end up losing by a goal,” he said of his first goal. “But kind of get the monkey off the back early, in the first game, sometimes it takes guys a couple games to get the first one, in my opinion, it’s the hardest one to get. So hopefully the floodgates open a bit here.”

Casey is no stranger to the likes of Graeme Hossack, Clarke Petterson and Jake Withers, having joined Canada’s senior men’s team and played alongside his fellow Thunderbirds.

“I knew a lot of the guys before I got traded to the team, just obviously through Max and coming and visiting Halifax,” he said. “In my winter breaks off from school and sometimes in the summer when I wasn’t in Victoria. So, gelling with the team has been a good, easy process for me off the floor, but obviously on the floor presents different challenges.”

“First half definitely had to feel it out a little bit and kind of start to feel out other guys and learn what they like and stuff,” he said of his first game with the team. “But you know the second half for me personally, it went a little bit better than the first. Getting more practices under my belt here too, I’m excited to see what we can do this weekend.”

This will be the second time the brothers are playing in a league for box lacrosse, and it makes it that much more fun for them both.

“Max and I played box lacrosse before together in Victoria,” said Casey. “Whenever the opportunity presents itself, it’s something him and I both really enjoy and really want to do because it just makes it that much more fun.

“When I get to look over at him in the locker room and kind of laugh at him right?”

“I’ve been laughing at this guy as long as I can remember. My mom used to tell me I’d just point at him and laugh, and I was like, four years old. So, to bring that aspect into professional lacrosse and to have him here. That’s great.”

It’s do-or-die time in the National Lacrosse League as the Halifax Thunderbirds host the Ottawa Black Bears in search for a playoff spot.

Whoever wins at the nest Saturday night will see a post season.

Faceoff is at 7 p.m.

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