Adam Gagnon
Scott Billeck | BlueBombers.com Staff
WINNIPEG — Regrouped and refreshed, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers returned to the practice field Monday ahead of their showdown with the Montreal Alouettes at weeks’ end.
The Bombers, now 5-3 on the season, have a chance to stop two weeks of bleeding when they welcome the Als to Investors Group Field on Friday.
It was a much needed five days of rest for the Bombers, who had the wind knocked out of their sails after two games in a span of five days.
“To take a couple days away and to take a mental break is extremely important,” said head coach Mike O’Shea. “We’ve been pushing these players extremely hard since training camp with very little down time.”
“Just to get some treatment and, for myself, just to get back into the weight room a little bit, get lifting and then to be able to watch a lot of film… we are just taking advantage of the full time here,” added Drew Willy.
The Bombers will be boosted this week by the return of Nick Moore who has been out since Week 4 with a foot injury. Willy says he hopes the two can regain the chemistry that saw them connect seven times for 99 yards in their win against the B.C. Lions.
“Just to get him back is big for us,” said Willy. “We were really getting some good chemistry going before he got injured.”
The Blue and Gold will look again to the explosive Troy Stoudermire in the return game after piling up a whopping 273 combined return yards last week in Toronto.
“To get back out there, catching punts… It feels great,” said Stoudermire, who broke the NCAA and Big Ten record for kick returns (3,615 yards on 144 returns) as a member of the University of Minnesota Gophers.
“It just felt great to come out and help my teammates.”
Stoudermire said that if you give him an inch, he’s going to take advantage of it.
“I feel the most dangerous in space, you put me in space and I can make anything happen.”
Stoudermire, who has played at receiver and cornerback over his career, says he is ready to contribute wherever he can.
Troy Stoudermire was a force in the return game against Toronto last week, giving the Bombers ideal field
position throughout the contest.
“I’m here to do whatever the coaches ask me to do,” he said. “If they ask me to do something I am going to do it to the best of my abilities. Right now, I am focused on defence and special teams, but if they want me on offence I’ll be focused on that also.”
Meanwhile, the Bombers signed International wide receiver, Kemonte’ Bateman and Zach Anderson’s brother, International offensive lineman Chad Anderson on Monday.
Mike O’Shea said the scouts referred to Anderson as the “three-hour mauler” and O’Shea himself said he liked Anderson’s size, saying he’s a good fit.
