The Canadian Football League announced today the 2005 team nominees for the Rogers CFL Player Awards. The below players were selected by 45 voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC). In this first ballot, five FRC representatives from every CFL city submitted votes for each category. Voters were asked to select players from their local CFL club who through on-field performance excellence, best represent the awards' title – Outstanding Player, Outstanding Canadian Player, Outstanding Defensive Player, Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Outstanding Rookie, and Outstanding Special Teams Player [John Agro]). The second round Rogers CFL Player Award voting results will be announced on Wednesday, November 9th along with the 2005 All-Star Team Nominees. Below are the first ballot nominee results:
* – Indicates a unanimous selection
| Team | Outstanding Player | Outstanding Canadian | Defence | Lineman | Rookie | Special Teams | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTL | Anthony Calvillo* – QB | Ben Cahoon – SB | Duane Butler – LB | Scott Flory – G | Matthieu Proulx : – S | Damon Duval – K | |
| OTT | Korey Banks – DB | Val St.Germain – G | Korey Banks* – DB | Val St.Germain – G | Greg Moss – DB | Kyries Hebert – LB | |
| TOR | Damon Allen* – QB | Kevin Eiben* – LB | Michael Fletcher – LB | Jude St.John – G | Jeff Keeping* – C | Noel Prefontaine – K/P | |
| HAM | D.J. Flick – WR | Agustin Barrenechea – LB | Adriano Belli – DL | Wayne Smith – G | Jesse Lumsden – RB | Rob Hitchcock – LB | |
| WPG | Charles Roberts* – RB | Jon Ryan* – P | Gavin Walls* – DE | Matt Sheridan – G | Gavin Walls* – DE | Jon Ryan* – P | |
| SSK | Corey Holmes* – RB | Scott Schultz – DL | Eddie Davis – DB | Gene Makowsky – OL | T.J. Stancil – LB | Corey Holmes* – KR | |
| EDM | Ricky Ray* – QB | Kelly Wiltshire* – S | Joe Montford – DL | Kevin Lefsrud – G | Tony Tompkins* – WR/KR | Tony Tompkins – KR | |
| CGY | Henry Burris – QB | Sheldon Napastuk* – DL | John Grace – LB | Jay McNeil – OL | Sandro DeAngelis* – K | Sandro DeAngelis – K | |
| BC | Antonio Warren – RB | Brent Johnson* – DE | Otis Floyd – LB | Bobby Singh – OL | Ryan Phillips* – DB | Aaron Lockett – KR |
Notes:
Outstanding Player:
Anthony Calvillo has been named Montreal's nominee for five straight years. He was the Rogers CFL Most Outstanding Player in 2003.
This is the first time Damon Allen has been Toronto's nominee. Allen was nominated three times (1997, 1999, 2000) as a member of the BC Lions, but never won the award.
Charles Roberts is Winnipeg's nomination for the third consecutive season. In 2001 Roberts won the John Agro award and was the East Division's Most Outstanding Rookie.
Corey Holmes has been nominated as Saskatchewan's Outstanding Player for the second time in his career.
Edmonton's Ricky Ray has also been nominated for second time in his career.
Henry Burris was nominated as Saskatchewan's Outstanding player in 2000.
Outstanding Canadian:
This marks the fourth year in a row Ben Cahoon has been voted the Alouettes' nominee for Outstanding Canadian. Cahoon won the award in 2002 and 2003.
This is Kevin Eiben's second straight nomination for Toronto's Outstanding Canadian. Last year he was runner-up to BC's Jason Clermont.
Kelly Wiltshire was nominated Outstanding Canadian for three consecutive years in Ottawa and has continued that streak in Edmonton.
Val St. Germain has been nominated for the first time in his 12-year career. This season, the veteran lineman is Ottawa's Outstanding Canadian and Outstanding Lineman.
Outstanding Defensive Player:
Eddie Davis has been nominated for the second straight season in Saskatchewan.
Joe Montford is a three-time Rogers Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year recipient (1998, 2000, 2001). Each time Montford has been nominated, he has won the award.
John Grace was last year's League finalist behind Montreal's Anwar Stewart.
All East nominees are first time selections.
Outstanding Lineman:
Scott Flory is nominated for the second time as an Alouette. In 2003 Flory was the runner-up for the Rogers Outstanding Offensive Lineman of the Year (to Andrew Greene).
For Argo John St. Jude, it marks the third time he has been nominated (2000, 2001, 2005).
The last two recipients of Rogers Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman award have been Roughriders – Gene Makowsky in 2004 and Andrew Greene in 2003. Makowsky was also a nominee in 2002.
Kevin Lefsrud has been nominated for the second year in a row as an Eskimo.
Calgary's Jay McNeil has been nominated four times (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005). In 2001 McNeil was a finalist.
Bobby Singh was nominated as a Stampeder in 2003.
Outstanding Rookie:
Matthieu Proulx was drafted fifth overall by Montreal in the 2005 Canadian College Draft. The Alouettes sent kicker Matt Kellett to the Ottawa Renegades for the fifth selection.
Other Canadian nominees for Oustanding rookie include Toronto's Jeff Keeping (second round, 18th overall); Calgary's Sandro DeAngelis (signed as a free agent on March 8, 2005); Hamilton's Jesse Lumsden (drafted in the first round, 6th overall).
BC's Ryan Phillips was a walk-on at training camp and was signed as a free agent.
Outstanding Special Teams Player:
Noel Prefontaine was nominated for Toronto's Outstanding Special Teams Player in 2002 and 2004.
Corey Holmes is Saskatchewan's nominee for the fourth consecutive year. Holmes was the Rogers Most Outstanding Special Teams Player of the Year in 2002.
