TORONTO (CFL.ca) – The defending East Division champions will play host to the Montreal Alouettes in preseason action at Canad Inns Stadium on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m.
The Bombers had a rough time moving the ball in their preseason opener in Hamilton and are looking to improve on the offensive side of the ball. The Als battled the Argo’s to a 34-34 draw and hope to generate some consistency on defense.
This preseason tilt will be the last chance for new players to make an impact on their coaches and win a spot on the roster. There will be a number of key position battles to look out for on both sides of the ball; here is what to look out for Thursday night:
Montreal Alouettes
- Quarterback: Anthony Calvillo will get the start, but the battle at the backup position continues to rage forward. Brad Banks had a solid pre-season opener and Marcus Brady, last year’s backup, missed the game due to back spasms. Rookies Adrian McPherson and Chris Leak might see some action in what will be an important position battle behind the 36 year old starting pivot.
- Safety: Matthieu Proulx was worked out as a linebacker for most of camp but has returned to his natural position at safety. That does not rule out the possibility of backup Joel Wright or another import starting the season in the middle of the secondary.
- Wide Receiver: Eric Deslauriers is expected to play a large role in the Als offense over the next couple of seasons, but will have to prove that his potential is enough to steal balls away from Kerry Watkins or Jason Armstead
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Kicker/Punter: With the release of long time bomber Troy Westwood, the kicking duties have come down to three individuals with different specialties: Duncan O’Mahony will be making his Bomber debut and is a punt specialist and he will be battling import Brian Monroe. Alexis Serna had an excellent NCAA career and is looking to make his first appearance at Canad Inns stadium as a place kicker.
- Safety: Jason Nugent is the front runner for the job but he will have to beat out imports Cam Hall and Dwayne Slay as well as non-import Ian Logan for the spot.
- Wide Receiver: Airon Fairooz has made a great impression at camp in his effort to gain a roster spot while Dan Sheldon, Jamie Stoddard and Willie Foster all try and climb the ladder at one of the deepest positions for the Bombers.
