Hamilton, June 22, 2011 – With 2011’s training camp in the rear-view mirror, the Montreal Alouettes now turn their attention to tonight’s final pre-season game against the Hamilton Tiger Cats, kicking-off at 7 p.m. at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
While a number of players had solid outings in the team’s pre-season opener in Montreal, including receivers Brandon London and Bo Bowling, others still need to showcase their worth as they compete for a spot on an already crowded roster.
Although the pre-season can in some cases make or break a career, this is certainly not the case for starting quarterback Anthony Calvillo, entering his 18th season in the league.
“I might go a couple of series or even one quarter,” said Calvillo when asked about the veteran players making appearances tonight to slowly get back into the groove of things. “I know how to get myself ready to compete for the upcoming season,” he added.
Studying the opponent
Both Hamilton and Montreal did not play their starters for an extended period of time in their respective pre-season openers, making it difficult for both teams to gauge and study the other. “We watched tape of Hamilton on the train ride yesterday morning. We will have a few sets of plays on offence and defence ready,” said Head Coach Marc Trestman.
Injuries
The Alouettes will be without the services of offensive playmakers Jamel Richardson, Danny Desriveaux and DeAndra Cobb, all sidelined with injuries and who have yet to play under the lights in 2011. On the defensive side of the ball, Montreal will be without Jerald Brown and Walter Spencer, who did not travel with the team.
“Seth Williams will start the game at defensive back in the place of Brown and De’Audra Dix will also be in the rotation and see playing time,” explained Trestman.
Final roster
The Alouettes’ line-up will need to be trimmed down to its final form by June 24 at the latest, making both coaches and players alike aware of how crucial tonight’s game will be towards solidifying a spot on the team’s final roster. “We obviously have some difficult decisions to make in the next 72 hours,” concluded Trestman.
Tonight’s game, which is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m., will be broadcast on TSN, RDS, CJAD and CKAC.
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