The CFL announced its nominees for the major player awards and the Bomber award winners will likely be in tough in the next round of voting to determine East and West representatives.

Here is the CFL release:

2009 GIBSON'S FINEST CFL PLAYER AWARDS
Team Nominees Announced

Toronto, ON (November 5, 2009) -The Canadian Football League (CFL) announced today the team nominees for the 2009 Gibson's Finest CFL Player Awards.

The players were selected by voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and the CFL head coaches.

In this first ballot, FRC representatives from each CFL city plus the respective head coach submitted votes for the six categories. Voters were asked to select players from their local CFL club who through on-field performance excellence, best represent the awards' title - Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Canadian Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Most Outstanding Rookie, and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.

The East and West nominees for the 2009 Gibson's Finest CFL Player Awards will be announced on Thursday, November 12, 2009.

The league-wide winners will be announced during Grey Cup week at the Gibson's Finest CFL Player Awards on Thursday, November 26 at the TELUS Convention Centre in Calgary.

Below are the first ballot nominee results:

* - Indicates a unanimous selection


B.C. Lions

Most Outstanding Player - Geroy Simon
Most Outstanding Canadian Player - Ricky Foley
Most Outstanding Defensive Player - Korey Banks
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player - Jason Arakgi*
Most Outstanding Rookie - Martell Mallett
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman - Sherko Haji-Rasouli

Edmonton Eskimos

Most Outstanding Player - Fred Stamps
Most Outstanding Canadian Player - Patrick Kabongo
Most Outstanding Defensive Player - Kai Ellis
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player - Tristan Jackson
Most Outstanding Rookie - Arkee Whitlock*
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman - Patrick Kabongo

Calgary Stampeders

Most Outstanding Player - Joffrey Reynolds
Most Outstanding Canadian Player - Dimitri Tsoumpas
Most Outstanding Defensive Player - Dwight Anderson*
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player - Sandro DeAngelis
Most Outstanding Rookie - Malik Jackson*
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman - Ben Archibald*

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Most Outstanding Player - Darian Durant
Most Outstanding Canadian Player - Rob Bagg
Most Outstanding Defensive Player - John Chick
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player - Jason Armstead
Most Outstanding Rookie - Jerrell Freeman
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman - Gene Makowsky

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Most Outstanding Player - Jovon Johnson*
Most Outstanding Canadian Player - Doug Brown*
Most Outstanding Defensive Player - Doug Brown
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player - Jovon Johnson*
Most Outstanding Rookie - Jonathan Hefney*
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman - Brendan LaBatte*

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Most Outstanding Player - Arland Bruce III
Most Outstanding Canadian Player - Marwan Hage
Most Outstanding Defensive Player - Markeith Knowlton
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player - Dylan Barker
Most Outstanding Rookie - Marquay McDaniel
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman - Marwan Hage

Toronto Argonauts

Most Outstanding Player - Jamal Robertson
Most Outstanding Canadian Player - Kevin Eiben*
Most Outstanding Defensive Player - Kevin Eiben
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player - Justin Medlock
Most Outstanding Rookie - Lin-J Shell*
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman - Taylor Robertson

Montreal Alouettes

Most Outstanding Player - Anthony Calvillo*
Most Outstanding Canadian Player - Ben Cahoon
Most Outstanding Defensive Player - Anwar Stewart
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player - Larry Taylor
Most Outstanding Rookie - Jerald Brown*
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman - Scott Flory