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QB Joey Elliott impressed in Montreal, hitting 9-of-14 for 111 yards, but figures he and the Bombers have plenty to learn and improve on. (KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

NO APOLOGIES FOR ROAD SHOWS

THE Bombers organization is taking some heat for the 2012 schedule, which sees the club play the first four games on the road. That quirk came from the Bombers themselves, who asked the league to give them an extra month to put the finishing touches on Investors Group Field.

As you know, the new stadium won't be ready, and Friday, team president and CEO Garth Buchko brushed off any claims the club erred in approaching the league for a road-heavy schedule. Said Buchko:

"It really does show it was our intention from the beginning that we were going to be playing at Investors Group Field. We wouldn't have scheduled four road games if we thought there was a chance we wouldn't be playing at Investors Group Field. I've spoken to (GM) Joe Mack, (coach) Paul LaPolice, I've spoken to many players, who said it doesn't matter where they play."

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For the most part, Paul LaPolice was content with how things played out in Montreal.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach hit on most of the same talking points he did immediately following the 22-10 pre-season win over the Alouettes at Molson Stadium Thursday night, supplying careful amounts of praise about the way his quarterbacks operated the offence, noting encouraging signs from the offensive line and issuing words of warning on football security.

LaPolice had yet to see the game film when he spoke with reporters at the airport Friday morning, so his evaluations were handed out in broad strokes. With CFL training-camp roster cuts coming, he wouldn't speculate on who improved or damaged their chance to make the 2012 Bomber squad after the Montreal contest, but he did give an overall sense that he was quite pleased with some of the position battles.

"Like we told these players: 'Make our decisions difficult,'" he said. "I think a number of guys did (Thursday)."

The Bombers have to get down to 65 players this weekend. As of Friday, there were 73 still in camp, according to the team website, though a handful do not count towards the roster.

Most players who participated in Thursday's game were feeling good about their positions the next day. Quarterbacks Alex Brink and Joey Elliott, two guys looking to grab the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind starter Buck Pierce, both say they have positives to build on heading into the final week of camp.

"I felt good about my play," said Brink, who went 7-of-15 for 74 yards and had the inevitable task of starting the first quarter with nervous rookies in the offence. "It took a little bit (of time) to get a rhythm, just with a new group of guys and a new offensive co-ordinator and all that, but overall it was good."

Elliott, seeing his first action in almost a year after a rehabbing a surgically repaired ACL in his left knee, wasn't putting a lot of stock in his impressive outing (9-of-14 for 111 yards). Thursday was just the start of what he wants to accomplish, he said.

"Pre-season games are good film and an opportunity to get better," Elliott said. "I thought the whole offence, with the coverages they (Montreal) were showing, we have a lot to learn. That's a good thing. There's room for improvement."

That's the thinking Chris Kowalczuk is hitting the practice field with today. The offensive lineman, auditioning with Justin Sorensen for the starting centre gig, said he made two mental errors against the Als, but overall was feeling good about what he did in his first-ever game in the position.

"It kind of opened my eyes to see how I react in a game situation," he said, clutching a copy of a Montreal newspaper that had a picture of him on the front of the sports section. "I'm happy with how I played, but a few things need to get cleaned up."

Running back Bloi-Dei Dorzon scored the lone touchdown for the Bombers Thursday. His 38-yard touchdown run in the third quarter capped a four-carry, 54-yard night and improved his stock in the club's eyes.

The 27-year-old practice-roster holdover, who's been waiting for a game opportunity to show the Bombers what he can do, felt he put in a solid effort against Montreal but wouldn't touch the subject of improved chances when it came to the prospect of making the team.

Friday's question of the day: Did he do enough to improve his standing?

"That's not my decision. That's the coaches' decision," Dorzon said.

The Bombers are back on the field this morning at 11. Winnipeg's second and final pre-season game goes Wednesday, when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats visit Canad Inns Stadium.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @wazoowazny

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 16, 2012 C3