Wild eyeing Leggett’s position

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This article was published 18/10/2017 (3023 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ian Wild has been sidelined from football for so long he compared the time he’s lost this year to that of another off-season away from the game.

“I had to get myself back in shape and train all over again after sitting out,” said Wild, who spoke to reporters on Wednesday for the first time since suffering a broken wrist in Week 3 against the Calgary Stampeders in the home opener July 7.

“It’s definitely tough but I feel like I’m back in shape now and ready to go.”

What role the linebacker will play on Saturday, when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers travel to Toronto to take on the Argonauts in a game that could seal a home-playoff berth for the Bombers, has yet to be determined. Wild isn’t sure if he has a spot on the roster at this point, though it’s hard to believe they wouldn’t welcome the veteran linebacker back with open arms after losing Maurice Leggett for the season in a win over the Lions last week.

“It’s obviously up to the coaches but I’ve been practising pretty well and wherever they can use me I’ll play,” Wild said. “I know with Moe being out… there are some pieces that need to be put in place, so wherever I can fit and help I will be happy to go in and help.”

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said he’s liked what he’s seen from Wild at practice, and he isn’t concerned about where Wild as far as conditioning. Wild is known for his obsession to keeping fit, and has been working his lower body since undergoing surgery.

Still, O’Shea, predictably, refused to tip his hand on any roster moves.

“We’re working guys through those positions,” said O’Shea, referring to the void left by Leggett. “As usual, lots of guys getting reps in spots to see how the lineup will best play out for us. We’ll make that decision sometime (Thursday) afternoon.”

“We got a very good football player that is ready to go,” said O’Shea, referring Wild. “He’s smart and active. He’ll play good football for us. It’s that time of year where let’s get guys playing.”

PROCEED WITH CAUTION: with season-ending injuries to defensive end Jamaal Westerman and linebacker Leggett in recent weeks, as well as the potential loss of receiver Darvin Adams for the remainder of the year, O’Shea was asked if he planned to manage his team’s health differently down the final stretch.

With just three games left in the regular season, the Bombers are just one victory away from securing second spot in the West Division and a home playoff berth. That could happen as early as Saturday, which in turn would make the final two games irrelevant to the standings if the Bombers were to win.

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“You can’t foresee these things, right? I guess there’s the idea where you pull a guy out and you avoid all of it,” O’Shea said. “But they still practise, guys still, unfortunately, guys go down in practice, guys go down in games… you can’t bubble-wrap everybody.”

SAD DAY FOR HIP FANS: many Bombers were saddened by the death of Gord Downie, the Canadian icon and frontman for the Tragically Hip, who lost his battle with brain cancer on Wednesday. Among those mourning was O’Shea, who first began listening to The Hip as a teenager in North Bay, Ont.

“Finishing high school in ’89 and going through university… what I said to my son is basically every good time that me and my high school buddies had, pretty well through that stretch the Hip was always playing in the background. It’s a sad day,” O’Shea said.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.

Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.