Collaros misses workout

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This article was published 16/11/2022 (1080 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

REGINA — It’s become the most important storyline of Grey Cup week and one that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have done everything they can to suppress.

There was no hiding on Wednesday, when the Bombers took the field for their first formal practice ahead of Sunday’s championship game and star quarterback Zach Collaros was nowhere to be seen.

Collaros was held out of practice as part of his rehab for an injured ankle he suffered late in the Western final against the B.C. Lions. He was tackled awkwardly, his right ankle shifting ways it shouldn’t, with Collaros unable to return for the Bombers final offensive series in a one-score game.

He spoke to reporters afterwards, saying he was fine, and when asked by the Free Press if he would be healthy enough to play the Toronto Argonauts in Sunday’s Grey Cup, Collaros had no doubts he’d be ready. Confidence that Collaros would be good to go by the weekend was certainly present among his teammates after Wednesday’s workout, with several of them throwing their support behind the reigning CFL’s most outstanding player.

When asked to expand on Collaros’ health status, all stayed coy, unwilling to provide much clarity on the situation.

“He’s in high spirits and that’s all I really need to see from him. As long as he’s confident, I’ll be confident,” said Bombers receiver Nic Demski, who was also asked if he felt Collaros would be at 100 per cent come game time. “You’d have to ask (head coach Mike O’Shea) about that.”

That wasn’t possible, at least not until Thursday, as O’Shea wasn’t scheduled to talk after practice because he had already faced reporter’s questions in the annual head coaches press conference earlier in the day. O’Shea did address concerns about Collaros’ ankle Tuesday night, moments after the Bombers plane touched down in Regina.

How’s the ankle? “Pretty good,” O’Shea said, adding: “You’re not going to get much more than that.” Collaros wasn’t selected by the team as one of two players to speak after O’Shea, which seems like even more abnormal move given Collaros’ absence from practice.

The Bombers are a cautious team at the best of times and that level of paranoia only intensifies during Grey Cup week. For instance, they opted not to practice at Mosaic Stadium Wednesday and instead set up shop at Leibel Field — a beautiful, $11.5-million facility that’s the home of Regina minor football — out of concern they could be spied on by their opponent.

Even if this was an attempt to throw off the Argos, Toronto doesn’t appear to be buying it. Several players, as well as head coach Ryan Dinwiddie, have all said they are expecting and game-planning for Collaros to be behind centre.

“He’s an absolute warrior,” said running back Andrew Harris, who played the last five seasons in Winnipeg before signing with Toronto as a free agent in February. “I saw a clip of him walking off the plane. If you can walk of the plane, you can suit up and play the whole game.”

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In the event Collaros can’t play, the Bombers will look to backup Dru Brown. Brown has shown a lot of promise in a short amount of time, but the 25-year-old has seen limited action over his two seasons in Winnipeg.

This year, Brown has attempted just 33 passes for 452 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions, while rushing 19 times for 39 yards and three scores. There’s also Dakota Prukop, who has been stellar as the short-yardage QB, to help out.

“Whoever is going to be back there is what we’re worried about. I’m not worried about ifs and butts,” said offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld. “On gameday, whoever is going to line up behind us, that’s who we’re protecting for. That’s really our focus right now.”

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @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.