Rifles ready for rivals in season opener

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This article was published 19/08/2021 (1817 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Rifles are not wasting any time out of the gates of training camp as they get set for their Sunday afternoon season opener against their CJFL rivals in the Regina Thunder.

“The way the year has unfolded, you think of it like a horse race, it’s finally exciting to get them to the gates,” said Rifles head coach Geordie Wilson.

“We’ve got them out of the barn and we’re going to let them run. I’m excited to get to that point on Sunday. I think we have some thoroughbreds and once we open the gates they’ll be running like it’s no one else’s business.”

Over the course of training camp, Wilson has narrowed down his roster from 97, to 80 players. A decision to cut a player is one that Wilson says is never easy to make.

“It’s hard, I feel bad for a lot of the new kids, the rookies because we are essentially two rookie classes trying to make the roster,” said Wilson.

Out of the 80 current Rifles players, 48 are entering their first year with the squad, a number that Wilson says he will rarely see in his organization. Based on the pandemic, Wilson is concerned about some of the veteran losses his team has incurred compared to his opponents in the league.

“Did Regina and Saskatoon incur the same kind of older loss that we did, we’re not going to know until this weekend, when we see the other rosters,” said Wilson.

Conversely, it has opened up spots for younger guys who wouldn’t have had those opportunities.

After three years in the Manitoba Major Football League, the opportunity has opened for Rifles starting quarterback Bryson McNeil to take his game to the next level.

“It’s just going out there and putting in the work, 100 per cent at practice every single day, get your head in the playbook and be confident in myself,” said McNeil.

The 22-year-old enters his first year with the Rifles after winning three championships in the MMFL and is honoured to represent the Winnipeg club.

“It meant a lot, the hard work pays off at the end of the day and I’m going to do my best to keep doing what I’ve been doing,” said McNeil.

Wilson notes his veteran receiving core gives McNeil plenty of targets to throw to going into this season and believes his starting quarterback should have been with the organization a few years ago.

“Bryson is a kid that should’ve been playing junior football, he’s kind of got that field general presence to him and he’s got a big enough gun to be good in our league,” said Wilson.

In terms of the rest of the offence, the Rifles coach is counting on guys like Miguel Leano and Jackson Hamie to bolster and mentor the offensive line and had high praise for veteran running back Sekina Schiebler.

“Sekina, he’s a gamer man, he’s a well put together kid and we expect him to have a big season for us,” said Wilson.

At the defensive end of the field, the head coach says his young defensive line is complemented with talent like Will Smith, a 19-year-old from Grant Park who plays well beyond his years, according to Wilson.

With three years of experience under his belt with the Rifles, Barret Mueller, a veteran linebacker likes what he sees, but knows he has a role to play in mentoring the new youth who are joining the CJFL out of high school.

“It’s how much bigger the guys will be and just how much more of a challenge it is,” said Mueller.

“Coming out of high school everyone is used to being the big player on their team, but when you’re coming in here you got to understand that everyone on the other team is going to be just as good as you are, or if not better. It’s a bigger man’s game.”

Wilson says Mueller reminds him of a young J.C. Sherritt, the former Edmonton linebacker and Grey Cup Champion.

“He’s a short guy looking at him, but he is very good, a cerebral player and we’re expecting some big things out of him,” said Wilson.

As of Aug. 7, the Rifles have been able to hold full practices, and players can use the locker room and access therapy. Wilson’s players say this week feels very businesslike, based on their Sunday matchup and rivalry with the Regina Thunder.

“It definitely feels different from other games because you know you’re not going to have an easy go and every play you’re going to go hard,” said Mueller.

“They are as excited or mad at the matchup as you are and it’s always a very physical game.”

“I’m excited, I look forward to things like that, it’s hard hitting and the intensity is way up there,” said McNeil.

Wilson noted that injuries have not made an impact on training camp but is anticipating the return of one defensive lineman and one receiver shortly as the two players return from battling forest fires in B.C. and Manitoba. With his players lined up for battle, Wilson says the time is now to win the line of scrimmage and take it to Regina at home.

“At the end of the day, It’s going to come down to playing with some chutzpah and getting ready to rock and roll and I think our guys are up for the challenge,” said Wilson.

“It’s a very similar rivalry between the Riders and the Bombers, as there is no love lost. It’ll be a physical slobber-knocker game and hopefully we come out on top.”

Sunday’s kickoff at Maple Grove is set for 1 p.m.

 

jbernacki@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @JosephBernacki