Palardy doing his part

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This article was published 14/10/2011 (5163 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

He has been the best part of a kicking game that has been suspect at times this season.

In a season in which the kick return game has yet to get going and the punting has been inconsistent, Winnipeg Blue Bombers place kicker Justin Palardy appears to be finding his best form between the uprights at the very best time of year.

A 49-yard field goal against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week was Palardy’s longest of the season and while he went on to miss a second shorter attempt later in the game, the 23-year-old out of Truro, N.S., heads into the final four games of the regular season having made 10 of his last 11 and 16 of his last 18 field goal attempts.

That is exactly the kind of consistency a CFL team with championship aspirations requires at this time of year, as the weather turns cold and the kicking game becomes even more important.

And so while the Bombers continued this week to allow Jamie Boreham to audition at practice as a possible replacement for Winnipeg punter Mike Renaud on the roster — head coach Paul LaPolice said no change will occur this week, but didn’t rule one out in the future — Palardy’s job seems secure.

“He’s made some really big kicks for us this year,” said LaPolice. “I think he’s a mentally tough kid.”

Palardy had some struggles about a third of the way into the season and his 78.0 percentage on field goal attempts (32-41) this season still reflects that momentary slump, putting him middle of the pack among CFL place kickers.

But the consistency has been much improved the last six games and the long kick against Hamilton will also go a long way to giving some confidence to a kicker who is better known for an accurate leg than a strong leg. “I feel like I’m hitting my stride,” Palardy said Thursday. “I’m certainly more consistent than I was at the start of the year.

“And that kick last week was good to get under my belt and get the monkey off my back for longer field goals. I’d been hitting them in practice… but LaPo showed faith, believed I could make it and I delivered. It’s good to make one of those with the playoffs right around the corner.”

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The Bombers were just two players short of a full contingent at practice Thursday. Defensive lineman Rodney Fritz continues to sit with a sore hamstring, while defensive end Kenny Mainor remains back home in the U.S. following the death of his grandmother.

LaPolice said Fritz definitely won’t play this week, and Mainor is unlikely to play.

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The Bombers are scheduled to travel this morning to Edmonton, where they will stage a light workout Friday afternoon in advance of Saturday night’s game against the Edmonton Eskimos at Commonwealth Stadium.

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The Bombers announced Thursday that they are extending their office hours this month in advance of the deadline on Oct. 24 for current season ticket holders to put down their non-refundable $50 deposit per seat on their 2012 season tickets.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca