Battered Hall makes case to be Bombers’ QB of the future

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This article was published 30/10/2013 (4715 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hip pointer injuries can be deliriously painful, as Bombers fans saw when pivot Max Hall came out of last week’s game wincing, and then got off the plane from Toronto walking with a cane. But he iced the hip obsessively, practised on Tuesday, and is set to start against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday.

It’s not the first time this year Hall has had to bounce back after being hammered on the field. “I’ve always considered myself a decently tough guy, and a resilient guy,” he said. “That’s a good reputation to have, if that’s what I have, so I’ll take it.”

Besides, after a season marked by so many question marks at quarterback, Hall wouldn’t want to miss one last chance to try and show he could be at least part of the answer. “I know not a lot of guys get an opportunity to just be a starter, out of nowhere pretty much,” he said. “I’ve done everything I can to get better every week, and I think I’ve shown that, and shown my potential in the future.”

In support of this self-report, the Bombers offence did improve in the dying weeks of the season, and they left Toronto having racked up at least 300 yards of offence for the third consecutive game. Yeah, that’s not exactly an earth-shattering figure, but they had failed to do so for the seven previous weeks. So while Hall has a case, the final judgment could go either way.

Time for closing arguments, then. “I definitely want to be here next year,” Hall said. “I want to be a Bomber, I think I’ve shown that I’ve gotten better every week, and could lead this team next year.”

Edwards likely to miss game

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HERE, a preliminary list of who you likely will not see in Saturday’s game: receiver Mike Sims-Walker, injured against the Argonauts last week; offensive tackle Tackle Patrick Neufeld is out with an injury, as are defensive end Greg Peach (groin) and slotback Terrence Edwards.

It remains to be seen if offensive lineman Glenn January will be healthy enough to play. Defensive tackle Kenny Mainor, with an injured shoulder, had a doctor’s appointment on Tuesday that would determine if he’d be able to practise this week.

On the plus side, the injury line gives Bombers brass even more of a chance to take a look at some of their younger guys and late-season acquisitions. The team is interested in getting running back Mario Fannin some playing time, head coach Tim Burke said, as well as defensive end J.D. Griggs and defensive tackle Zach Anderson, who both lost time to injury this year.

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca

Melissa Martin
Reporter-at-large

Melissa Martin reports and opines for the Winnipeg Free Press.

Every piece of reporting Melissa 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.