Big Blue ready for Grey Cup rematch

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This article was published 26/09/2023 (768 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have left their heartbreaking loss in the 2022 Grey Cup in the past.

They can’t run from it this week, though.

With the reigning champs, the 12-1 Toronto Argonauts, visiting IG Field Friday night, the Bombers (10-4) have had no choice but to go down that road and study the tape of their 24-23 defeat.

It’s the last time the two CFL powerhouses met.

“It’s good. It’s growth,” said right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick after Tuesday’s practice.

“It’s good to be able to look at it and not be crying now. It happened, congrats to them, and now we’re working to get back there.”

Hardrick has relived it several times already. Sometimes he can’t escape it even in his own home.

“I watched it right after. I watched SportsCentre the next day and in the off-season it kept coming on TSN so you can’t miss it,” said Hardrick. “And my son (Jermarcus Jr.) loves YouTube these days so he’ll randomly go on there and put Grey Cups on and sometimes he puts that one on. He’s a kid, he just loves the CFL… I go in there and sit down and watch it with him.”

Wide receiver Rasheed Bailey should have every second of that game memorized. He estimates he watched it roughly 30 times shortly after it happened.

“It was just so hard because we should’ve won that game. We made some mistakes that were uncharacteristic but they capitalized on every mistake that we made,” said Bailey.

“I spent 20 minutes after the Grey Cup watching them celebrate. It’s a new year, though. We’re a different team, they’re a different team. They’re doing some really good things, but we’ve experienced so much this year. We’ve learned a lot from our losses and I think we’re connecting differently right now. I can’t wait to get back out there so everyone can see it.”

As for revenge, that narrative is overblown, at least according to Bailey.

“Everything is revenge, revenge, revenge. We’ve been playing this all year. Saskatchewan beat us, then we came back here and it was revenge. It’s about us. It’s about what we do,” said Bailey.

“I think once you start thinking about the opponent too much you forget how special you truly are. I think this group is very, very special and I think we need to enjoy it while it’s here.”

HARRIS NOT PLAYING

Andrew Harris will make his return to IG Field on Friday, but the future hall of fame running back won’t be playing.

The Argos placed the Winnipegger on the six-game injured list late last week with a knee issue.

Toronto didn’t visit Winnipeg last year, and now with Harris hurt in what is expected to be his final season, it looks like he’ll never get a chance to play his former club in his hometown.

Harris, now 36, starred for the Bombers for five seasons between 2016-21.

“I talked to him. I know he’s still coming here. He’s still going to come out and support,” said receiver Nic Demski.

“He’s still locked in with the Argos. It’s still a chance to come home I’m sure, but I know what type of guy he is and the type of energy he brings to the Argos. I know that he’s still fully locked in over there and whatever type of run they go on that he’s going to be a part of it.”

With Toronto already securing the East Division crown, they’ll be sitting starting quarterback Chad Kelly on Friday for backup Cameron Dukes. The Argos made star running back A.J. Ouellette a healthy scratch in last Saturday’s 29-14 home win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. They could do the same thing with Ouellette this week in Winnipeg to give him some additional rest.

“I don’t care. Whoever they put out there, that’s who we play against. It doesn’t make a difference,” said defensive co-ordinator Richie Hall.

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With Friday being a potential 2023 Grey Cup preview, Hall was asked if it would’ve been beneficial to see the Argos at their best.

“If we get to play them again, that means we’re both playing in the Grey Cup, but a lot of things that gotta happen between now and then,” said Hall.

“I can only deal with reality and what it is now… I’m still gonna go to sleep tonight, I’m still gonna eat well, and I’m still gonna call the game. The expectations are for our guys to go out there and play well regardless.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

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Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

Every piece of reporting Taylor 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.