When the Hamilton Tiger-Cats take on the Montreal Alouettes in Week 9, they will be mostly healthy and fresh off their second consecutive victory.
After dominating the Edmonton Elks last week, the Tabbies have not added any new injuries to their roster. The other notable change is on the injured list, where Canadian safety Stavros Katsantonis (leg) has been moved from the one-game to the six-game list after missing the previous two weeks due to injury.
The UBC product has five appearances this season and 17 tackles. Robert Panabaker, a rookie from Canada, who has already racked up 12 defensive tackles, 3 special teams tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble this season, will start in relief for the third time in his career.
Hamilton won’t be changing the squad even though a crucial player has been available again. After beginning the season on the six-game injured list, veteran left tackle Joel Figueroa (shoulder) fully recovered this week and was cleared to return. However, Figueroa will remain on the disabled list for at least one more week, with youngster Brendan Bordner retaining his position.
Unexperienced Although he is eligible to return, Canadian defensive end Luke Brubacher (hamstring) will also sit out the one game, joining receiver Dezmon Patmon, linebacker Ray Wilborn, and running back Greg Bell as healthy scratches. Only Canadian receiver Brendan O’Leary-Orange and Katsantonis are among the eight Ticats players on the six-game injury list.
On Friday, August 2 at 7:30 p.m. EDT, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-5) will play the Montreal Alouettes (6-1).
Just in Lauther of the Riders Kicks Past a Legend.
One bright spot for the Saskatchewan Roughriders during their difficult 20-16 loss to the Montreal Alouettes in Week 8 was kicker Brett Lauther. As part of a 10-point effort in the second quarter, Lauther’s 43-yard field goal not only proved to be a crucial play in a close loss but also a noteworthy personal achievement.
With that kick, Lauther moved up to fourth place on the Roughriders’ all-time scoring list, passing the great George Reed. With 828 points in his career with the Green and White, Lauther has proven to be a reliable and skilled player throughout the years.
Lauther maintained his modesty when questioned about the importance of this accomplishment. For me personally, not much, he stated. “But even though my name is on the list, I believe it’s important to acknowledge that many others have also contributed to this achievement.” Lauther thanked his coaches, long snapper Jorgen Hus, his holders, and everyone who has helped him along the way throughout his career.
Following practice on Tuesday, a special meeting served to emphasize the event even more. George Reed’s family, including his wife Angie and daughter Georgette, came to celebrate Lauther’s achievement. They gave Lauther a commemorative #34 shirt, which made Lauther very happy. He intends to proudly display the jersey in his house as a sign of his admiration for Reed, even if he will not be wearing it.
“Whenever I had the chance to speak with George, he was always generous with words of encouragement and shared insights about his experiences both on and off the field, including his work with the players association,” Lauther remarked, thinking back on his meetings with the legendary Reed.
With 35 points separating them, Lauther’s next goal is Jack Abendschan. After that, he wants to eventually pass both Dave Ridgway, the all-time leader with an astounding 2,374 points, and Paul McCallum, who is in second place with 1,615 points.
For the time being, Lauther is still committed to helping the Roughriders succeed and values his place in the team’s history, which he attained with commitment, diligence, and reverence for the legends who came before him.
