Intensity, anticipation building ahead of Riders preseason game at Griffiths Stadium

The Saskatchewan Roughriders held their final full practice on Thursday ahead of preseason finale against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Keenan Sorokan reports.

It’s nearly time to Bring ‘Em Out.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders held their final practice in Saskatoon on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s preseason finale against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Griffiths Stadium.

And as crews worked on the final refurbishing touches on the stadium with an expected crowd of roughly 10,000 people, the competition on the field was fierce with players making the most of their final chance to impress the coaching staff.

“Some things we identified in yesterday’s practice we wanted to get better at today, and we did,” head coach Corey Mace said following the session.

“So, still obviously [we] have room for improvement, but, you know, the compete periods, everything — it was exactly what we wanted.”

As part of the race for final roster spots is the competition in the linebacker corps. Free agent signing Josh Woods has been acclimating himself to his new surroundings and found himself taking a majority of the reps with the starting defence as he hopes to become a familiar name to Riders fans this season.

“We literally do have a really good group and everybody genuinely likes each other and wants to try to be better and the best,” he said. “It’s been good and I’ve been getting better every day. I’m getting more adjusted to the system and the chemistry every day.”

• Get the latest news from Saskatoon, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

Following a season with the B.C. Lions where Woods had 62 tackles in 14 games, Mace says Woods has handled training camp with calmness and patience.

“He’s handled it very well. Obviously, he was a productive player in his previous spot. You know, just continue to keep pushing forward and make some plays,” Mace said.

One thing that was evident through the high intensity practice was the comradery among players. No matter the stakes, players were seeing celebrating and congratulating each other throughout the practice.

“It’s the fine line that we always try to walk. We want to have fun in here, man,” Mace said. “It’s football. So, I try not to lose sight of that. And I never want any of these guys to lose sight of that.”

Mace held a showcase drill with receivers and either linebackers or defensive backs squaring up against one another. The drill finished with first-round rookie Malcolm Bell facing standout performer KeeSean Johnson, who got the better of his counterpart and helped kick off a large celebration for the offence.

“I got put to a challenge,” Bell said. “Great rep. He won. I’m gonna see him next time.”

As part of the setup for Saturday’s festivities, which begin three hours before kickoff at 2 p.m. with a party in the park next to Griffiths Stadium, a semi carrying a large video screen moved in on Thursday.

Touted as the largest mobile video screen in North America, it’s part of some of the final touches being implemented to elevate the typical fan experience.

With anticipation building for the team’s first game in Saskatoon since 1991, players and staff are eager to feel the buzz that’s been building since training camp began at the beginning of the month.

“One thing I do know, you could put a field anywhere in this province, and people are going to show up in green and white,” Mace said.

There’s perhaps no other player more popular than Daniel Wiebe as the weekend approaches. The former University of Saskatchewan Huskie says many friends and family will be in attendance, though he wasn’t sure exactly how many. As he looks to finalize his spot on the roster, he understands Saturday’s game will feel a little bit different than the last time he suited up at Griffiths in the Mitchell Bowl last November.

“It’s honestly hard to even imagine right now. I’m just super excited — really looking forward to it. For me, I’m just trying to stay in this moment for now.”

“I’m super excited to have the support. It’s been really amazing having everyone. It’s gonna be crazy.”

The team will hold a walk-through on Friday. Following Saturday’s game, the Roughriders will continue the final week of training camp in Regina ahead of final roster cuts due on May 30.