Saskatchewan Roughriders running back A.J. Ouellette is getting closer and closer to making his return to the field, and based on the team game status report on Thursday, it could be as early as this weekend.
The report revealed that Ouellette was a full participant in the final practice before the team leaves for Winnipeg on Friday and will be questionable for the Labour Day Classic rematch.
“He’s definitely looking a lot more like himself, which is awesome to see,” Riders head coach Corey Mace said after practice. “It’s certainly something for us to think about this weekend.”
Should he be unable to go, it’s expected the status quo will remain for the running game with Quali Conley getting the start and Thomas Bertrand-Hudon as back-up.
“He’s had some pretty good games for us,” Mace said of Conley. “I don’t want to lean on stats for that, because there’s a lot of things we ask our backs to do within the offence that make us operate at a high level and he’s done a pretty good job of those things.”
The news was also good for offensive lineman Jermarcus Hardrick, as a hip injury saw him in limited action this week, but he will be in action against the Bombers. That’s also the case for linebacker Antoine Brooks Jr., who will return to the line-up after recovering from a wrist injury that caused him to miss the Labour Day Classic.
Albert Awachie (ankle) is also getting close to a return from the six-game injured list but will miss at least one more game.
Receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker was back on the field this week in limited fashion and will still need time to recover from his knee injury.
Receiver Daniel Wiebe (concussion), linebacker Nick Wiebe (knee) and linebacker Josh Woods (ankle) are all out for the Labour Day Classic rematch.
The Rider Broadcast Network pregame show begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday with Teagan Witko, Wes Cates and plenty of special guests. Dave Thomas and analyst Luc Mullinder will then have the game call at kickoff at 2 p.m.
