The Hamilton Tiger-Cats aren’t going to get much of a look at the “real” Winnipeg Blue Bombers when the clubs meet in a CFL pre-season game Thursday night at Alumni Field in Guelph.
It will be the first ever CFL game played in the temporary home of the Ticats, and while Hamilton coach Kent Austin will use a lot of his veteran players, the Bombers Tim Burke will go with an almost completely rookie-laden roster.
Burke says his approach to the final days of training camp and this last pre-season game is simple:
“To make sure we get to the regular season opener June 27th against Montreal as healthy as we can be. That’s one thing I learned from Mark Trestman. Last year we went into the season opener without our two starting offensive tackles, with our number-three running back and with injuries in the secondary. I want our best players on the field against the Alouettes. Besides, we’ve got quite a few guys playing in this game who are fighting for roster spots, a couple for starting positions, and we are going to get to see what they can do against Hamilton’s number ones. It will tell us who belongs and who doesn’t.”
Nobody wearing Blue and Gold will be more eager to play in the game than Justin Goltz. 
Goltz will start at quarterback and likely play the entire first half. It will be the first time Goltz has started a game since his last year at Occidental College. Goltz joined the Blue Bombers toward the end of the 2010 season but has only thrown 14 regular season passes in the 28 games he has dressed for.
A good showing against the Ticats will enable the athletic 6-foot 5-inch Goltz to hold off the challenge of Max Hall and Chase Clement for the number 2 quarterback spot behind Buck Pierce.
Austin is taking a somewhat different approach in this game, particularly at the quarterback position.
Henry Burris will start and Austin says, “He needs to get enough work to feel comfortable, not just with the players around him but just getting personnel groupings in and out of the huddle, managing the clock and hopefully get in a couple of situations that are different than just the traditional get up to the line and snap the ball. As long as we experience with Henry multiple situations like that we’ll be pretty confident he is prepared for the regular season.”
The ever candid Burke said, “We could get blasted in this game and I hope our fans don’t put too much stock into the final score. Our intent is to evaluate the newcomers and make sure the vets are healthy when there are points at stake in the standings.”
The Blue Bombers open the regular season Thursday, June 27th against the Alouettes at Investors Group Field. The Ticats start playing the games that matter on Friday, June 28th when they visit the Toronto Argonauts.
